Would anyone be up for a William Powell boxset? (1 Viewer)

[Paul_Scott]

found this on the ' Bits today
in Barrie Maxwells column



anyone else as eager to see something like this as i am?
i would only hope this could be in addition to a seperate Thin Man set release because Powell had some really fine non-Thin Man work that would probably be best released in a collection (although some like Ex-Mrs Bradford or the Gable, Powell, Loy Manhattan Melodrama could probably justify themselves as solo releases)
would love to see:
Love Crazy
Double Wedding
The Heavenly Body
I Love You Again, among others.

 

[Randi]

How many different ways can I say YESSSSSSS? Not only would I buy this in a heartbeat, I would propose marriage to it. As much as I would love a Loy/Powell box set of their non-Thin Man movies, I will take what I can get. Heck, I would take a box of his non-Loy movies. He was marvelous in everything, even a few dogs that I've seen him in.

I'm just happy that Powell is being considered for a documentary as his career is worth being remembered. I don't want him lost to the ages. I need a martini now!!!


Miss Randi

 

[Peter M Fitzgerald]

If such a set contains LOVE CRAZY (1941), I'm buying it. One of the most unsung of the better 1940s screwball comedies.

The inclusion of the great William Powell films ONE WAY PASSAGE (1932), JEWEL ROBBERY (1932), DOUBLE WEDDING (1937) and/or I LOVE YOU AGAIN (1940) would only sweeten the deal.

 

[Jason Seaver]

I would be all over this. Surprised, because William Powell isn't a guy like Cary Grant, Audrey Hepburn or James Stewart whose name is familiar to the general public decades later, but extremely gratified.

 

[Paul_Scott]

haven't seen Jewel Robbery so i'll have to keep an eye out for it.
did catch One Way Passage though, a few years back, and i agree.
i had forgotten about that one.

very fine movie.
it would really round out a set too, as i seem to recall its a role that had more emotional depth to it than his usual characters.
yes, yes! the more i think about it, the more i want to see it again.
good call!

btw- Powell is neck and neck with Lancaster for my favorite actor of all time.
i'll be happy with any scraps i can get.

 

[JohnPM]

I do hope, that in the event "Manhattan Melodrama" comes to DVD, it will be the complete version, as the one currently showing on TCM is code-cut. The complete version DOES exist, however, as there were 16mm prints on syndicated television even into the 80"s which were intact. As to proposed titles for a Powell promotion, I'd suggest a number of outstanding pre-code Warner entries, including "The Road To Singapore", "Jewel Robbery", "Private Detective 62", "Lawyer Man", to name a few, and the two excellent RKO comedy-mysteries, "The Ex-Mrs.Bradford" and "Star Of Midnight".

 

[John Morgan]

I second the motion for all the above. I would also hope that Warners would be brave enough to release the now-PD film LIFE WITH FATHER, as they did do preservation work on it. Another PD title, and a very nice version exists on a ROAN DVD, would be THE KENNEL MURDER CASE.

 

[Steve...O]

Absolutely. Doesn't matter what films; I'll buy it. All of the above suggestions are excellent.

I first heard rumblings about this set in the alt.movie.silents newsgroup when a poster mentioned that an unnamed studio was gathering material for a Powell documentary. I'm glad that the esteemed Mr. Maxwell has heard the same thing.

Along the same lines, I'd read where Hugh Hefner is funding restorations of Powell's Philo Vance features. (Hef helped fund the restoration of the Sherlock Holmes series). Hopefully those will make it to DVD someday as well.



Powell is one those actors that probably is more familiar than what we give him credit for. He made a lot of movies over 3 decades that are still popular today. He also has a very high likability rating.

Actually, one of my favorite Powells is a Universal film that hasn't appeared on DVD (but was on VHS), "The Senator Was Indiscreet".

 

[Dane Marvin]

Hadn't seen a movie with Wm. Powell in it until Criterion introduced me to "My Man Godfrey". Loved it! Would like to see some more pictures featuring him.

 

[Randi]

I absolutely love 'Jewel Robbery,' a great pre-code with Kay Francis. I also liked 'The Heavenly Body' with Hedy Lamarr. He made even silly material work just because he was so good. There was one movie he made with Bette Davis, 'Fashions of 1934' that deserves to be given a look at.

Miss Randi

 

[george kaplan]

I'd almost certainly buy it. As long as it had some of the following great films:

The Kennel Murder Case
Rendezvous
The Ex-Mrs. Bradford
After the Thin Man
Another Thin Man
I Love You Again
Shadow of the Thin Man
The Thin Man Goes Home

I'd also be very interested in some of his films that I haven't had a chance to see yet, such as the other Philo Vance films and his comedies I haven't yet seen like The Senator was Indiscreet or Mr. Peabody & the Mermaid.

 

[DaveK]

Take Note Warner...lol

A Thin Man Boxset would include:
The Thin Man (1934)
After The Thin Man (1936)
Another Thin Man (1939)
Shadow Of The Thin Man (1941)
The Thin Man Goes Home (1944)
Song Of The Thin Man (1947)

A William Powell/Myrna Loy Boxset would include:
Manhattan Melodrama (1934)
Evelyn Prentice (1934)
The Great Ziegfeld (1936)
Liabeled Lady (1936)
Double Wedding (1937)
I Love You Again (1940)
Love Crazy (1941)

A Powell (without Loy) Boxset would include:
Reckless (with Jean Harlow - 1935)
The Last of Mrs. Cheyney (with Joan Crawford - 1937)
The Emperor's Candlesticks (1937)
Crossroads (with Hedy Lamarr and Basil Rathbone - 1942)
The Heavenly Body (with Hedy Lamarr - 1943)
The Hoodlum Saint (with Esther Williams and Angela Lansbury - 1946)
Life With Father (with Elizabeth Taylor - 1947)
The Girl Who Had Everything (with Elizabeth Taylor and Fernando Lamas - 1953)
Mister Roberts (with henry Fonda/James Cagney - 1955)

What do you guys think???

 

[Paul_Scott]

i'll take one of each.

seriously, the Thin Man box was always a no-brainer to me. i think the majority of people that would/have bought the first film, would have just as easily gone for the set if it had been available.

i do like/love the TM films, but the other ones are films that were always harder for me to see (pre TCM) and those are usually the ones i fixate on now.
(i'm walking on air this week with the release of LL.)

sounds to me like this is fairly embryonic if they are still compiling material for a doc.
i doubt any Powell-centric collection (apart from a Thin Man set) is going to make it out in '05.
Besides Warner already seems pretty loaded with sets this year from whats already been released or solicited, and we're still expecting Val Lewton, and Astaire/Rogers is long overdue.

but as soon as they announce any Powell stuff, i'll be preordering.

 

[ChrisPearson]

Thanks for clarifying that list, Dave – that would be a great way to release them. I haven't seen most of those films, but I love what I have seen of Powell's work and would buy them without question.

 

[Jon Hertzberg]

A Powell boxset couldn't be more welcome in my eyes. I too would like to see a Thin Man box, and also a Loy box. A Loy/Powell (non Thin Man) box would be gravy. After Tracy/Hepburn and this, I wonder what other screen partner sets Warner (or other studios) could come up with.

 

[ChrisPearson]

Well, Fred and Ginger is scheduled for later this year, with a second volume next year.

 

[DaveK]

Lucille Ball/Desi Arnaz Boxset
Too Many Girls (1940)
The Long, Long Trailer (1954)
Forever Darling (1956)

By the way, I heard somewhere that Forever Darling was supposed to be a vehicle for William Powell and Lucille Ball at MGM in 1942.

I have to think of other teams, but for selfish reasons, I want to see more of Lucy's old movies on DVD...lol

 

[FrankXS]

Chris. Where did you get the information that an Astaire/Rogers set was coming later this year with a Volume 2 set next year ? George Feltenstein mentioned that an Astaire/Rogers set was coming in his last interview with Robert Harris but never said when or in two volumes.
I hope you're correct. What titles are in each set ?

 

[DaveK]

Do you think The Barkleys Of Broadway (1949) would get Ultra-Resolution Treatment?

 

[ReggieW]

I personally think that there will be a Thin Man boxset by years end NOT a William Powell boxset. That being said... It would be nice, but I really think we are likely to see Garbo, Crawford, Harlow, and Gable boxsets before Powell. I believe the stars listed above are better known among the general populace than Powell. Some of the films mentioned in previous posts such as "Reckless" would be better served in a Harlow collection since she is the star of this film. Libeled Lady is available now, but Harlow gets top billing on all of the promotion (past & present) I've seen for the film, though she's in it no longer than the other players. I would like to see a Harlow/Gable signature collection consisting of all five of the films they made together (Red Dust, Hold Your Man, China Seas, Wife vs. Secretary, & Saratoga), and a Crawford/Gable signature collection as well. I do think Warner Reps definitely read these forums, and have no doubt that we'll see these titles sometime in the near future.