- Actors: Clark Gable, William Powell, Myrna Loy, Frank McHugh, Leo Carrillo
- Directors: George Cukor, Hugh Harman, Jack Conway, Murray Roth, Richard Thorpe
- Format: Box set, Black & White, Closed-captioned, Colour, DVD-Video, NTSC
- Language English, Spanish
- Subtitles: English, French
- Region: Region 1 (US and Canada DVD formats.)
- Aspect Ratio: 4:3 - 1.33:1
- Number of discs: 5
- Classification: Unrated (US MPAA rating. See details.)
- Studio: Warner Home Video
- DVD Release Date: 7 Aug 2007
- Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
- ASIN: B000Q7ZLUG
- Amazon Bestsellers Rank: 26,920 in Film & TV (See Top 100 in Film & TV)
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
20 of 20 people found the following review helpful
Format:DVD|Amazon Verified Purchase
I won`t give away any detailed plots in this review, just what you need to know. There are five films in this collection, two dramas and three comedies.
"Manhattan Melodrama" and "Evelyn Prentice" are both from 1934; "Melodrama" also co-stars Clark Gable. Gable and Powell are boyhood friends who take different paths; Gable the gangster, Powell the lawyer and Loy the woman who loves them both. "Evelyn Prentice" is a less well-known film, but a real find; Loy plays the neglected wife of a top lawyer (Powell) who finds herself a victim of attempted blackmail. Both films have a steely morality running through them which comes across in this day and age as a little naieve, but they are nevertheless well-crafted and hearfelt examples of 30`s social drama. "Evelyn Prentice" suffers slightly from over-editing in a couple of key scenes but this is the complete film, running at 79mins.
Of the comedies, "Love Crazy" from 1941 is perhaps the funniest of the three, a comedy of errors which finds Powell, in an effort to stall his wife (Loy) from divorcing him over a misunderstanding, faking insanity; an action which of course, backfires with further comic results.
"Double Wedding" from 1937 sees Loy as a controlling elder sister who thinks bohemian artist Powell is out to wed her sister in a plot that has echoes of "The Taming Of The Shrew"
"I Love You Again" from 1940 sees a staid and boring Powell Lose his memory, reverting to his earlier character as a con-man and discovering he has a wife (Loy) on the brink of divorcing him, and an opportunity to fleece the local businessmen through his respectable position in the community.
The comedies in the collection are silly, but the magic of the Loy/Powell partnership make them a real joy to watch; the dramas are excellent entertainment. Any fans of the "Thin Man" series will want this set. Extras include cartoons, a couple of Pete Smith specialties, a "Crime Does Not Pay" short, a musical short and a radio version of "Love Crazy" Trailers for all the films are included. Picture Quality is excellent throughout; sound is a little weak on "Manhattan Melodrama" but otherwise as good as it can be.
Now, why isn`t this set available on region 2? I`ve found that these TCM releases run on region 2 systems but be sure your TV can display the NTSC format. And it would be nice if someone could confirm this for the benefit of other buyers just in case I am in error!
"Manhattan Melodrama" and "Evelyn Prentice" are both from 1934; "Melodrama" also co-stars Clark Gable. Gable and Powell are boyhood friends who take different paths; Gable the gangster, Powell the lawyer and Loy the woman who loves them both. "Evelyn Prentice" is a less well-known film, but a real find; Loy plays the neglected wife of a top lawyer (Powell) who finds herself a victim of attempted blackmail. Both films have a steely morality running through them which comes across in this day and age as a little naieve, but they are nevertheless well-crafted and hearfelt examples of 30`s social drama. "Evelyn Prentice" suffers slightly from over-editing in a couple of key scenes but this is the complete film, running at 79mins.
Of the comedies, "Love Crazy" from 1941 is perhaps the funniest of the three, a comedy of errors which finds Powell, in an effort to stall his wife (Loy) from divorcing him over a misunderstanding, faking insanity; an action which of course, backfires with further comic results.
"Double Wedding" from 1937 sees Loy as a controlling elder sister who thinks bohemian artist Powell is out to wed her sister in a plot that has echoes of "The Taming Of The Shrew"
"I Love You Again" from 1940 sees a staid and boring Powell Lose his memory, reverting to his earlier character as a con-man and discovering he has a wife (Loy) on the brink of divorcing him, and an opportunity to fleece the local businessmen through his respectable position in the community.
The comedies in the collection are silly, but the magic of the Loy/Powell partnership make them a real joy to watch; the dramas are excellent entertainment. Any fans of the "Thin Man" series will want this set. Extras include cartoons, a couple of Pete Smith specialties, a "Crime Does Not Pay" short, a musical short and a radio version of "Love Crazy" Trailers for all the films are included. Picture Quality is excellent throughout; sound is a little weak on "Manhattan Melodrama" but otherwise as good as it can be.
Now, why isn`t this set available on region 2? I`ve found that these TCM releases run on region 2 systems but be sure your TV can display the NTSC format. And it would be nice if someone could confirm this for the benefit of other buyers just in case I am in error!
5 of 6 people found the following review helpful
Format:DVD
I don't have anything to add to the excellent review.
There is no CUKOR movie here.
MANHATTAN MELODRAMA, the better known of the five, not only for the death of Dillinger was directed by W.S. VAN DYKE II, like
I LOVE YOU AGAIN. VD also directed four of the six THIN MAN series (Powell/Loy), available in a box set, and the bewildering PAGAN.
EVELYN PRENTICE was directed by WILLIAM K HOWARD.
JACK CONWAY was responsible for LOVE CRAZY (after his triumph in LIBELED LADY ( Powell,Loy and Jean Harlow!)
RICHARD THORPE, an underrated director who has escaped the dark hand of fashion, directed the wonderful DOUBLE WEDDING.
The three comedies had great screenplays.
To escape the financial burden of the US Warner DVD-R, we can wish for a Myrna Loy box set who would include another V.D.II
great movie (with an early ALBERT HACKETT/FRANCES GOODRICH screenplay, their second together): the 1933 MGM production,PENTHOUSE.
There is no CUKOR movie here.
MANHATTAN MELODRAMA, the better known of the five, not only for the death of Dillinger was directed by W.S. VAN DYKE II, like
I LOVE YOU AGAIN. VD also directed four of the six THIN MAN series (Powell/Loy), available in a box set, and the bewildering PAGAN.
EVELYN PRENTICE was directed by WILLIAM K HOWARD.
JACK CONWAY was responsible for LOVE CRAZY (after his triumph in LIBELED LADY ( Powell,Loy and Jean Harlow!)
RICHARD THORPE, an underrated director who has escaped the dark hand of fashion, directed the wonderful DOUBLE WEDDING.
The three comedies had great screenplays.
To escape the financial burden of the US Warner DVD-R, we can wish for a Myrna Loy box set who would include another V.D.II
great movie (with an early ALBERT HACKETT/FRANCES GOODRICH screenplay, their second together): the 1933 MGM production,PENTHOUSE.
Most Helpful Customer Reviews on Amazon.com (beta)
Amazon.com:
60 reviews
142 of 147 people found the following review helpful
All but one of the Powell/Loy films are now on DVD
8 May 2007
Format:DVD|Amazon Verified Purchase
This collection contains five titles currently not on DVD that were made starring the famous duo during the same time frame as their "Thin Man" series. With the exception of 1947's "The Senator was Indiscreet", this puts all of the Loy/Powell films on DVD. The extras described below are from a press release from Warner Home Video. The biggest let-down about this set is the lack of commentary for any of the films, but Warner probably figures with the amount of documentary material they put in the Thin Man Boxed Set, they would just be going over old territory. The films, in chronological order, are as follows:
Manhattan Melodrama (1934)
This is more of a movie with Powell and Loy than one about them as a couple. The focus is more on Clark Gable and William Powell, who play two orphans who grow up together but wind up on opposite sides of the law. Myrna Loy plays the woman that both characters love. Gable plays the gangster in this film, Powell the guy who goes up the political ladder. The melodramatic part is that as D.A. Powell's character wins a conviction against Gable's character, and as a result he is sentenced to death. Later, as governor, Powell must decide whether or not to commute his childhood friend's sentence. Powell is very good here at playing a more serious role.
Special Features:
· Comedy short "Goofy Movies #2"
· Classic cartoon "The Old Pioneer"
· Theatrical trailer
· Subtitles: English & French (feature film only)
Evelyn Prentice (1934)
This one seems to miss a step as far as plot holes go, but it is still above average. Powell plays a defense attorney who is also part detective, and whose heavy-duty work habits cause him to neglect his wife, played by Loy in the title role. As a result of this neglect, Loy commits an indiscretion with a playboy and ultimately figures into her husband's next big murder case.
Special Features:
· Comedy short "Goofy Movies #3"
· Classic cartoon "Discontented Canary"
· Theatrical trailer
· Subtitles: English & French (feature film only)
Double Wedding (1937)
This is a different kind of film for Powell and Loy. Loy plays high-powered businesswoman Margit Agnew who is unhappy to learn that her little sister is planning to marry vagabond Charlie Lodge (William Powell) who, since he lives in a trailer, is hardly in a position to support her. Margit tries to intervene, and in the end winds up with Lodge herself. The plot is thin, but the comedy is very good. This film was shot partly before and after the death of Jean Harlow, who was Powell's lover and Loy's good friend. Filming was suspended for awhile due to the tragedy.
Special Features:
· Musical short "Dancing on the Ceiling"
· Classic cartoon "The Hound and the Rabbit"
· Theatrical trailer
· Subtitles: English & French (feature film only)
I Love You Again (1940)
My favorite non-Thin Man Loy and Powell movie and showcases everything that is great about the chemistry the two had on screen. Powell plays stuffy and rich Larry Wilson, who, after a blow to the head, realizes he is actually confidence man George Carey. Wilson is just some alternate identity he assumed after he first got amnesia nine years before. Realizing he has a sweet deal in his wealthy second identity, Carey decides to clean out Wilson's finances and leave town. However, when Carey meets Wilson's estranged wife, played by Loy, he falls for her and decides to hang around long enough to win her back.
Special Features:
· Crime Doesn't Pay Series short "Jackpot"
· Classic cartoon "Tom Turkey and His Harmonica Humdingers"
· Theatrical trailer
· Subtitles: English & French (feature film only)
Love Crazy (1941)
Another excellent entry in the Loy and Powell series of movies. After four years of marriage, Stephen Ireland (William Powell) runs into an old girlfriend that lives nearby. The two end up just talking, but a series of comic misadventures cause Stephen's wife, Susan (Myrna Loy), to believe Stephen is cheating on her and she decides to divorce Stephen. Desperate to keep Susan, Stephen decides to pretend he is not in his right mind to draw things out. He does such a good job that everyone believes him - except his wife. There is some great physical comedy here by Powell.
Special Features:
· Classic cartoon "The Alley Cat"
· Audio-only bonus: Screen Directors Guild Playhouse Radio Broadcast
· Theatrical trailer
· Subtitles: English & French (feature film only)
Manhattan Melodrama (1934)
This is more of a movie with Powell and Loy than one about them as a couple. The focus is more on Clark Gable and William Powell, who play two orphans who grow up together but wind up on opposite sides of the law. Myrna Loy plays the woman that both characters love. Gable plays the gangster in this film, Powell the guy who goes up the political ladder. The melodramatic part is that as D.A. Powell's character wins a conviction against Gable's character, and as a result he is sentenced to death. Later, as governor, Powell must decide whether or not to commute his childhood friend's sentence. Powell is very good here at playing a more serious role.
Special Features:
· Comedy short "Goofy Movies #2"
· Classic cartoon "The Old Pioneer"
· Theatrical trailer
· Subtitles: English & French (feature film only)
Evelyn Prentice (1934)
This one seems to miss a step as far as plot holes go, but it is still above average. Powell plays a defense attorney who is also part detective, and whose heavy-duty work habits cause him to neglect his wife, played by Loy in the title role. As a result of this neglect, Loy commits an indiscretion with a playboy and ultimately figures into her husband's next big murder case.
Special Features:
· Comedy short "Goofy Movies #3"
· Classic cartoon "Discontented Canary"
· Theatrical trailer
· Subtitles: English & French (feature film only)
Double Wedding (1937)
This is a different kind of film for Powell and Loy. Loy plays high-powered businesswoman Margit Agnew who is unhappy to learn that her little sister is planning to marry vagabond Charlie Lodge (William Powell) who, since he lives in a trailer, is hardly in a position to support her. Margit tries to intervene, and in the end winds up with Lodge herself. The plot is thin, but the comedy is very good. This film was shot partly before and after the death of Jean Harlow, who was Powell's lover and Loy's good friend. Filming was suspended for awhile due to the tragedy.
Special Features:
· Musical short "Dancing on the Ceiling"
· Classic cartoon "The Hound and the Rabbit"
· Theatrical trailer
· Subtitles: English & French (feature film only)
I Love You Again (1940)
My favorite non-Thin Man Loy and Powell movie and showcases everything that is great about the chemistry the two had on screen. Powell plays stuffy and rich Larry Wilson, who, after a blow to the head, realizes he is actually confidence man George Carey. Wilson is just some alternate identity he assumed after he first got amnesia nine years before. Realizing he has a sweet deal in his wealthy second identity, Carey decides to clean out Wilson's finances and leave town. However, when Carey meets Wilson's estranged wife, played by Loy, he falls for her and decides to hang around long enough to win her back.
Special Features:
· Crime Doesn't Pay Series short "Jackpot"
· Classic cartoon "Tom Turkey and His Harmonica Humdingers"
· Theatrical trailer
· Subtitles: English & French (feature film only)
Love Crazy (1941)
Another excellent entry in the Loy and Powell series of movies. After four years of marriage, Stephen Ireland (William Powell) runs into an old girlfriend that lives nearby. The two end up just talking, but a series of comic misadventures cause Stephen's wife, Susan (Myrna Loy), to believe Stephen is cheating on her and she decides to divorce Stephen. Desperate to keep Susan, Stephen decides to pretend he is not in his right mind to draw things out. He does such a good job that everyone believes him - except his wife. There is some great physical comedy here by Powell.
Special Features:
· Classic cartoon "The Alley Cat"
· Audio-only bonus: Screen Directors Guild Playhouse Radio Broadcast
· Theatrical trailer
· Subtitles: English & French (feature film only)
31 of 32 people found the following review helpful
A TRUE 5-STAR SALUTE FOR ONE OF FILMDOM'S GREATEST SCREEN TEAMS!
14 July 2007
Format:DVD
When it comes to screen chemistry between two stars, there were probably only four that stood the test of time...Fred & Ginger, Flynn & de Havilland, Tracy & Hepburn, and my personal (non-musical) favorites, the unbeatable combination of WILLIAM POWELL and MYRNA LOY.
A million thank-you's to those amazing folks at Warner Brothers who keep managing to find a way to drain my bank balance...and I couldn't be happier. Every set from Warner is a winner, but this one is particularly appealing, because I've practically worn out my 6 Thin Man discs!
Here we get a broader spectrum of this terrific twosome. Their screwball shenanigans take center stage in laugh-filled romps such as DOUBLE WEDDING, I LOVE YOU AGAIN, and LOVE CRAZY. All hysterical. All worth countless viewings. Equally compelling are the more serious films in this set, the box-office smash MANHATTAN MELODRAMA, where CLARK GABLE shares the screen with Loy and Powell, and the highly underrated EVELYN PRENTICE which is a great showcase for both Ms. Loy and Mr. Powell. All five films will be joined by extra features, as is always the Warner way.
If you only know these two as NICK & NORA, you're in for even more fun...
and you might as well pick up the already-available LIBELED LADY, which is truly one of the greatest comedies of all time.
Thank you Warner Home Video for honoring this terrific twosome so wonderfully!
A million thank-you's to those amazing folks at Warner Brothers who keep managing to find a way to drain my bank balance...and I couldn't be happier. Every set from Warner is a winner, but this one is particularly appealing, because I've practically worn out my 6 Thin Man discs!
Here we get a broader spectrum of this terrific twosome. Their screwball shenanigans take center stage in laugh-filled romps such as DOUBLE WEDDING, I LOVE YOU AGAIN, and LOVE CRAZY. All hysterical. All worth countless viewings. Equally compelling are the more serious films in this set, the box-office smash MANHATTAN MELODRAMA, where CLARK GABLE shares the screen with Loy and Powell, and the highly underrated EVELYN PRENTICE which is a great showcase for both Ms. Loy and Mr. Powell. All five films will be joined by extra features, as is always the Warner way.
If you only know these two as NICK & NORA, you're in for even more fun...
and you might as well pick up the already-available LIBELED LADY, which is truly one of the greatest comedies of all time.
Thank you Warner Home Video for honoring this terrific twosome so wonderfully!
25 of 28 people found the following review helpful
Nick and Nora step out
10 Aug 2007
Format:DVD|Amazon Verified Purchase
After a considerable wait, the remaining five movies which starred Powell and Loy is available on DVD and it is really great to be able to enjoy their efforts. Powell and Loy were stars of the very successful "Thin Man" series (the title character was actually the murder victim in the first series, but most of the fans thought it referred to Nick Charles). Along with the six movies in the Thin Man series, the pair made seven other movies (not counting the Powell vehicle "The Senator was Indiscrete" in which Loy makes a cameo appearance) leading many to believe that they were in fact married in real life.
The movies in this series run the gamut from the sorts of melodramas that MGM famously churned out in the 30s. To be honest, I prefer the later comedies. Clearly, after the success of the first of the Thin Man movies, producers understood that the pair was very well suited to light comedy and animated banter. In films like "Love Crazy," "I Love You Again" and "Double Wedding," Powell and Loy perform well in romantic comedy roles. Loy's personna as "the perfect wife" and her own skills at light comedy make her a perfect foil for Powell's wisecrakes and prat falls. My favorite of this series is "I Love You Again" in which Powell plays a gangster who due amnesia has spent ten years as a squirral stuffing club joining guardian of civic virtue much to Loy's dismay. In "Double Wedding" and "Love Crazy," Powell gets to stretch his comedic range. Loy is of course perfect.
The two non-comedies are interesting as well. "Manhatten Melodrama" was a massive hit in its day and looks more like the sort of films that Warner Brothers became famous for in which childhood friends follow different paths and Loy is the romantic interest. It is the pair's only teaming with Gable (although Loy made several really good films with "the King"). "Evelyn Prentis" appears to have been billed as a romantic comedy, given the trailer (included in all the movies). It is the story of a marriage on the rocks due to the husband's career and his refusal to spend more time at home. Rosalind Russell is one of the clients in the film in an early role.
This is a wonderful series and even includes some cartoons and short subjects. Powell and Loy's other movies include "Libeled Lady" (with Jean Harlow (who was slated to marry Powell), and "The Great Zigfeld" along with the boxed set of Thin Man movies are all available on DVD.
The movies in this series run the gamut from the sorts of melodramas that MGM famously churned out in the 30s. To be honest, I prefer the later comedies. Clearly, after the success of the first of the Thin Man movies, producers understood that the pair was very well suited to light comedy and animated banter. In films like "Love Crazy," "I Love You Again" and "Double Wedding," Powell and Loy perform well in romantic comedy roles. Loy's personna as "the perfect wife" and her own skills at light comedy make her a perfect foil for Powell's wisecrakes and prat falls. My favorite of this series is "I Love You Again" in which Powell plays a gangster who due amnesia has spent ten years as a squirral stuffing club joining guardian of civic virtue much to Loy's dismay. In "Double Wedding" and "Love Crazy," Powell gets to stretch his comedic range. Loy is of course perfect.
The two non-comedies are interesting as well. "Manhatten Melodrama" was a massive hit in its day and looks more like the sort of films that Warner Brothers became famous for in which childhood friends follow different paths and Loy is the romantic interest. It is the pair's only teaming with Gable (although Loy made several really good films with "the King"). "Evelyn Prentis" appears to have been billed as a romantic comedy, given the trailer (included in all the movies). It is the story of a marriage on the rocks due to the husband's career and his refusal to spend more time at home. Rosalind Russell is one of the clients in the film in an early role.
This is a wonderful series and even includes some cartoons and short subjects. Powell and Loy's other movies include "Libeled Lady" (with Jean Harlow (who was slated to marry Powell), and "The Great Zigfeld" along with the boxed set of Thin Man movies are all available on DVD.
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