Never So Few

Description

Frank Sinatra told the director to give the newcomer a break. John Sturges (The Great Escape) obliged, providing favorable camera angles for Sinatra's young co-star. In his first big-budget film, Steve McQueen was ready to grab the movie world's attention. McQueen plays Bill Ringa, one of the O.S.S. combatants harassing the enemy in World War II Burma. Sinatra is Capt. Tom Reynolds, leading the guerilla fighters and risking court martial while doing so. Also among Never So Few's many are Charles Bronson, Peter Lawford and in her first Hollywood film, Gina Lollobrigida. About McQueen, the New York Herald Tribune's reviewer wrote: "He possesses that combination of smooth-rough charm that suggests star possibilities." A star is born in Never So Few.

Customer Reviews:

Good war film, great Gina.......2007-02-03

NEVER SO FEW was Gina Lollobrigida's first film shot in Hollywood (BEAT THE DEVIL,TRAPEZE and SOLOMON & SHEBA were all shot in Europe), and her arrival to star with Frank Sinatra in this picture was a very exciting event. She should have been given more screen time, but this is an action film intended for a male audience that cares little for romance. So her appearances are always somewhat episodic and her character remains undeveloped. Sturges stages the action sequences very well, the male cast is splendid (especially Richard Johnson and Steve MacQueen), the South East Asian locations are wonderful and atmospheric. Sinatra is always interesting on screen but he does not seem to be very involved in the project. Gina does what she is asked to do, and she does it well. We warm up to her character as the film progresses. At any rate, Lollobrigida was gorgeous-looking in 1959. What a woman!

An undistinguished war film..........2007-01-10

One striking point in 'Never So Few' flavor is the luxurious Gina Lollobrigida, cautious, conventional and very careful), who is something to look at from any angle or any side... She displays an array of revealing gowns, and a full and shapely figure... And don't think the lady doesn't know it... With her, temptation is an art, and a titillating bath is an aesthetic manoeuvre... The signorina racks up quite a score... She exudes real charm and, contrary to expectation, the exotic locations of Burma, Thailand and Ceylon (exquisitely photographed in (Technicolor and CinemaScope) are tentatively explored...

'Never So Few' is an undistinguished war film... The stars are much more important than the story, but there is plenty of action...

Sinatra is heroic, tender, and rebel... A hard-drinking, hard-bitten army captain swinging with the plot from mild-mannered soldier so brave in battle, to an officer and a gentleman so afraid of life... He leads his men against the Chinese although it means crossing the Chinese frontier... In a captured Chinese village he orders all prisoners shot, wiring his superiors to 'go to hell.' He finds American supplies, and licenses issued to warlords by Chungking to raid Allied troops and sell the booty to the Japanese, splitting the take with Chungking!

The supporting cast is filled with familiar faces and each reacts to the situation differently:

Peter Lawford is the surgeon pushed out over the hills.. who is treating Captain De Mortimer for malaria... He advises Sinatra not to cross the border...

Steve McQueen looks good as the reckless, casual GI corporal who overpowers two 'guardians of law & order' so neatly that Sinatra gets him transferred to his outfit... McQueen gives his best screen performance, and it led to his being chosen as one of 'The Magnificent Seven' as Yul Brynner's first recruit and second-in-command...

Richard Johnson is Captain Danny De Mortimer ordered with Tom Reynolds to take a two-week "holiday" in Calcutta to obtain a surgeon and medical supplies for their men...

Paul Henreid is a war profiteer who buys and sells things in seven languages, at all hours...

Charles Bronson is the tough and edgy Sergeant John Danforth...

Dean Jones is the sergeant who clearly delivers the message: 'Do not move any attack. Rearm and release any prisoners you may have taken.'

Robert Bray is Colonel Parkson who warns Reynolds not to attack the Chinese village...

Brian Donlevy is General Sloan who backs up Reynolds and puts off the Chungking representative..

Let yourself cash with the action, of which there is plenty, and I think you're in for a chuckling time..

Colorful WWII Action Film with a Strong Cast.......2006-10-13

NEVER SO FEW is a very entertaining WWII hardnosed action adventure film set in Burma with great characters, dialogue, camaraderie and Steve McQueen as Ringa. The outstanding cast includes Frank Sinatra, Richard Johnson, Gina Lollobrigida, Peter Lawford, Charles Bronson, Brian Donlevy, Dean Jones, Paul Henreid, George Takei and Whit Bissell. Steve McQueen almost steals this film away from Frank Sinatra. However, the worldly Sinatra leading a guerilla force, battling the enemy well as his superiors (Brian Donlevy) and having time to romance Gina Lollobrigida demonstrates a strong sense of charm, righteousness and an ability to show off just how good an actor he really was.

Director John Sturges really new how to tell a story with strong individuals giving each character a sense of depth, believability and distinct charisma. Composer Hugo Friedhofer was very adept at scoring WWII films capturing the drive of the combatants juxtaposed with the horrors of the conflict. The one actor that seems to have gone unrecognized in this film is the very British Richard Johnson. In the earlier scenes in the film he was Frank Sinatra's drinking partner and his second in command. Johnson gives a very colorful and convincing performance and the camaraderie between him and Sinatra looks incredibly natural. It is this camaraderie that is the springboard for all the interwoven characters in this film and really enhances Steve McQueen's introduction as Ringa and the rest is film history.

Gilligan's Island Meets World War II.......2006-06-30

A contemptable piece of drivel. I got this Dog as part of a Steve McQueen collection, even though McQueen has but a small part. I was had.
I compare this movie with Gilligan's Island, both for the unrealism of the jungle set and the fact that they stay in the same place for most of the movie! I would certainly expect the OSS to move around a little- especially since the Japanese attacked their camp in the beginning!
Besides McQueen's obvious star quality and Gina Lollobrigida's beauty, this movie has no qualities to recomend it.
Peter Lawford was predictably wooden, but the real villian of this mess is Ole Blue Eyes. If Sinatira ever phoned in a role, it was here.
The so-called action scenes are laughable. But, the most unbelievable turn is the vengeful mini invasion of China by Sinatira's band at the end. I won't give the end away, but if anyone can imagine such an operation happening in WWII... just absurd and insulting to the audience. Possibly, since it was a 1959 movie a cold war theme was happening?
The only thing worse is the confrontation between Sinatira and the Top Brass later! Frank was possibly facing a firing squad but looked like he was falling asleep.
But, the most unreal turn was where Frank dumped a whole fifth of Scotch whisky into a tub and stuck his feet in it! Oh, you're soaking in it! Any real soldier would have drank that bottle!
Are you getting the idea that I loathe this movie?

Excessively melodramatic wartime yarn.......2006-05-05

The John Sturges directed wartime drama "Never So Few" was a disappointing effort owing primarily to a poor mix of action sequences and an implausible romantic interlude between scrawny and unconvincing leading man, Frank Sinatra and the exotic Gina Lollobrigida.

Sinatra played Cpt. Tom Reynolds leader of a joint American and British force in command of local Kachin fighters in Northern Burma during WWII. Sinatra's small but disciplined force were heroically attempting to keep the 40,000 man Japanese force at bay from an easy incursion into Asia.

During a forced period of R & R with his right hand man British Cpt. De Mortimer played by Richard Johnson, in India, they make the aquaintance of Lollobrigida. She plays Carla Vesari, mistress of wealthy businessman Nikko Regas played by Paul Henreid. Of course Sinatra is immediately smitten with her, setting off a nauseating romance sequence that does little to advance the plot. The only saving grace for these scenes is the introduction of Cpl. Bill Ringa played by the truly macho Steve McQueen. "Never So Few" served as his springboard as he was soon to appear in the TV series "Wanted Dead or Alive" and then the classic western "The Magnificent Seven".

The overly drawn out drama thankfully returns to the jungles for more action sequences with Sinatra's marauding task force. They eventually butt heads not only with the Japanese but with Chinese troops given a mandate to hunt down American soldiers.

While 'Never So Few" has many shortcomings it's wonderful cinematography, expertly using Burmese, Thai and Sri Lankan locales is not one. It also served to feature another up and coming macho leading man, Charles Bronson.

The Essential Steve McQueen Collection (Bullitt Two-Disc Special Edition / The Getaway Deluxe Edition / The Cincinnati Kid / Papillon / Tom Horn / Never So Few)

Average customer rating:

Steve McQueen Collection
buy this set instead of the individual titles!
Incomplete collection
Overall a nice assortment of McQueen's movies at a reasonable price.
Top notch collection of McQueen classics

The Essential Steve McQueen Collection (Bullitt Two-Disc Special Edition / The Getaway Deluxe Edition / The Cincinnati Kid / Papillon / Tom Horn / Never So Few)
Starring: Steve McQueen , Robert Vaughn , Jacqueline Bisset , Don Gordon , and Robert Duvall
Director: Peter Yates , Sam Peckinpah , and Norman Jewison
Manufacturer: Warner Home Video
ProductGroup: DVD
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ASIN: B0008ENHV2
Release Date: 2005-05-31

Description

6 Steve McQueen classic movies are now available in one giftset -- THE ESSENTIAL STEVE McQUEEN COLLECTION! BULLITT TWO DISC-SPECIAL EDITION: Buckle up for gritty police procedure and a wild, trend-setting chase over Frisco's hills with THE GETAWAY DELUXE EDITION A heist gone wrong is dead-right in the hands of McQueen and director Sam Peckinpah. THE CINCINNATI KID McQueen and Edward G. Robinson ante up. Norman Jewison guides the big-time poker flick. NEVER SO FEW Commando action in World War II Burma! McQueen's first big-budget film. Frank Sinatra stars. PAPILLON Can McQueen and Dustin Hoffman escape Devil's Island? From the director of Patton. TOM HORN True to the cowboy way! McQueen rides tall in a star-packed elegy to a changing West. Titles also available separately.

Customer Reviews:

Steve McQueen Collection.......2007-01-15

Husband very pleased with Steve McQueen collection--very happy with his Christmas present

buy this set instead of the individual titles!.......2006-08-04

i bought it mainly for bullit and the getaway special editions (great extras) and papillon... i still haven't checked the other three movies... the bullit edition has a superb documentary on movie editing

Incomplete collection.......2005-12-21

Bullitt is a masterpiece, the greatest movie of its genre and McQueen's performance in it and in Papillon are among his greatest and that's saying a lot. But I would have thought that the folks who took the trouble to produce this collection would have included two others in which he proves he was more than a great charismatic star, he was also a great actor: The Sand Pebbles, in which he gives his greatest performance (and the only one nominated for an Oscar) and Love With the Proper Stranger, a glorious comedy in which he proved how truly brilliant he was by giving a comic performance which surprises and delights me every time I see it. Arthur Knight in the Saturday Review said at the time that McQueen's performance in this movie should be required viewing for acting students. He is as subtle as always -- you have to concentrate to discover all the wonders, as in all his work -- and the result is perfection. Can you imagine anyone else in any of his roles? Thanks, Steve. We'll love you forever.

Overall a nice assortment of McQueen's movies at a reasonable price........2005-08-26

Overall this is a highly recommended set of six different Steve McQueen movies. It's a "must-have" package for McQueen fans or someone who enjoys 1960's era action or adventure films. If you have even the slightest interest in buying any two or three of the six movies offered, then it well worth buying the box set and not the individual DVDs. Here are my reviews of the six DVDs included in this package:

BULLIT

The synopsis of this film revolves around a mobster named Johnny Ross who flees Chicago after embezzling $2 million from a crime syndicate and goes to San Francisco to testify for a power-driven politician named Walter Chalmers (Robert Vaughn). Police Lt. Frank Bullit (Steve McQueen) is assigned to protect Ross for several days prior to testifying. Two hitmen manage to shoot Ross and this sets up the remainder of the movie where Bullit has to not only find these killers but has to appease Chalmers and Bullit's bosses in the police department since he was accountable for Ross's protection.

The signature of this film is of course the wild and fast chase between Bullit's '68 Mustang and the killers' Dodge Charger through the hilly streets of San Francisco. By today's Hollywood standards it's a very ordinary chase, but in its day, it was clearly a revolutionary segment. There were obviously car chases in movies prior to this film, but this chase brought filmmaking to a much higher energy level. But the film has more to offer than just a memorable high-speed chase. First, the character of Bullit played by McQueen is arguably the first of many to follow of young, stylish, and radical cops that a young generation could identify with. It's the coolness of McQueen under fire, his style of fast cars, a sexy girlfriend and fashionable clothes that elevate him above the typical suit-and-tie, family man, and vocally brash movie cops of the past. The other strength of the movie is that it does have a clever twist in the plot about two-thirds through the film. Another enjoyable aspect of the movie is the setting of urban San Francisco in the late `60's. We don't see hippies per se, but we do see professional people in "mod" clothes. Probably the best example of this historic era of fashion disaster is in a scene where Bullit meets an informant name Eddy who has a custom trimmed beard, trendy glasses, and a loud suit.

As for the DVD, the color picture is sharp and pristine and the audio is excellent. There are plenty of bonuses including a short feature of the filming of Bullet, the history of editing and the best feature by far, a comprehensive film biography of McQueen entitled, "The Essence of Cool". There is also real-time commentary by director Peter Yates.

Movie: B+

DVD Quality: A

THE GETAWAY

The movie opens in a Texas prison where Doc McCoy (Steve McQueen) is doing time for armed robbery. He is denied parole and has to come to terms that the only way to get out early is to bribe a prison board member, Jack Beynon (Ben Johnson) by indulging him with sexual favors with McCoy's wife Carol (Ali McGraw). The dirty deed is done and McCoy is then paroled, but Beynon coerces Doc into doing one major bank job with a collection of other crooks that Beynon has assembled. This sets up a big heist with several twists and turns along the way for an action packed film.

I've seen just about all of McQueen's movies and this is my favorite. First, I like the opening scenes in a real Texas prison. The guards and other prisoners aren't actors - they are the real deal. This rest of the movie is shot in Texas also. I don't recall seeing a single scene that appeared to be made in a Hollywood backlot. The plot of this movie is original. It's more than just a bank robbery and car chases. There are a series of interesting confrontations and slick double-crosses that add a lot of pizzazz to the film. The street-smart character of Doc McCoy played by McQueen is what sets this apart from most action films. His uncanny knack of figuring out what's going on and eluding his advisories is what makes it an extra special movie. Ali McGraw is beautiful, but her acting is suspect at times. Sally Struthers gives a wonderful performance as a ditzy, yet too sympathetic hostage. Slim Pickens also does a stellar job as an older, but very spirited cowboy.

As for the DVD, the widescreen color presentation is near pristine. The stereo audio quality is excellent. There are plenty of commentary features on this DVD.

Movie: A-

DVD Quality: A-

PAPILLON

The movie Papillon opens in France in the early 20th century. The main character is a safecracking Frenchman named Henri 'Papillon' Charriere who was convicted of killing a pimp - a crime Papillon insists he was wrongfully accused of. He is sentenced for life in prison in French Guiana. During his voyage from France to South America, Papillon befriends another prisoner named Louis Dega (Dustin Hoffman) who smuggled a small fortune of money with him. Upon arriving in French Guiana, they find the conditions and the climate of prison camp extremely arduous and learn that many inmates die within the first year of imprisonment. Together, Papillon and Dega combine their skills and resources for an escape from this prison colony.

The film is visually moving with many scenes showing the convicts in extremely hostile conditions. The remote locations used were impressive - especially in this widescreen color format. Steve McQueen gives the best performance of this career playing a prisoner who is subjected to near-death treatment is several parts of the film. While his verbal communication is decent in this film, it's his physical presence that is absolutely remarkable. Dustin Hoffman's performance is good, but nothing extra special. But overall, it's an extremely good adventure movie that should be about 130 minutes long instead of 2-1/2 hours. All in all, it's an intriguing film, but I wasn't blown away by it.

As for the DVD, although the widescreen color and clarity are impressive, the film transfer did pickup some tiny blemishes throughout the movie. For a 1973 film, it would have been nice to see a fully restored presentation of this picture. The stereo audio quality is excellent. There are only a few short bonus features.

Movie: B+

DVD Quality: B+

TOM HORN

The movie is based on a true story. Western cowboy Tom Horn (Steve McQueen) has a well-known reputation as fearless fighter for just causes. The setting is circa 1901 in Wyoming and Horn rides into a small town. After displaying his toughness in several confrontations, a local rancher named John Coble (Richard Farnsworth) hires Horn to stop a cattle-rustling problem that has been plaguing his ranch for sometime. Horn agrees to work for him and carries out justice in his own way. He does a great job for Coble - almost too good and then Horn is faced with a different set of problems.

The first hour of the movie is terrific with plenty of action and excitement. It's a stunning visual presentation of Steve McQueen in a beautiful Western setting, playing a character who enforces the law his way with excitement and skill. But then the last 35 minutes of the film is sedated and ambiguous when the story goes in a completely different direction. Furthermore in this last segment, the character Tom Horn appears punchless and apathetic. Since it is based on a true story, he may have really behaved this way, and that's fine, but that part of the story should have been condensed down to 3 or 5 minutes and stayed with the prior theme for a longer duration. The film has plenty of merits, but the screen writing for the last part was poorly done and cripples the mood of the entire movie.

As for the DVD, it's a sharp and pristine widescreen color presentation. The audio is excellent. Only two bonuses: the trailer and a `Wanted Dead or Alive' promotion.

Movie: B-

DVD Quality: A

THE CINCINNATI KID

The setting is during the Depression in New Orleans, mostly in the French Quarter. Eric Stoner also known as "The Cincinnati Kid" (Steve McQueen) is a very formidable stud poker player. He has a girlfriend named Christian (Tuesday Weld) and a longtime buddy named Shooter (Karl Malden). Shooter has a very attractive girlfriend named Melba Nile (Ann-Margaret). The movie is setup for a big showdown with poker legend Lancy Howard (Edward G. Robinson), who comes to New Orleans to play the "The Kid". Stoner's relationships with Christian, Shooter and Melba add a dynamic to the film that makes it more than just a "pure" poker movie.

There's a lot to like about this film. The color cinematography is superb and the props and setting for the French Quarter are a feast for the eyes (one major gaff however was a shot of a diesel train engine). In a fantastic opening scene, we see a Dixieland band playing a funeral march and then quickly changing the music to an upbeat jazz song with plenty of street dancing. The movie itself was masterfully crafted and the characters were unique and original. There are quite a few strong performances including great acting by Edward G. Robinson, Karl Malden and Rip Torn. I think the thing the made this movie work is that it was not about winning or losing for the sake of money. The central issues were winning for prestige and notoriety and making someone lose to destroy their ego. The ending is gutsy and I'll just leave it at that. My only critical comment of the film is that the onscreen relationship between McQueen and Weld lacked chemistry. But overall it's an extremely entertaining movie.

As for the DVD, it's a beautiful and flawless widescreen color presentation. The audio is excellent. There are a few worthwhile bonuses including commentary by director Norman Jewison and scene-specific analysis by poker commentators Phil Gordon and Dave Foley.

Movie: A-

DVD Quality: A

NEVER SO FEW

Frank Sinatra stars as Tom Reynolds, an American Army Captain who leads a group of allied forces combined with the native tribesmen in Burma to fight the Japanese in WWII. The movie is mix of war situations in the Burmese jungles coupled with a romance involving a foreign woman (Gina Lollobrigida) he meets while on leave in India. There are some good things about this movie and some bad things. By far the best thing is some nice color footage of remote areas in Southeast Asia. There are only a few battle scenes but they work effectively in this story. There are also some notable (and young) actors in this film including Steve McQueen, Charles Bronson, Dean Jones and Peter Lawford.

Unfortunately, the film is marred by a number of problems. First, the Sinatra character, Tom Reynolds, is a renegade leader and does things like shoot his own wounded soldier to put him out of his misery and later does a multitude things worthy for court marshal. In addition, Reynolds consistently shows blatant disrespect with every superior officer he comes in contact with. But in a very heavy-handed way near the end of the movie, Reynold's actions along with his arrogant and condescending attitude are dealt with in a way that wasn't at all believable and at the same time very disturbing. If you are someone like me who respects the military and appreciates and understands the reason for rules and protocol, and know that rebellious people have no place in the armed forces, then you will certainly be bothered with the outcome of the movie. The other problem is this romance between Sinatra and Gina Lollobrigida. Without a doubt it, there was clearly too much time devoted to this relationship which was positively boring. The final problem was the dialogue among the soldiers. Most of it seemed to be just poor attempts at witty conversations. Overall, if you are a WWII film buff, you may find some redeeming qualities in this movie, but other than that, there just isn't that much there.

As for the DVD, the widescreen color presentation is very good but there are some tiny spots of film deterioration throughout the film. The audio is very good. The only DVD bonus is a trailer.

Movie: C-

DVD Quality: B

Top notch collection of McQueen classics.......2005-06-05

You could call him the quiet one. McQueen had a talent for portraying quite a lot with minimal dialog and that's the way he liked it. He has maybe 75 lines off dialog in "The Magnificent Seven" yet his presence is equal to that of star Yul Brynner. You'd be forgiven for being confused about which Steve McQueen boxed set to purchase. MGM has recently released "The Steve McQueen Collection" which features four McQueen classics that have previously been available on DVD; "The Thomas Crown Affair", "The Magnificent Seven", "Junior Bonner" and "The Great Escape".

"The Essential Steve McQueen Collection" is a different beast entirely; it does feature 1 title that is no different than the previously issued version -"Papillon". All the rest have either never been issued or, in the case of "Bullitt", are now in two disc deluxe editions that make this set a worthwhile addition to any collection.

The crown jewel of this set is the new deluxe edition of "Bullitt". McQueen plays San Francisco detective Frank Bullitt. He's been assigned to protect a witness for a major trial. The witness, though, is murdered. Before the post-mortem has begun, Bullitt hunts for the killers and plans on nailing them. Featuring an amazing high speed chase through the streets of San Francisco and shot entirely on location, "Bullitt" was Peter Yates' first major US film and it crackles with energy.

"Papillon" tells the story of a thief nick-named Papillon for the large butterfly tattooed on his chest. (McQueen) framed for murder in France and sent to Devil's Island for life. From the moment he steps on the boat headed to the prison he's planning his escape. He agrees to protect a financial thief Louis Dega (Dustin Hoffman). Schaffner's film portrays Papillon's attempt to survive on Devil's Island until he can figure out an escape plan. Although this isn't Schaffner's best film, it has a number of powerful moments that equal his classic films "Patton", "Planet of the Apes" and "The War Lord". McQueen more than holds his own with method actor Hoffman.

"The Cincinnati Kid" features McQueen as Eric Stoner a poke playing ace who challenges the best gambler around "the Man" Lancey Howard (Edward G. Robinson). A terrific performance by Edward G. Robinson allows Robinson to almost steal the picture under McQueen's nose. With a terrific supporting cast, "The Cincinnati Kid" would be one of the most memorable films about gambling until "Rounders" three decades later.

"Never So Few" features McQueen in the third billed role of Bill Ringa a member of the O.S.S. fighting the Japanese during World War II in Burma. Ringa and his Captain Tom Reynolds (Frank Sinatra) are in Burma to train the Kachin natives in how to fight the Japanese. Reynolds fights dirty when Chinese rebels cross over to Burma to kill and loot the American soldiers stationed there. Although it's not one of director John Sturges ("The Magnificent Seven". "Ice Station Zebra") best films, "Never So Few" provides McQueen with a role that continued his breakthrough as a actor. It also inspired Sturges to cast McQueen in "The Magnificent Seven".

"The Getaway" almost got away without being made. Originally Peter Bogdanovich was to direct with his girlfriend actress Cybil Shepherd in the lead. When she dropped out so did Bogdanovich. Luckily director Sam Peckinpah stepped in and the rewritten script by Walter Hill was tooled for McQueen. Scandal broke out on the set when McQueen became involved with his co-star Ali McGraw (who was then married to Paramount head Robert Evans). McQueen plays thief Doc McCoy who has been paroled. The only problem is that Sheriff Beynon (Ben Johnson) expects him to do a big robbery for him. He plans on killing McCoy afterward but things don't quite work out the way that Beynon intended.

"Tom Horn" (McQueen) a tracker and "enforcer" who dispensed justice in the old west takes a job to stop cattle thieves. When things get messy and Horn has to kill some of the rustlers, the ranchers who hired him want Horn stopped. He's put on trial for the murder of a 15 year old boy. The next to last film McQueen made before he died in 1980, is a surprisingly powerful and great western. The screenplay by novelist/screenwriter Thomas McGuane ("The Missouri Breaks", "92 in the Shade", "Rancho Deluxe") and Bub Shrake ("Nightwing", "J.W. Coop", "Songwriter") portrays a character out of time; Horn's style of dispensing justice faces the gray world of corruption and politics. McQueen gives one of his best nuanced performances in a film that didn't do all that well at the box office. It's a pity as it's a great movie that deserves a wider audience. Luckily, for those who buy the boxed set they'll finally get a chance to see this classic western.

The previous DVD edition of "Bullitt" looked quite good but can't compare to the newly digitally remastered transfer here. Image clarity, color and detail for "Bullitt" is superb. The sound is surprisingly spry with a nice 5.1 remix that doesn't quite use the format to its best advantage but that's not a surprise given that the film is nearly 40 years old. "Papillon" comes with the same transfer as it received in 2000. Image quality is good but the negative could use restoration and/or digital filtering to clean up the print/improve it. It does feature a recent 5.1 remix (which wasn't advertised on the box of the previous release and I don't recall if it had it or not on the 1999 release but I suspect not).The colors aren't bright and vibrant but they fit the general atmosphere of the film and are fairly true to the original theatrical exhibition if a bit faded. "The Getaway" looks terrific again considering the age of the movie. The blacks are rock solid and the colors as vivid and bright as they've ever been. There's the occasionally soft image but, on the whole, "The Getaway" looks marvelous. "Never So Few" also looks quite good particularly when you consider the age of the negative. It receives a solid transfer with bright colors and nice image clarity. "The Cincinnati Kid" also looks exceptionally good with nice color reproduction and image quality. It's clear that some digital restoration was done to the most recent releases here and "Kid" does benefit from it. "Tom Horn" looks extremely good with sharp images, bright and vivid colors. Although a tad grainy (like most of the films here) that has more to do with the stock used to shoot the films and the condition of the negative than the transfer. In most cases, the graininess adds to the character of the films. All six films feature 2.0 Dolby Digital Surround soundtracks (in addition to the 5.1 remasters for "Papillon"). All sound crisp with nice clarity to the dialog and music.

"Bullitt" gets the most attention here. Featuring two fine documentaries on the film and McQueen, we also get the original vintage featurette on the film. "The Cutting Edge" examines the the art of movie editing with a glimpse into other films during the editing process as well. "Steve McQueen: The Essence of Cool" is a terrific biography on McQueen that provides a lot of information previously unknown about the actor. There's also the original theatrical trailer included as well. "The Getaway" features the original theatrical trailer only. "Papillon" has the original promotional featurette produced for the film as part of the extras as well as the trailer. "The Cincinnati Kid", "Never So Few" and "Tom Horn" all have only the original theatrical trailer for the respective films. It's a pity that Warner chose not to do a documentary or at the very least a featurette on "Tom Horn". Since it's about a real historical figure and making the film was a passion for McQueen, it would have been appropriate and provided much needed information on the historical figure and the production of this fine overlooked film.

"Bullitt" comes with an excellent commentary by director Peter Yates. "The Getaway" features a "virtual" commentary culled from interviews of McQueen, Peckinpah and McGraw as well as a commentary by Peckinpah biographers/documentarians Nick Redman, Paul Seydor, Garner Simmons and David Weddle. "The Cincinnati Kid" has a marvelous trivia filled commentary track by director Norman Jewison.

Between this release and "The Steve McQueen Collection", McQueen fans will have most of his essential films. Although there are a few gems missing from these collections (due to contractual issues no doubt), most of the films here are among the best McQueen made. "The Getaway" and "Bullitt" receive most of the attention here with terrific commentary tracks and extras. "Papillon" probably could have used a face lift with a new digital transfer and a commentary track by a film historian (or Dustin Hoffman) but it looks like we'll have to wait for this minor classic to get its due another time. The other missed opportunity in this superb set is the lack of extras for "Tom Horn" One of McQueen's finest later films and a terrific western that presaged films like "The Unforgiven", "Open Range" and "Wyatt Earp", it's a perfect period piece about the transition of the old west into civilization and those who were lost along the way.

Objective, Burma!/Never So Few/Go for Broke!

Average customer rating:

Objective, Burma!/Never So Few/Go for Broke!
3 Very Good WWII Films
Three Exceptional Hardnosed WWII Films

Objective, Burma!/Never So Few/Go for Broke!
Starring: Van Johnson , Lane Nakano , George Miki , Akira Fukunaga , and Ken K. Okamoto
Director: Robert Pirosh , Raoul Walsh , and John Sturges
Manufacturer: Warner Home Video
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B000HT38BW
Release Date: 2006-11-07

Description

World War II Burma is the setting for two gritty and gut-grabbing combat classics. In Never So Few (Disc 1/Side A), Frank Sinatra and Steve McQueen (in his first big-budget film) play U.S. combatants waging guerrilla war. U.S. paratroopers in Burma cope with a mission gone wrong in Objective, Burma! (Disc 2). Errol Flynn heads the acclaimed World War II morale booster. And Japanese-American volunteers from internment camps show plenty of fight in Go for Broke! (Disc 1/Side B), making its DVD debut. Van Johnson plays the lieutenant who witnesses the courage of the famed 442nd in Europe.

Customer Reviews:

Objective, Burma!/Never So Few/Go for Broke!.......2007-02-25

Action filled, kept my interest! Van Johnson grand performance!!

3 Very Good WWII Films.......2006-11-22

This is a very good 2-disc DVD set. These 3 WWII films cover both the CBI and European theatres of war. OBJECTIVE BURMA and GO FOR BROKE focus more on the basic American fighting man while NEVER SO FEW lends its perspective to daring and theatrical heroics. Yet all 3 films never lose focus of the human element and the morality of what happens in war. Frank Sinatra's character makes this very clear in NEVER SO FEW making that film more than just a great action war film.

Three Exceptional Hardnosed WWII Films.......2006-10-12

OBJECTIVE, BURMA! is a first rate quality production and I think one of Errol Flynn's best films. I think Errol Flynn's perception as a good actor was greatly undermined by the very transcendence of his good looks and screen presence. In OBJECTIVE BURMA Errol Flynn rises far beyond those attributes and gives a very credible and sincere performance and his performance is one of the many strengths of this film.
Paratroop Major Nelson (Errol Flynn) leads his men into Burma to destroy a Japanese jungle outpost. What makes this film so intriguing is the human cost and life struggle to enter the Burmese jungle, accomplish the mission and return to safety. This is a hard-nosed action drama filled with a lot of emotion and sentiment. Under Raoul Walsh's brilliant direction war is not a thing comprised of glory but one of sacrifice and endurance. Henry Hull as the aged journalist Mark Williams gives a truly endearing performance and brings Walsh's message vividly photographed by James Wong Howe to fruition.
In terms of Hollywood's standards this is a very realistic WWII film. The script and dialogue by Ranald MacDougall and Lester Cole are very effective and detailed to the man. Very realistic Art designs by Ted Smith and Sets by designer Jack McConaghy combined with Cinematographer James Wong Howe's outstanding and deeply textured images are so convincing that you become entrenched in and overwhelmed by the Burmese jungle and all the dangers and death that it holds. Franz Waxman also composed one of his best scores. The cast including James Brown, William Prince, George Tobias, Mark Stevens, Anthony Caruso and Hugh Beaumont is excellent. This is an outstanding film.

GO FOR BROKE! This is a very entertaining film directed by Robert Pirosh about the formation of the WWII 442nd Regimental Combat Team. Based on factual events and what makes it unique is that the 442 was made up of Japanese-American volunteers who served in the European, essentially Italy and France, theater of battle. Van Johnson, giving one of his best performances, portrays Lt. Mike Grayson in charge of a platoon of these troops. Van Johnson as Lt. Grayson carries as much prejudice against Japanese-Americans as did the rest of the country at that point in the war. The film appears true to its subject depicting prejudice and resentment from both sides of the issue. The combat scenes have a sense of reality about them never losing sight of the horrors of war. The photography by Paul C. Vogel and detailed sets by Cedric Gibbons and Eddie Imazu enhance this point. However, this film does run the gamut of emotions and the camaraderie of the Japanese-American soldiers developed along side Van Johnson's Lt. Grayson is extremely well conveyed and is a high point of this film. This is a very good film, somehow forgotten and deserves to be seen and stand along side other essential WWII films.

NEVER SO FEW is a very entertaining WWII hardnosed action adventure film again set in Burma with great characters, dialogue, camaraderie and Steve McQueen as Ringa. The outstanding cast includes Frank Sinatra, Richard Johnson, Gina Lollobrigida, Peter Lawford, Charles Bronson, Brian Donlevy, Dean Jones, Paul Henreid, George Takei and Whit Bissell. Steve McQueen almost steals this film away from Frank Sinatra. However, the worldly Sinatra leading a guerilla force, battling the enemy well as his superiors (Brian Donlevy) and having time to romance Gina Lollobrigida demonstrates a strong sense of charm, righteousness and an ability to show off just how good an actor he really was.
Director John Sturges really new how to tell a story with strong individuals giving each character a sense of depth, believability and distinct charisma. Composer Hugo Friedhofer was very adept at scoring WWII films capturing the drive of the combatants juxtaposed with the horrors of the conflict. The one actor that seems to have gone unrecognized in this film is the very British Richard Johnson. In the earlier scenes in the film he was Frank Sinatra's drinking partner and his second in command. Johnson gives a very colorful and convincing performance and the camaraderie between him and Sinatra looks incredibly natural. It is this camaraderie that is the springboard for all the interwoven characters in this film and really enhances Steve McQueen's introduction as Ringa and the rest is film history.

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