The Premiere Frank Capra Collection (2006)

It's a Wonderful Set

"It's a Wonderful Life" is not only the best Frank Capra film, it's one of the best films ever. Some would want to limit to that to a genre, but if popularity counts for anything, it would be the people's choice. What's number two in the Caprian list? I'd say Mr. Deeds Goes to Town. In my view this Cooper vehicle is quite a bit better than Mr. Smith Goes to Washington, although in some ways they seem to be the same movie. But Capra arguably had one message, which he said over and over again. In Mr Deeds, he says it with wit and savvy. It's a plain man/ common man anthem that makes you rejoice to be alive.

Longfellow Deeds is what Chesterton called "another kind of priest", a poet, and a particularly looked-down upon sort-- the sort that writes greeting cards and rhyming verse. Cooper's co-star is the unsinkable Jean Arthur. Modern audiences dismiss such films out of hand: they're black and white, for one thing; predictable for another; and the inevitable happy ending doesn't sit well in a cynical world. All that aside, as the people at the Library of Congress knew when they restored this film, and the people at Turner Classic Movies knew when they showed it, and which many viewers of this set know when they watch it, there are a lot of things going on here that are frankly dazzling, and in a filmic sense, for moderns tired of the switch it on, fast, hard, and, in its own way predictable modern fare of Hollywood, black and white is the new color.

You Can't Take It With You plays well as a play, which is what it once was, and often is, as it remains one of the most popular comedies for small theater groups to put on, but it largely fails in this movie, for the same reason that many early cartoons similarly do. Both were made to fill their bill in the theater line-up (at a time when a newsreel and cartoon presented the feature film), and the fact of animation was dazzling enough on it's own without the later Disney innovation of a story line. In retrospect, this film would make a better musical, and I'm surprised someone hasn't redone it as one. Nevertheless, it provides yet another angle on Capra's populist dream at a time when the melting pot of America was sorely in need of an injection of celluloid hope.

And humor. It Happened One Night is the quintessential screwball comedy, which the stylish Claudette Colbert was barely induced to play in. That already gives it a bit of a twist. Add the chemistry of Clark Gable who, again, was not entirely up for the film, and you get a spontaneity of the Buster Keaton sort without the spinning houses. TCM has a very deluxe package version of this film, but here one can see for oneself what the much-derided genre of screwball comedy was all about, with the result that one may just become an addict of it like this reviewer.

If you like Capra at all, you likely already own some version of It's a Wonderful Life, so here are a few more of his Cupid's arrows from the days when cinema had a heart, which just may make you fall in love with life all over again. July 28, 2008

frank capra

These are classic movies which every red-blooded American should see. Capra captures the American spirit well. And Jimmy Stewart is a genius! You can't not love his characters. June 25, 2008

The Premiere Frank Capra Collection (Mr. Smith Goes to Washington / It Happened One Night / You Can't Take It with You / Mr. Dee

The item was exactly as discribed and arrived in good condition. I would gladly buy from this seller again...anytime! May 31, 2008

Love the oldies

I am a Jimmy Stewart Fan, so this collection is great addition to my collection, every movie is a gem. April 15, 2008

it's all good.

Some of the classics are all bundled here with a fancy package. The only one It's a Wonderful Life is not part of the group, but American Madness, a movie I had not seen before, definately belongs in this collection. February 8, 2008

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