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Great Expectations

starring: John Mills, Anthony Wager, Valerie Hobson, Jean Simmons, Bernard Miles
directed by: David Lean


Probably one of the greatest films ever made. You will recognize John Mills but do you recognize a very young Jean Simmons. This movie is a faithful adaption of the Dickens classic. The acting is great. Even the lighting appears to come from candlelight in the indoor scenes. I wish I could afford it. 5 stars.

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Desiree

starring: Marlon Brando, Jean Simmons, Merle Oberon, Michael Rennie, Cameron Mitchell
directed by: Henry Koster

April 26, 1990
Hard to believe that anyone could take this overly romantic nonsense seriously. It has little to do with history, even less with cinema. Most of the budget seems to have gone on the stars - the scenery looks cardboard, the costumes are probably left over from previous films, there is no sense of the era, much of the acting is way beyond being merely wooden. Lots of stiff, unconvincing dialogue - little spectacle (flags moving across the screen represent a battle). Of course, the film is based on a best-selling novel of the 50's and, by rights, should have focused on Desiree as played (uncertainly) by Jean Simmons. But the casting of Marlon Brando as Napoleon throws everything off balance. I have read a fair amount about Napoleonic history but none ... Read More:

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The Thornbirds

starring: Richard Chamberlain, Rachel Ward, Barbara Stanwyck, Christopher Plummer, Jean Simmons
directed by: Daryl Duke

January 08, 2002
I just received my Thorn Birds DVD and am so thrilled to be able to watch it on DVD - 487 minutes of viewing in extraordinary color and excellent sound quality! There are 2 discs, with 2 sides to each disc. With all the scenes listed it is so easy to zip back to a particularly favorite scene to watch again.
I always loved this mini-series. The musical score is amazing. The actors are excellent, each one perfectly chosen for their role. The child Sydney Penney who plays the young Meggie does a wonderful job. And of course there are no words to describe the amazing performance by Richard Chamberlain and Rachel Ward, let alone the other lead actors and actresses. This series definitely tugs at your heart strings because there is no way a happy ending will ... Read More:

Average Rating:

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Great Expectations

starring: John Mills, Anthony Wager, Valerie Hobson, Jean Simmons, Bernard Miles
directed by: David Lean


I just received my Thorn Birds DVD and am so thrilled to be able to watch it on DVD - 487 minutes of viewing in extraordinary color and excellent sound quality! There are 2 discs, with 2 sides to each disc. With all the scenes listed it is so easy to zip back to a particularly favorite scene to watch again.
I always loved this mini-series. The musical score is amazing. The actors are excellent, each one perfectly chosen for their role. The child Sydney Penney who plays the young Meggie does a wonderful job. And of course there are no words to describe the amazing performance by Richard Chamberlain and Rachel Ward, let alone the other lead actors and actresses. This series definitely tugs at your heart strings because there is no way a happy ending will ... Read More:

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Egyptian, the

starring: Jean Simmons, Victor Mature, Gene Tierney, Michael Wilding, Bella Darvi
directed by: Michael Curtiz

March 15, 1995
Sword-and-sandal epic junkies will love this film, that is often hilarious with its over-the top-performances from an all-star cast, often ridiculous stilted dialogue, and tacky ultra-faux sets; at times so bad it's delightful, and always very entertaining, the script as well as the cast improve as the film progresses, and it does become extremely interesting in the last hour.

The cast:
Edmund Purdom is Sinuhe "The Egyptian", and is a physician who throws his life away over a wicked seductress, played to the max by Bella Darvi;
Jean Simmons is beautiful in the thankless role of Merit, the woman who has undying love for Purdom despite his weakness and the fact he totally ignores her feelings.
Victor Mature is terrific as the son of the ... Read More:

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The Big Country

starring: Gregory Peck, Jean Simmons, Carroll Baker, Charlton Heston, Burl Ives
directed by: William Wyler

May 02, 2000
WHY give such a great movie as this such an inferior DVD transfer....Absolutely no better than a my well used VHS version. Big Country deserves better. My rating is 5 stars for the movie and 1 star for the transfer = 3 stars

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Spartacus

starring: Kirk Douglas, Laurence Olivier, Jean Simmons, Charles Laughton, Peter Ustinov
directed by: Stanley Kubrick

February 01, 2000
Kubrick replaced Tony Mann on directing duties for this brave, but lumbering costume epic which is ultimately propped up by three beautiful performances. Peter Ustinov(won the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor for his work here), Charles Laughton(should have been similarly nominated)& Laurence Olivier all do incredible work under the guidance of a very young Kubrick & all deliver what comes very close to their best work. Their presence is notable chiefly for the fact that without them, SPARTACUS would never have been the extraordinary spectacle it surely is. Kirk Douglas gives a brooding(& lifeless)performance in the title role, ultimately undermining any sequence not containing the three aforementioned thespians. Jean Simmons, as the love interest, is similarly uninteresting & ... Read More:

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Demetrius and/Gladiators

starring: Victor Mature, Susan Hayward, Michael Rennie, Debra Paget, Anne Bancroft
directed by: Delmer Daves

February 27, 2001
I've come to love this movie. "Camp" or not "camp", it doesn't matter. I find it clearly superior to "The Robe", for which this one was intended as a sequel, in view or the former's success and the appreciation that Victor Mature got as Demetrius. What I like about this movie is:

-The intelligent subtext. With all the fights and -admittedly cheesy- effects and spectacle, it is about a man's fundamental doubts. Demetrius's faith is shaken because he can't cope with the fact that an evil world, in which harm is done to the innocent, is the creation of an all-loving God that fails to show Himself when most needed.

-Extraordinary supporting cast. Jay Robinson is wonderful "over the top", as they say. Absolutely and unashamedly flamboyant. I imagine that he liked the part very much and had ... Read More:

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The Dain Curse

starring: Hattie Winston, Paul Harding (II), S. Newton Anderson, Malachy McCourt, Beeson Carroll
directed by: E.W. Swackhamer


I've come to love this movie. "Camp" or not "camp", it doesn't matter. I find it clearly superior to "The Robe", for which this one was intended as a sequel, in view or the former's success and the appreciation that Victor Mature got as Demetrius. What I like about this movie is:

-The intelligent subtext. With all the fights and -admittedly cheesy- effects and spectacle, it is about a man's fundamental doubts. Demetrius's faith is shaken because he can't cope with the fact that an evil world, in which harm is done to the innocent, is the creation of an all-loving God that fails to show Himself when most needed.

-Extraordinary supporting cast. Jay Robinson is wonderful "over the top", as they say. Absolutely and unashamedly flamboyant. I imagine that he liked the part very much and had ... Read More:

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Robe, the

starring: Richard Burton, Jean Simmons, Victor Mature, Michael Rennie, Jay Robinson
directed by: Henry Koster

February 27, 2001
A marvelous epic melodrama, with portions that are emotionally stirring, and with two exceedingly attractive stars, this film ranks high in the "sword and sandals" genre.
This is prime-time Richard Burton, at age 27, heavenly to look at and even better to listen to; his crisp enunciation makes the English language shine, and though some of his scenes are a little "over the top", he carries them off with charismatic presence. Jean Simmons is exquisite as Diana, the woman who has loved Marcellus (Burton) since childhood, and their screen romance has a rare depth and spark.
Other notable performances come from Victor Mature as Demetrius the slave, with a mute but moving scene at Christ's crucifixion, and Michael Rennie is grand as Peter. Jay Robinson is wonderfully rotten as the ... Read More: