Matinee Idol

THE MATINEE IDOL is a minor Frank Capra comedy made shortly after he came to Columbia in 1928. While certainly not top drawer it already deals with many themes which Capra would expand on as his career progressed. Comic bits, sentiment, and the determination of "the little guy" to succeed are well blended in this short but entertaining feature about a top Broadway star and the country acting troupe he brings to New York as a joke until he falls for their leading lady. The performances by Bessie Love and the now forgotten Johnnie Walker are quite good while Lionel Belmore (the Burgomaster in FRANKENSTEIN and subsequent films) steals the show as the troupe leader. Unfortunately the dated nature of some of the material in which the star performs in blackface (to cash in on the success of THE JAZZ SINGER the year before) does not play well with today's audiences. Although it's tastefully done (what Capra film isn't), it remains a product of its time and should be viewed as such.The real story here is the rediscovery and digital restoration of the film. It is beyond remarkable. The DVD comes with an insert which chronicles the extensive work necessary to bring this film back to life. Whether the film was worth it is debatable, the time and techniques used are not. This will be the future of old movies on video. The added bonus on this disc is the real reason to purchase it. FRANK CAPRA'S AMERICAN DREAM is a superb documentary that no student of film or fan of Capra should be without. An important release for the documentary and the restoration job rather than the film itself. If you are a film lover then it is definitely worth having.

The Matinee Idol is one of those silent film treasures because it was considered lost for such a long time. When it was discovered, it was not complete and had been altered not only for a different language but for time it seems. The restoration on this disk looks beautiful. One would never know by looking at it that it was such a find; there is practically no deterioration and the picture is gorgeous. The only giveaway are the skips in the film which account for five minutes of lost footage. You don't need it to enjoy the film though.The Matinee Idol is about a Broadway blackface star (Johnnie Walker). He goes to a small town with some big shot friends who decide to waste time by seeing a show. The blackface star winds up in the show and hams it up for his friends in the audience. The show is a trite melodrama taken very seriously by the small town folks in it, especially the female lead (Bessie Love). When she fires the Broadway actor, he retaliates by having his friends take the show to New York so he can make fun of them. As the story often goes, the two begin to fall for each other, but he still goes through with his plan. The Broadway show is bittersweet; it is both funny and sad as the crowd laughs like hyenas but the players realize the extent of their talents.Also included on this disk is a wonderful documentary about Frank Capra, the director of the film. It covers the many famous Capra films as well as some that are lesser known, his relationships with stars like Harry Langdon and Barbara Stanwyck, and his life outside of Hollywood. There are interviews with his sons and other directors like Martin Scorcese and actors like Peter Falk and Fay Wray. The opening is beautiful and makes one feel that the film is important. It ends by giving the viewer a new perspective on Capra's messages and moods in his work to help one appreciate it more.

Frank Capra's American Dream is a must for all those who have enjoyed Capra's contribution to cinematic art - and still do. The documentary gives a full overview of Capra's life and detailed discussions of all of his major films, illustrated with carefully selected excerpts from them. The discussions are balanced, and deal with the strengths and weaknesses of individual films. I was struck by the darker themes implicit in Capra's mature work. Interviews with his children and with various artists involved in his projects provide fascinating insights into the histories of Capra's films. I was particularly interested in the interviews with Jane Wyatt (Sondra in "Lost Horizon," my favourite Capra film), and Fay Wray (of "King Kong" fame), who was the wife of Robert Riskin, Capra's main scriptwriter for many years. Capra's problems with the evolving Hollywood "star system" in the later part of his career make sad viewing. The reproduction quality of the documentary is excellent. Ron Howard did a sterling job as the host of the documentary. Highly recommended. David Lee-Smith, Upper Hutt, New Zealand

This wonderful silent comedy,is in my opinion,Frank Capra's funniest film.I found this film a fantastic surprise,as it almost achieves the heights of Buster Keaton or Charlie Chaplin's' best films!The story is a bit familiar,(could it possibly have influenced Mel Brook's PRODUCERS?!).This time however,it is the cast of a provincial Theatre (all hams),that don't realize how unintentionally funny they all are.The arrival of a star of Broadway(Johnnie Walker),in the town on holiday,gets incidentally caught up in the ham play,as he becomes romantically interested in the leading lady (Bessie Love),and gets taken on as an minor actor.Bessie is totally unaware of his fame,but his Producer ,and us find them so funny,that he signs the whole cast,including Johnnie (under a different name)to do their play on Broadway.This basic framework of a plot,leads to convoluted and extreemly funny visual comedy.No word of a lie,this film is a comedy masterpiece! Thought lost,this gem was rediscovered as a export print,lying in a vault in the Cinematheque Francaise,and brought resplendently alive by a fantastic job of restoration,by Sony.The picture quality is so good,that it comes as a major surprise to learn ,that the original negative was not used.It was restored ,meticulously frame by frame ,from a positive excellent 28mm print,and the resulting high definition transfer is miraculous,and appears perfect,a template for all future restorations!This Great film ,is a must see ,for all fans of visual comedy and of Frank Capra.Praise should also be given to the jazzy ,orchestral score by Robert Israel ,which fits in beautifully,and also helps to bring the film gloriously alive.Unfortunately ,this version is Region1 ,or for people with multi-regional DVD players only.I can't speak for other DVDs of this film,but check this one out and be amazed!

great

excellent