>>REVIEW
THE PREMIERE FRANK CAPRA COLLECTION
Directed by Frank Capra
Columbia Pictures, 2006
For many, Frank Capra’s legacy begins and ends with It’s a Wonderful Life. It’s a film classic for several reasons, but it’s only one film in a Hollywood career that spanned four decades.
This is a point that is brought into clear focus watching The Premiere Frank Capra Collection. This six-disc box set showcases not only his Oscar-winning best picture It Happened One Night (1934) but his classic everyman-against-the-machine pictures Mr. Smith Goes to Washington (1939) and Mr. Deeds Goes to Town (1936). Two of his lesser-known pictures You Can’t Take it With You (1938) and American Madness (1932) are included as well.
For those who haven’t experienced Capra, this box set is a gentle walk through an unparalleled career. He was the first director to become a name in Hollywood. Back in his heyday, Capra commanded the respect of a Kubrick, the box office returns of a Spielberg and the Oscar clout of a Coppola. His films bore such a distinct stamp that the term Capraesque was coined to describe anything that was steeped in good-natured Americana.
The crown jewel in the box set is Frank Capra’s American Dream. In just under two hours this informative documentary combines equal parts biography, insight and analysis to examine what made Capra such a singular filmmaker. Complete with a commemorative booklet featuring excerpts from Capra’s autobiography, The Name Above the Title, this collection is like a mini film school in a box. It’s as entertaining as it is informative and takes a well-deserved look at one of the most iconic American filmmakers of the 20th century. |
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