SUSAN HAYWARD DOUBLE FEATURE

[edgedrv]

I rarely buy public domain films, therefore I was a bit apprehensive when I purchased a DVD double feature consisting of TULSA and SMASHUP both starring Hayward and both directed by Stuart Heisler, released by a company called ACME Works. Both films had been released as single features by other companies. And I had seen some terrible PD's of these two films. I was even more concerned since one of the films was in technicolor. I have seen several PD's in color, mostly MGM films such as TILL THE CLOUDS ROLL BY and ROYAL WEDDING and the color was very soft. I suspect THE LAST TIME I SAW PARIS is the same.

 

However, I was pleasantly surprised by the mostly lovely color print for TULSA which is about the early days of the Oklahoma oil boom. Reds, Blues, Greens are all true in color. Even Hayward beautiful red hair was striking, unlike other color films where her hair seems to be brownish. This is one of the few Eagle-Lion films I have ever seen.

 

SMASHUP, one of my favorites, is an excellent (but not quite perfect) B&W print. There were very few gliches and this film seemed superior to the one that runs on TCM. Like TULSA this is the best print I have seen of this film. Hayward received her first Oscar nomination for this film. She always said she was grateful to Walter Wanger who produced the two films on this DVD. Later, when he offered her the role of a lifetime as Barbara Graham the convicted murderess, Hayward grabbed it and copped an Oscar.

 

These are two films of Hayward on the brink of super stardom and are worth having for anyone who doesn't own a copy of them. In fact, Deep Discount is selling the DVD for under $6.

[moviejoe79]

Thanks for the heads up edgedrv - it sounds great, especially for six bucks - you can't go wrong.

 

Also of note is Howard Hughes' "Hell's Angels" which I FINALLY saw listed at DeepDiscount in a really nice looking case for around $9 - I've never seen it, but it looks great. It will be released Dec. 7th.