Sergeant York (Two-Disc Special Edition)

The perfect film to watch each and every Memorial Day
Gary Cooper was 40 years old when he made "Sergeant York," and his Southern accent is weak at best, but those things do not end up detracting all that much from his performance or this film. Directed in 1941 by Howard Hawks, "Sergeant York" has strong propagandistic elements. A whiskey-drinking hell-raiser, Alvin C. York undergoes a religious conversation when lighting strikes his gun and almost kills him. His goal in life becomes getting himself a piece of bottom land so he can propose to Gracie Williams (Joan Leslie). Things go against him, but Alvin holds his temper and does what the Good Book tell him to do. Then World War I breaks out and Alvin is drafted. Unable to get status as a conscientious objector because of his religious beliefs, Alvin has to come to terms with the obligations of citizenship versus the dictates of scripture. The film is surprisingly even handed in showing Alvin debating the matter with his superiors. In the end he comes to the...

5 stars only because...
I can't give it 6. This is probably one of the top 5 movies ever! Cooper is phenomenal. The real Alvin York, probably America's least known hero, told Hollywood that he would allow them to make the movie if Cooper portrayed him, they told the whole story, and no glamour girl portrayed the women. This movie hits the mark. While it does show how President Wilson abused the rights of the religions that are against fighting and war, I believe the message of a man's convictions and how he must kill to save other lives is powerful and applicable in today's society. Believable presentation of York's life before, during, and after the war is the hallmark of the movie. A classic for generations to come.

Ultra-Cheap Packaging disrespects a Classic Film
This review applies to newly manufactured Warner dvds sold after Dec. 5, 2009.

First off, let me make this absolutely clear -- I love this movie, and my gripe is not with the film, or the artists or technicians who originally made this wonderful picture.

My gripe is with the modern-day, greedy studio executives, who have just schemed a new way to stuff even more money into their greedy hands by cheapening the quality of their product.

Apparently, it just wasn't profitable enough for Warner's to make their new dvd cases with the thinnest of plastic, but now Warner's has cheapened the dvd cases even more, by adding huge punched-out hole sections to the front and back of their dvd cases.

I don't know about you, but when I like a movie enough to buy it, I also want to be able to protect it, so I can watch it again in the future.

That might not be as easy as it used to be.

Now, when you open one of these dvd cases, you'll...

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