We will ever see more William Holden? (1 Viewer)

[Blake Comeaux]

I've seen mention in several threads over the years clamoring for several actors to have box sets dedicated to them, but it seems William Holden is not at the top of most people's lists. Admittedly, his best films have been released. I made a list of most of his remaining films not on DVD and sorted by the studio I believe holds the video rights along with names of any well-known co-stars as that would probably increase the film's chances of release. Anyone else interested.

WB (Probably most likely to actually happen sometime in the future)
Toward the Unknown (1956)
Wild Rovers (1971) with Ryan O’Neal and Karl Malden
- Very good Blake Edwards western
Force of Arms (1951)
The Blue Knight (1973) (TV) with Lee Remick
- I've always wanted to see Holden's emmy-winning performance
Rachel and the Stranger (1948) with Loretta Young and Robert Mitchum
- This must surely need some restoration or it would have been out by now
When Time Ran Out (1980) with Paul Newman, Jacqueline Bisset
The Moon is Blue (1953) with David Niven

Paramount (Naturally the longest list and I'll probably never see most of them)
The Proud and the Profane (1956) with Deborah Kerr
Forever Female (1953) with Ginger Rogers
The Turning Point (1952)
Submarine Command (1951)
Union Station (1950)
Dear Ruth (1947)
Dear Wife (1949)
Streets of Laredo (1949)
Blaze of Noon (1947) with Anne Baxter
Young and Willing (1943)
The Remarkable Andrew (1942)
I Wanted Wings (1941) with Ray Milland
The Fleet’s In (1942)
Those Were the Days (1940)

MGM/Fox (Possible but unlikely)
The Seventh Dawn (1964)
The Lion (1962)
Apartment for Peggy (1948)
Fedora (1978)

Columbia (Chances seem good for most as separate releases, probably no box)
The Key (1958) with Sophia Loren
Boots Malone (1952)
Father is a Bachelor (1950)
Miss Grant Takes Richmond (1949) with Lucille Ball
The Dark Past (1948) with Lee J. Cobb
Meet the Stewarts (1942)

I'm looking forward to Invisible Stripes in the next Gangster's set.
I would also recommend any fan's of his to pick up the biography "Golden Boy" which is a great read.

 

[Charles H]

WILD ROVERS is long overdue on dvd. One of Holden's and Edwards' very best. Is it official that MGM/Fox owns FEDORA? YOUNG AND WILLING was produced by Paramount but was released by United Artists because of some odd WWII quota issue involving production distribution. I have not seen this film (or THE CRYSTAL BALL since the early days of television and I wonder who actually controls the rights. Do you know who owns THE REVENGERS? It's supposed to be a "Bomb" but I'd love to see it if only because it was Hayward's final film and Maltin thinks she's the best thing in it. There are some terrific titles in your list and I hope that someone at one of the studios moves on your suggestion.

RACHEL AND THE STRANGER is shown at 79 minutes on TCM, but the original running time was 93 minutes, but like the truncated version of THEY WON'T BELIEVE ME, it's an unlikely candidate for dvd because of the edit. It was one of RKO's top grossers in 1948 and at one point Blake Edwards considered remaking the Howard Fast story with Julie Andrews as Rachel.

 

[Garysb]

It maybe available for release from Warner Bros. through the Castle Hill deal like "To Be or Not To Be" and "I Married A Witch" which are other Paramount produced, United Artist released films from 1942 .

 

[John Hodson]

It's out courtesy of Paramount in R2. I'd kill for a decent DVD presentation of Wild Rovers.

 

[Blake Comeaux]

I'm not sure about Fedora, but I know MGM released it on Laserdisc and VHS, but it wasn't an MGM or United Artists production even though UA did distribute it in the U.S. It just so happens I ordered the Region 2 DVD of The Revengers and hope it arrives this week. I've been searching for it for years and assumed I'd only find an old full frame VHS so I'm kind of excited!

 

[John Hodson]

It's OAR Blake, but non-anamorphic and not the best of prints.

 

[Bob Cashill]

Apparently there's just one, gone-to-pink print of FEDORA left. It was shown at Lincoln Center recently. It would be nice to see it spiffed up again.

 

[ted:r]

I'm pining for "Union Station", myself. And if "The Dark Past", "Forever Female", "The Moon Is Blue", "The Turning Point" and "Wild Rovers" come down the Pike (intentional pun, there), I won't be the least unhappy.

 

[Blake Comeaux]

I've got my DVD-R copy of Union Station recorded from TCM. I'm always keeping a lookout for any films airing from both him and Barbara Stanwyck that aren't available on home video. I really enjoy knowing that my favorite actor and actress were such good friends off screen. If only they had done more that two films together.

 

[AdrianTurner]

There is an excellent DVD of Fedora available in Spain - it's one of my favourite Wilders, despite the flawed plotting, the occasional touch of self-pity (on Wilder's part) and the odd absurdity. I find it more touching every time I see it and one of the reasons is Holden's craggy presence and the echoes it has of his appearance in Sunset Blvd. A pity there is no thorough biography available as he was one helluva man. I did once float the idea to publishers but no one was remotely interested - how about Daniel Day Lewis they asked.

 

[Robin9]

To those who are not "hung-up" about the PAL 4% speed-up, I recommend this DVD. The credit titles are in French but the soundtrack is English language and the picture quality is good.

 

[Vegas 1]

Dang Blake I didn't realize there were that many Bill Holden titles still not available. I've only seen a couple of those you listed. Come on studios let's get those out! I would really like to see these titles.

 

[Roco]

like wise i would love to see wild rovers and rachel and the stranger released. i had wild rovers on laser disc but no more.come on w.b.

 

[n8urboy]

Thought you all would like to know that Warner Archives has released "Wild Rovers" in a widescreen DVD-R on 2/22/11. It's currently only available at wbshop.com but I expect that it'll shortly be offered by other online stores. I'll definitely be picking up a copy as the movie, and the music score, is one of my favorites!

 

[Wade Sowers]

Preminger's THE MOON IS BLUE with William Holden is out on the Warner Archive, but you probably know that by now.


http://www.wbshop.com/Moon-is-Blue-The/1000179731,default,pd.html?cgid=

 

[Charles H]

WILD ROVERS is literally a "work of art" (I don't say that often about a movie). It's essential Blake Edwards, essential Jerry Goldsmith, essential William Holden and I can't recommend it highly enough. Columbia Classics brought out on MOD MEET THE STEWARTS and FATHER IS A BACHELOR, but THE KEY, MISS GRANT TAKES RICHMOND, and THE DARK PAST are conspiculously missing. It would be great if Universal would bring out a William Holden Paramount Collection (via TCM?) with STREETS OF LAREDO, BLAZE OF NOON, THE REMARKABLE ANDREW, THE FLEET'S IN, I WANTED WINGS, DEAR RUTH, DEAR WIFE, and THOSE WERE THE DAYS. Actually that would make two collections (with VARIETY GIRL as a bonus?)