- Actors: Kirk Douglas, Claire Trevor, Jeanne Crain, Richard Boone, William Campbell
- Directors: King Vidor
- Format: Import, NTSC, Full Screen
- Language English
- Region: All Regions
- Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars See all reviews (9 customer reviews)
- ASIN: 7885725715
- Amazon Bestsellers Rank: 69,315 in Film & TV (See Top 100 in Film & TV)
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ALL REGION DVD - CHINESE IMPORT - NTSC.
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
8 of 8 people found the following review helpful
Format:DVD
Man Without A Star is directed by King Vidor and adapted by Borden Chase & D. D. Beauchamp from the Dee Linford novel. It stars Kirk Douglas, Jeanne Crain, Claire Trevor, William Campbell & Richard Boone. Photographed by Russell Metty in Technicolor around the Thousand Oaks area in California, with the title song warbled by Frankie Laine.
Dempsey Rae (Douglas) is easy going and a lover of life, so much so he has no qualms about befriending young hot head Jeff Jimson (Campbell). The pair, after a scare with the law, amble into town and find work at a ranch owned by the mysterious Reed Bowman. Who after finally showing up turns out to be a lady (Crain), with very ambitious plans. As sexual tensions start to run high, so do tempers, as the boys find themselves in the middle of a range war.
It's all very conventional stuff in the grand scheme of range war Western things, but none the less it manages to stay well above average in spite of a tricky first quarter. For the fist part Vidor and Douglas seem to be playing the film for laughs, with the actor mugging for all he is worth. Add in the wet behind the ears performance of Campbell and one wonders if this is going to be a spoof. But once the lads land in town and the girls show up (Trevor classy, Crain smouldering), the film shifts in gear and starts to get edgy with Vidor proving to have paced it wisely. The thematics of era and lifestyle changes, here signified by barbed wire, are well written into the plot. While interesting camera angles and biting photography keep the mood sexually skew whiff. Boone lifts proceedings with another fine villain performance, and Jay C. Flippen in support is as solid as he almost always was. 7/10
Dempsey Rae (Douglas) is easy going and a lover of life, so much so he has no qualms about befriending young hot head Jeff Jimson (Campbell). The pair, after a scare with the law, amble into town and find work at a ranch owned by the mysterious Reed Bowman. Who after finally showing up turns out to be a lady (Crain), with very ambitious plans. As sexual tensions start to run high, so do tempers, as the boys find themselves in the middle of a range war.
It's all very conventional stuff in the grand scheme of range war Western things, but none the less it manages to stay well above average in spite of a tricky first quarter. For the fist part Vidor and Douglas seem to be playing the film for laughs, with the actor mugging for all he is worth. Add in the wet behind the ears performance of Campbell and one wonders if this is going to be a spoof. But once the lads land in town and the girls show up (Trevor classy, Crain smouldering), the film shifts in gear and starts to get edgy with Vidor proving to have paced it wisely. The thematics of era and lifestyle changes, here signified by barbed wire, are well written into the plot. While interesting camera angles and biting photography keep the mood sexually skew whiff. Boone lifts proceedings with another fine villain performance, and Jay C. Flippen in support is as solid as he almost always was. 7/10
4 of 4 people found the following review helpful
Format:DVD
Another in the range of westerns released by Pegasus continues their growing reputation for releasing top quality prints. As previously, the film looks great. Lovely strong colours, original aspect ratio and from comparison screen grabs with the Australian PAL disc, this one isn't interlaced so is an improvement. A bargain price for an excellent film, although once again there are no extras. But at this price it doesn't really matter.
3 of 3 people found the following review helpful
Format:DVD
A drifter (Kirk Douglas) hooks up with a young cowpoke (William Campbell, THE HIGH AND THE MIGHTY) while riding the rails. When they both get hired as cattle ranch hands, trouble brews when the new and ruthless ranch owner (Jeanne Crain) decides to usurp the grazing lands for herself. This nifty western directed by King Vidor (DUEL IN THE SUN) is a superior effort that needs a wider audience to solidify its reputation. This was Vidor's first wide screen film and he was lucky to have that wizard Russell Metty (WRITTEN ON THE WIND) behind the camera. The film foreshadows the westerns that were to come (particularly in the 1960s) dealing with the transition of the Old West and how emerging civilization would change it forever. The casting of Crain, usually the sweet natured ingenue, as the hard and calculating ranch owner was inspired. With Claire Trevor, Richard Boone as the villain, Jay C. Flippen, Mara Corday, Sheb Wooley, Myrna Hansen, Jack Elam and Malcolm Atterbury.
The Umbrella DVD courtesy of Australia is a vivid, strong transfer in a wide screen aspect ratio of 1.85 when 2 to 1 would have been more appropriate.
The Umbrella DVD courtesy of Australia is a vivid, strong transfer in a wide screen aspect ratio of 1.85 when 2 to 1 would have been more appropriate.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
Man Without a Star
Great western i was pleased when this was released on dvd,and a favourite film of mind
which has been long over due coming out.
which has been long over due coming out.
Published 1 month ago by Mr. G. E. L. Fuge
Reassuringly Formulaic.
King Vidor didn't make too many westerns, which makes this one something of a rarity. His last outing in the genre prior to this one was the unforgettable epic "Duel in the Sun",... Read more
Published 1 month ago by Bob Salter
kirk sings, kirk shoots, kirk is dempsey
got to be the best release this year so far, pegasus are going from strength to strength now, clean print, great colour, great sound, top marks, great cover. Read more
Published 2 months ago by D. W. Phillips
A star status western
This is without doubt Douglas at his best. This little gem has everything that a good movie should have. Read more
Published 4 months ago by Mr. J. C. Tuzzio
Dvd
I am very pleased with this Dvd, it arrived very quickly and is in perfect working order. Only reason I dropped a star is because it does not come in a proper Dvd case, the case... Read more
Published 6 months ago by olivia:)
A Watchable Western
"Man without a star" is a colourful western which stars Kirk Douglas and is directed by King Vidor, who is probably best remembered for directing silent movies, such as "The big... Read more
Published 13 months ago by Mrs. Marilyn A. Rice
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