Seven Angry Men DVD Review
The "angry men" in the title are John Brown (Raymond Massey) and six of his sons: Owen (Jeffrey Hunter), Oliver (Larry Pennell), Frederick (John Smith), Salmon (Guy Williams), Jason (James Best), and John Jr. (Dennis Weaver). During the 1850s a struggle was underway throughout the border territories to determine whether slave states or free states would dominate the Federal government. The balance of power which had been achieved through the Missouri Compromise of 1820 was threatened when it was decided to allow the residents of Kansas and Nebraska to vote on whether those territories would allow slavery. Pro-slavery factions, largely from the slave state of Missouri, began to move into Kansas in advance of the vote. Abolitionists responded by sending "free soilers" to live in Kansas. "Border Ruffians," armed pro-slavery men, came to Kansas by the thousands and often resorted to violence to intimidate the "free soilers."
That little history refresher sets the stage for Seven Angry Men. John Brown has begun to establish a compound of "free soilers" near Lawrence, Kansas. On their way to join him are two of his sons, Owen and Oliver. While riding the train to Kansas they meet Elizabeth Clark (Debra Paget), a beautiful young woman who is on her way to Lawrence to meet her father. She is attracted to Owen until she learns the identity of his father. Although Elizabeth is opposed to slavery, she disapproves of John Brown's sometimes violent methods.
Trouble simmers under the surface until a band of "Border Ruffians" led by Martin White (Leo Gordon) sacks and burns Lawrence, an anti-slavery town, killing several innocent people in the process. John Brown responds by capturing and summarily executing several men who participated in the Lawrence raid. This shocks Brown's son, and is particularly difficult on John Jr., who comes close to having a nervous breakdown. Tensions within the Brown family grow greater as the threat posed by the "Border Ruffians" becomes graver in advance of the vote. Brown manages to keep most of his followers in line through his commanding and seemingly righteous presence.
Raymond Massey is unforgettable as John Brown. While on an intellectual level his fervor and willingness to take the law into his own hands is frightening, he projects the same kind of charismatic personality which we have seen in religious fanatics such as Jim Jones. Jeffrey Hunter is adequate as Owen, the son who plays the largest role in the film, but Dennis Weaver and John Smith show more range as the sons who are appalled and repelled by their father's behavior. Debra Paget is pretty and sturdy as Owen's love interest, showing significant gumption when she defies the family patriarch. Leo Gordon is, as always, an effective villain. Keep your eyes open for some familiar faces in uncredited roles.
Seven Angry Men is kept moving at a lively pace by director Charles Marquis Warren, and unlike Santa Fe Trail it hews fairly close to the historical record. It is an enjoyable film and is a welcome addition to the Warner Archive library.
Seven Angry Men marks the second time that Raymond Massey played the abolitionist John Brown on the silver screen. The first, of course, was Santa Fe Trail, a 1940 production by Warner Brothers. In Seven Angry Men (an Allied Artists release) Brown is the central character, and the film depicts his battle against slavery from "Bleeding Kansas" in 1855 to his ill-fated attack on the United States Armory in Harpers Ferry Virginia in 1859. The new DVD-R from the Warner Archive is not flawless, but it surpasses any version of the film which I have seen on television
Studio: Warner Brothers
Distributed By: Warner Archive
Video Resolution and Encode: 480P/MPEG-2
Aspect Ratio: 1.85:1
Audio: English 2.0 DD
Subtitles: None
Rating: Not Rated
Run Time: 1 Hr. 32 Min.
Package Includes: DVD
Standard DVD Keep CaseDisc Type: DVD-R
Region: A
Release Date: 03/31/2015
MSRP: $21.99
The Production Rating: 4/5
The "angry men" in the title are John Brown (Raymond Massey) and six of his sons: Owen (Jeffrey Hunter), Oliver (Larry Pennell), Frederick (John Smith), Salmon (Guy Williams), Jason (James Best), and John Jr. (Dennis Weaver). During the 1850s a struggle was underway throughout the border territories to determine whether slave states or free states would dominate the Federal government. The balance of power which had been achieved through the Missouri Compromise of 1820 was threatened when it was decided to allow the residents of Kansas and Nebraska to vote on whether those territories would allow slavery. Pro-slavery factions, largely from the slave state of Missouri, began to move into Kansas in advance of the vote. Abolitionists responded by sending "free soilers" to live in Kansas. "Border Ruffians," armed pro-slavery men, came to Kansas by the thousands and often resorted to violence to intimidate the "free soilers."
That little history refresher sets the stage for Seven Angry Men. John Brown has begun to establish a compound of "free soilers" near Lawrence, Kansas. On their way to join him are two of his sons, Owen and Oliver. While riding the train to Kansas they meet Elizabeth Clark (Debra Paget), a beautiful young woman who is on her way to Lawrence to meet her father. She is attracted to Owen until she learns the identity of his father. Although Elizabeth is opposed to slavery, she disapproves of John Brown's sometimes violent methods.
Trouble simmers under the surface until a band of "Border Ruffians" led by Martin White (Leo Gordon) sacks and burns Lawrence, an anti-slavery town, killing several innocent people in the process. John Brown responds by capturing and summarily executing several men who participated in the Lawrence raid. This shocks Brown's son, and is particularly difficult on John Jr., who comes close to having a nervous breakdown. Tensions within the Brown family grow greater as the threat posed by the "Border Ruffians" becomes graver in advance of the vote. Brown manages to keep most of his followers in line through his commanding and seemingly righteous presence.
Raymond Massey is unforgettable as John Brown. While on an intellectual level his fervor and willingness to take the law into his own hands is frightening, he projects the same kind of charismatic personality which we have seen in religious fanatics such as Jim Jones. Jeffrey Hunter is adequate as Owen, the son who plays the largest role in the film, but Dennis Weaver and John Smith show more range as the sons who are appalled and repelled by their father's behavior. Debra Paget is pretty and sturdy as Owen's love interest, showing significant gumption when she defies the family patriarch. Leo Gordon is, as always, an effective villain. Keep your eyes open for some familiar faces in uncredited roles.
Seven Angry Men is kept moving at a lively pace by director Charles Marquis Warren, and unlike Santa Fe Trail it hews fairly close to the historical record. It is an enjoyable film and is a welcome addition to the Warner Archive library.
Video Rating: 3/5 3D Rating: NA
Audio Rating: 3/5
Special Features Rating: 0/5
Overall Rating: 3.5/5
Reviewed By: Richard Gallagher
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