Here's Looking At You, Warner Bros.

Albert, Harry, Sam, and Jack--the Brothers Warner, four sons of immigrant parents who would pawn their father's watch and sell the family horse (Bob) to gain a toehold in the fledgling movie business at the turn of century, and then go on to build an empire that produced the stuff that dreams are made of: Casablanca, The Maltese Falcon, 42nd Street, A Streetcar Named Desire, Woodstock, Driving Miss Daisy, Batman, and this year's Oscar winner Unforgiven. This star-studded homage, which originally aired on TNT, is narrated and hosted by Clint Eastwood, Barbra Streisand, Goldie Hawn, Steven Spielberg, and Chevy Chase. It begins with the studio's first megastar (Rin Tin Tin); covers the rise of the gangster movie during the 30s which coincided with the emergence of stars like Edward G. Robinson, Paul Muni, and James Cagney; looks at the famous musicals starring Ruby Keeler (who is interviewed here) and choreographed by the legendary Busby Berkeley; and throughout profiles the beginnings of the star's careers--including the ones that Warner Bros. let get away (Lana Turner, Clark Gable, and Orson Welles, among them). While not a probing, critical history of the studios, Here's Looking at You, Warner Bros. is certainly an entertaining homage that is more than generous in its amount of film clips and star interviews and will appeal to film buffs and general audiences alike. An added bonus are the wonderful bloopers and screen tests from the past (including a screen test with James Dean and Paul Newman, who was casting for the role of Aron in East of Eden, a role that eventually went to Dick Davalos.) Too, just watching the tape will make people want to revisit their library or local video store to look for some of the great film classics of the past. Highly recommended. [Note: the proceeds from the videocassette sales are being donated to the Motion Picture and Television Fund.] (Available from most distributors.)