Roseland

An earlier effort from the Merchant-Ivory team, 1977's Roseland, directed by James Ivory (The Remains of the Day, The Golden Bowl) presents three interconnected love stories set in the titular New York glitzy dance palace. The first, "The Waltz," stars Teresa Wright as a widow who pines for her lost husband, until she dances with a man (Lou Jacobi) who is very much her opposite. The second tale, "The Hustle," stars Christopher Walken as an aimless gigolo attached to two middle-aged women but romantically interested in a neurotic loner (Geraldine Chaplin) disgusted by his lifestyle. The best of the lot is the third story, "The Peabody," about the unlikely pairing of an educated Viennese woman (Lilia Skala) with a kind but ordinary fellow (David Thomas) who is a constant disappointment to her dreams of winning a dance competition. Written by Ismail Merchant, Roseland nicely wears the influence of authors such as Henry James and Stefan Zweig. Boasting a solid digital transfer, but no extras, this is recommended. [Note: Jane Austen in Manhattan is also newly available from Home Vision's Merchant-Ivory Collection.] (T. Keogh)