Rating: 
Summary: Good value for some fine films...
Review: This coupling of the Erroll Flynn classic, SANTA FE TRAIL, and Randy Scott's ABILENE TOWN, offers the prospective purchaser two excellent Western films on the same DVD, both from decent prints and at a real bargain. The Flynn film is much better known, the story of John Brown and the events leading to the outbreak of the War Between the States, but ABILENE TOWN is an equally enjoyable Scott vehicle, without the pretensions of the Warner production, but with similar excitements. Scott's co-stars include Edgar Buchanan, Rhonda Fleming, Victor Jory, and the undervalued Ann Dvorak. ABILENE TOWN is a solid, action-filled oater, and won't disappoint viewers. This DVD is a real bargain.
Rating:
Summary: John Brown and the Civil War
Review: This film is in fact the story of John Brown and the beginning of the Civil War. The film deals with John Brown in Kansas and how he was defeated there, and then the episode of Harper's Ferry where he is captured and then hanged. But the problem that is discussed all along is the coming Civil War that is felt by some as an inevitable event, and slavery that has to be gotten rid of. The problem of this film is that it is both balanced, the two sides being present in the discussion, but also unbalanced because the anti-slavery side is reduced to some kind of religious fanaticism. The point of view that Lincoln will represent is not present in the film, at least not clearly enough : to get rid of slavery for human and humane reasons, for the very ideal of human rights and human equality, and not for some kind of vengeance of God who can only impose his justice through blood and violence and war. The young Custer, played by Ronald Reagan, is just funny, but he is already a braggard who shows off easily by draping reality in imaginary and self-centered vestment.Dr Jacques COULARDEAU
Rating: 
Summary: Twisted History
Review: This is a very strange film. One the one hand, you've got Michael Curtiz, a great director (Casablanca, Angels With Dirty Faces, et al) and a stirring Max Steiner score. You've got a remarkable performance by Raymond Massey. You've got Errol Flynn doing his sex symbol action hero thing. You've got Reagan cast as the sidekick, as he so often was when he got to be in A list movies (when Jack Warner of Warner Brothers was an old man and they told him that Reagan was running for Governor of California he said: "No, no. Jimmy Stewart for Governor. Ronald Reagan for Best Friend." No film exemplifies that studio attitude better than this one!) You get to see Olivia de Havilland, as someone other than Miss Mellie or The Heiress. So, all all, you think: this is typical, or above-average studio fare ... but it's the politics of this film that are twisted. Van Heflin is the weasely bad guy from the time the men are at West Point -- why is he so bad? Because he has the bad manners to be openly anti-slavery around JEB Stuart (and believing Errol Flynn is a Southerner is a stretch -- 'cause he sure doesn't, for the role.) The film culminates with Flynn rescuing bewildered, terrified black people from a burning building, and it's all John Brown's fault; here we have Flynn, the noble, paternal slave owner saving the slaves from the crazed abolitionist . . . very messed up stuff. In some ways, considering some of the talent involved, it's a rather pedestrian exercise. But Massey's compelling performance, (which made Flynn resentful because he hated to be upstaged) and the extremely dubious, icky politics of it make it stand out -- make it a film worth seeing.
Rating:
Summary: Twisted History
Review: This is a very strange film. One the one hand, you've got Michael Curtiz, a great director (Casablanca, Angels With Dirty Faces, et al) and a stirring Max Steiner score. You've got a remarkable performance by Raymond Massey. You've got Errol Flynn doing his sex symbol action hero thing. You've got Reagan cast as the sidekick, as he so often was when he got to be in A list movies (when Jack Warner of Warner Brothers was an old man and they told him that Reagan was running for Governor of California he said: "No, no. Jimmy Stewart for Governor. Ronald Reagan for Best Friend." No film exemplifies that studio attitude better than this one!) You get to see Olivia de Havilland, as someone other than Miss Mellie or The Heiress. So, all all, you think: this is typical, or above-average studio fare ... but it's the politics of this film that are twisted. Van Heflin is the weasely bad guy from the time the men are at West Point -- why is he so bad? Because he has the bad manners to be openly anti-slavery around JEB Stuart (and believing Errol Flynn is a Southerner is a stretch -- 'cause he sure doesn't, for the role.) The film culminates with Flynn rescuing bewildered, terrified black people from a burning building, and it's all John Brown's fault; here we have Flynn, the noble, paternal slave owner saving the slaves from the crazed abolitionist . . . very messed up stuff. In some ways, considering some of the talent involved, it's a rather pedestrian exercise. But Massey's compelling performance, (which made Flynn resentful because he hated to be upstaged) and the extremely dubious, icky politics of it make it stand out -- make it a film worth seeing.
Rating: 
Summary: An incredible movie for its time
Review: When I picked up this movie I expected a simple Errol Flynn movie, some action, some heroics, some Olivia, with Alan Hale and President Reagan thrown in for good measure. Instead I got a movie that had all of what was listed but incredible depth. Particularly when you consider when it was made.
In 1940 America was a segragated country, Civil war vets on both sides were still alive, their children had very particular views of the war and of John Brown.
This movie hits every note right, Brown, played by Massey with vigor and passion is convinced of the rightious of his cause and forshadowing the words of Lincoln says the judgement of the Lord is on the country.
All the characters wrestle with the justice of the situation, Brown is justly shown as a killer but even there the shades of grey abound. Reagan & Flynn as Custer & Stewart clash over what is right and wrong.
The only flaw is the protrayal of the ex-slaves as waiting to be lead. In fact Brown's speech to the crowd saying that all must take care of themselves as other free men do is a high point in the drama.
The rest of the formula remains the same as other movies, but the clash that is coming and the tension it creates raises this movie up so high that any historical fudging can't hurt it.
Fantastic as a movie but even better as a view of how the country wrestled with the issue in 1854 AND in 1940.
Buy it.
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