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| Warner Gangsters Collection, Vol. 4 (The Amazing Dr. Clitterhouse / Invisible Stripes / Kid Galahad / Larceny, Inc. / The Little Giant / Public Enemies: The Golden Age of the Gangster Film) | 
 enlarge | Actors: Edward G. Robinson, Humphrey Bogart, Bette Davis, Mary Astor, George Raft
Studio: Warner Home Video
Category: DVD
List Price: $59.98
Buy New: $42.39
You Save: $17.59 (29%)
New (38) Used (8) Collectible (1) from $40.46
Avg. Customer Rating:  4 reviews
Sales Rank: 9496
Format: Box Set, Black & White, Dvd-video, Full Screen, Ntsc
Languages: English (Original Language), English (Subtitled), French (Subtitled)
Rating: NR (Not Rated)
Number Of Items: 6
Running Time: 546
Aspect Ratio: 1.33:1
Shipping Weight (lbs): 1.2
Dimensions (in): 7.7 x 5.5 x 3.7
MPN: WARD039311D
UPC: 883929023035
EAN: 0883929023035
ASIN: B001ASQ9OC
Theatrical Release Date: 2008
Release Date: October 21, 2008
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
Condition: Brand new Item. CD, DVD, Book, VHS more than 400 000 titles to choose from. ALL days Low Price !
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Product Description
Studio: Warner Home Video Release Date: 10/21/2008 Rating: Nr
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| Customer Reviews:
 amazing collection and commentary December 8, 2008
I thoroughly enjoyed, and was often enchanted, by this much needed collection, and the learned commentary that made me feel as if I'd just taken a terrific class in film history, theory, and the evolution of the genre. I'm no film scholar, but I know what I like.....and this was great. Especially noteworthy was the commentary by Art Simon and Robert Sklar, who's insights about Kid Galahad, one of my favorite movies, made it all fresh again.
Another first -rate classic film set by Warner Home Video June 29, 2008
8 out of 8 found this review helpful
The films in this edition of the Warner Gangsters are The Amazing Dr. Clitterhouse, The Little Giant, Larceny, Inc., Invisible Stripes and Kid Galahad. The films contain bonus features such as rarely-seen Warner Bros. shorts, vintage newsreels and classic cartoons, plus original theatrical trailers. Also included in the collection is an all-new Warner Home Video feature-length documentary, Public Enemies: The Golden Age of the Gangster Film which takes a detailed look at the crime genre and how it came about. Kid Galahad will be available as a single title. Notably absent in this set is James Cagney, but we have just about all of his gangster films on DVD now. All that's left are his precodes that don't really fit into the gangster genre.
The Amazing Dr. Clitterhouse (1938)
Dr. Clitterhouse (Edward G. Robinson) is fascinated by the study of the physical and mental states of lawbreakers, so he joins a gang of jewel thieves for a closer look in this dark comedy. Claire Trevor co-stars as a savvy crime queen, and Humphrey Bogart plays Rocks Valentine, whom Robinson calls "a magnificent specimen of pure viciousness." The movie also marks the start of one of film's most noteworthy collaborations. John Huston, who was to later direct Bogart in The Maltese Falcon, The Treasure of the Sierra Madre and The African Queen, co-wrote the screenplay of The Amazing Dr. Clitterhouse.
Special Features:
Commentary by Dr. Drew Casper and Richard Jewell
Racket Busters theatrical trailer
Vintage newsreel
WB short: Night Intruder
WB cartoons:
Cinderella Meets a Fella
Count Me Out
1941 Lady Esther Screen Guild Theater Broadcast (audio only)
1944 Gulf Screen Guild Theater Broadcast (audio only)
Theatrical trailer
The Little Giant (1933)
Bootlegger Bugs Ahearn (Edward G. Robinson) has a plan for what he'll do now that Prohibition is past. He decides to head for California's posh, polo-playing Santa Barbara to become part of the high society. What he finds there - swindlers and gold diggers - are the set-up for some great precode antics. Edward G. Robinson shows his comedic talents and paves the way for such subsequent films as A Slight Case of Murder, Brother Orchid, and Larceny, Inc..
Special Features:
Commentary by Daniel Bubbeo and John McCarty
Vintage newsreel
WB short: Just Around the Corner
WB cartoon: The Dish Ran Away with the Spoon
Theatrical trailer
Larceny, Inc. (1942)
Edward G. Robinson plays Pressure Maxwell, who emerges from Sing Sing planning to run a dog track with his cronies Jug (Broderick Crawford) and Weepy (Edward Brophy). But the plan needs funding, so the group (assisted by Jane Wyman) opens a luggage shop as a front while attempting to tunnel into the bank next door. Unfortunately, the store is a success and this puts a comedic dent in Maxwell's plans.
Special Features:
Commentary by Haden Guest and Dana Polan
Vintage newsreel
The Big Shot theatrical trailer
WB short: Winning Your Wings
WB cartoons:
Porky's Pastry Pirates
The Wabbit Who Came to Supper
Theatrical trailer
Invisible Stripes (1939)
Parolee Chuck Martin (Humphrey Bogart) is going straight back to a life of crime when he is released. In lockup or out in the civilian world, he knows he'll forever wear "Invisible Stripes". Bogart often played these tormented souls in the 30's during his long apprenticeship at Warner Bros. Top-billed George Raft plays Martin's ex-Sing Sing yard mate Cliff Taylor, who vows to walk away from crime and be a role model for his kid brother (William Holden). But what awaits Taylor are suspicion, public disdain and joblessness, so he turns to a fellow ex-con for assistance.
Special Features:
Commentary by Alain Silver and James Ursini
You Can't Get Away with Murder Theatrical trailer
Vintage newsreel
WB short The Monroe Doctrine and Quiet, Please
WB cartoons:
Bars and Stripes Forever
Hare-um Scare-um
Theatrical trailer
Kid Galahad (1937)
Edward G. Robinson is racketeer/fight promoter Nick Donati and Humphrey Bogart is Turkey Morgan who is also a fight promoter and Donati's rival. Bette Davis plays the moll who has a soft spot for the bellhop (Wayne Morris) that Nick is grooming for the heavyweight title. Michael Curtiz directs this first of his six collaborations with Bogart that would include Casablanca and We're No Angels.
Special Features:
Commentary by Art Simon and Robert Sklar
It's Love I'm After theatrical trailer
Vintage newsreel
WB Shorts: Alibi Mark and Postal Union
WB Cartoons:
Egghead Rides Again
I Wanna Be a Sailor
Porky's Super Service
Theatrical trailer
Public Enemies: The Golden Age of the Gangster Film is a documentary that explores the invention and development of the crime genre and the rise of Warner stars like Cagney, Bogart and Robinson. Also discussed are directors such as Walsh, Wellman and Curtiz. It will cover the films themselves and the influence they had on filmmakers all over the world. Finally, the documentary will celebrate the impact that Warner Bros. had in establishing the gangster film.
Special Features:
Four WB Cartoons: I Like Mountain Music, She Was an Acrobat's Daughter, Racketeer Rabbit and Bugs and Thugs
You have to give credit to Warner Bros. for releasing some of the more obscure films in its catalog rather than just re-releasing in Blu-ray well-known films that are already in wide release as some other studios have been doing. I won't mention any names.
 no cagney June 23, 2008
4 out of 21 found this review helpful
this time edward g robinson humphrey bogart and george raft no cagney.thats good and all but were in hell is doorway to hell and the widow from chicago come on warner.
More from the Warner's vaults - the best source June 20, 2008
17 out of 18 found this review helpful
The fourth collection in Warner's Gangster sets contains more unsung gems from Warner Brothers, the studio whose product stands up the best of all today. The reasons are simple - they had the best actors and their production environment produced dynamic economical unpretentious entertainments. This set contains 4 starring vehicles for Edward G Robinson and 3 supporting roles for Humprey Bogart.
- "The Little Giant" is a pre code 1933 vehicle, a typical smart comic melodrama with Robinson as a beer baron who mixes in society, a not dissimilar theme to the later and far superior "A Slight Case of Murder". In this case, Robinson is still a bit close to "Little Ceasar" to be funny and the main interest is the endless slang and pre-code innuendo.
- From 1937, "Kid Galahad" is an exciting prize fight melodrama. Robinson is paired with a very attractive Bette Davis as his moll and together, they tear up the screen with their magnetism. Bogart and Robinson have a great shoot out at the end of the film.
- "The Amazing Dr Clitterhouse", released in 1938 and based on a successful West End play, stars Robinson as a surgeon who infiltrates a gang to analyse the criminal mind. With Bogart in support as a particularly vicious crook and the attractive and brittle Claire Trevor as the leader of the gang, this film, as directed by Anatole Litvak, is more polished than the usual Warner's programmer. The story is ambiguous with a very clever climax; a most unusual and interesting film.
- by 1939, the gangster cycle had just about runs its course and the Hays Code was more interested in how the gangster reformed than how he operated. "Invisible Stripes" is more a social melodrama than a gangster film and stars the wooden George Raft as an ex-crim trying to re-establish himself while on parole. Bogart is in support again and a very young William Holden appears. It is a dull and predictable film.
- "Larceny Inc", released in 1942, is a very funny comedy with Robinson out of jail and buying a luggage shop adjoining a bank in order to break in. Jack Carson is particularly amusing as a travelling salesman. Watch out for his sales pitch on his range of luggage - hilarious! Also the incomparable Ed Brophy with his hysterical Brooklyn accent appears as one of Robinson's sidekicks.
All the prints are in good condition and the DVDs are packed with extras - cartoons, short films and trailers as part of "Warners's Night at the Movies". A number of the films have expert commentaries. The one for "Larceny Inc" is lousy. A seperate DVD is included which contains a very detailed documentary about the development of the gangster genre at Warner Brothers. The best parts are the snippets of archival interviews with such people as Joan Blondell, that spunky moll essential to the early Warner's product, and directors such as William Wellman ("The Public Enemy") and Raoul Walsh ("White Heat"). If you are interested in the history of Warner Brothers, then the documentary is interesting but keep in mind that most of its content has been covered in commentaries and featurettes included on the DVDs of the films which make up Warners Gangster Collections.
As usual, Warner Brothers have produced a good value package.
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