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Hobson's Choice / The Sound Barrier [DVD] [1952]
 
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Hobson's Choice / The Sound Barrier [DVD] [1952]

DVD ~ Charles Laughton
5.0 out of 5 stars See all reviews (2 customer reviews)

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What Do Customers Ultimately Buy After Viewing This Item?

Hobson's Choice [DVD] [1953]
56% buy
Hobson's Choice [DVD] [1953] 4.8 out of 5 stars (10)
£5.98
Sound Barrier [DVD] [1952]
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£5.98
Hobson's Choice / The Sound Barrier [DVD] [1952]
14% buy the item featured on this page:
Hobson's Choice / The Sound Barrier [DVD] [1952] 5.0 out of 5 stars (2)
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Product details

  • Actors: Charles Laughton, John Mills, Ralph Richardson, Ann Todd, Brenda De Banzie
  • Directors: David Lean
  • Writers: David Lean, Norman Spencer, Harold Brighouse, Terence Rattigan, Wynyard Browne
  • Producers: David Lean, Norman Spencer
  • Format: Black & White, PAL
  • Language English
  • Region: Region 2 (This DVD may not be viewable outside Europe. Read more about DVD formats.)
  • Number of discs: 2
  • Classification: U
  • Studio: Warner Home Video
  • DVD Release Date: 14 April 2003
  • Run Time: 213 minutes
  • Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
  • ASIN: B00008IARN
  • Amazon.co.uk Sales Rank: 48,983 in DVD (See Bestsellers in DVD)

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Reviews

Amazon.co.uk Review
Hobson's Choice (1953) and The Sound Barrier (1952) is a double bill of cleverly juxtaposed films from David Lean's early canon, demonstrating that even without the landmark epics to come, British cinema would have been an infinitely poorer place without his tremendous contribution. Both films reflect his endlessly penetrating view of human behaviour and its perseverance through obstacles great and small. And both are effectively prisms that reflect all the aspects of that view, keeping the audience's sympathies constantly on the move.

Hobson's Choice, based on Harold Brighouse's eternally popular 1916 comedy, boasts fine turns from Charles Laughton--at his brilliant, physical best--as the boot-shop owner with three troublesome daughters, and John Mills as the lowly boot maker, elevated and improved by the eldest daughter Maggie in a neat inversion of the Pygmalion fable. But both are kept in their place by Brenda de Banzie's portrayal of Maggie, a performance that glows with intelligence, truth and increasing warmth.

The Sound Barrier is a drama about the race for a supersonic aeroplane. Superficially, its setting is quintessential post-World War II Britain: stiff upper lips, twin beds and clipped Rattigan dialogue. But it's prescient stuff. Ralph Richardson's aircraft manufacturer, sinister in his obsession, is an ominously skilful film performance. And Lean's take on the unthinkable cost of human achievement, interwoven with some spectacular cinematography, absorbs and unsettles. It's especially poignant now that the supersonic age has been summarily ended by Concorde's retirement.

On the DVD: Hobson's Choice and The Sound Barrier are both black-and-white films presented in 4:3 picture format, from reasonable prints, and with a mono soundtrack of suitably robust quality for Malcolm Arnold's inventive scores. There are no extras, apart from scene indexes. --Piers Ford

Special Features
English
Region 2


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Customer Reviews

2 Reviews
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Average Customer Review
5.0 out of 5 stars (2 customer reviews)
 
 
 
 
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews

 
33 of 36 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars Hobson's Choice/Sound Barrier, 7 Dec 2003
The Sound Barrier is a farily run-of-the-mill film, watchable but not great. Buy this double DVD for Hobson's Choice - a classic. The acting by John Mills and Brenda de Banzie and their interplay with the other characters is outstanding. I think this ranks as one of John Mills' two best films (the other being 'The History fo mr.Polly')....and don't forget the wonderful performance by Charles Laughton as the drunken shop-owner. A pleasure from start to finish.
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6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars Should be your choice too!, 16 May 2006
By D Deacon "pixist" (Liverpool, England) - See all my reviews
  
What a truly excellent film with such fine acting it'll blow your boots off. It lasts just under 2 hrs but that for us went by so fast as to seem like 5 minutes - totally engrossed.

There are many funny bits but there is also a deep sadness behind it. Brenda de Banzie's smile is superb as is the endearing character she plays so brilliantly. John Mills and Charles Loughton are simply brilliant. Buy/hire it, watch it. You will not be disappointed. It's worth more than 5 stars. Brilliant!
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