Home
The Winslow Boy
Barnes and Noble
The Winslow Boy
Current price: $14.99


Barnes and Noble
The Winslow Boy
Current price: $14.99
Size: OS
Loading Inventory...
*Product information may vary - to confirm product availability, pricing, shipping and return information please contact Barnes and Noble
"Writer/director David Mamet won plaudits for his classy adaptation of Terence Rattigan's 1944 stage play +The Winslow Boy, incorporating his own sparkling writing style into this morally complex period piece. Columbia TriStar's DVD, like the film itself, has been assembled smoothly and elegantly, yet overall it is not entirely satisfying. The anamorphic widescreen transfer and Dolby Surround Sound take care of the look and sound of the movie, allowing the viewer to be undistractedly absorbed in the superb sets, haunting music, and distinguished performances. Unfortunately, the special features amount to less than at first meets the eye. There is the original theatrical trailer, plus the trailer for Mamet's labyrinthine thriller The Spanish Prisoner. But the featurette is a lame addition -- basically the trailer again, but littered with tiny snippets of interviews with Mamet and his cast. Only slightly better is the commentary, which is conducted initially by Mamet and his wife and leading lady Rebecca Pidgeon (or ""Becks"" as he insists on calling her). The two talk a lot about the magnificence of every cast and crew member (even the designer of a bathrobe gets a mention), but discuss little else of significance. The late arrival of stars Nigel Hawthorne and Jeremy Northam improves matters, prompting a little more humor and debate, but by the end credits, all are back to simply praising the crew again. Though The Winslow Boy's admirers will probably consider this DVD adequate, its content beyond the main feature may leave more demanding Mamet fans somewhat frustrated."