Robert Mitchum: The Signature Collection

Laconic, languorous Robert Mitchum might seem like one of the screen's most unlikely sex symbols, but his sleepy eyes and catlike grace weren't lost on female filmgoers, whose patronage made him a top star in the 1940s and ‘50s (of course, men liked Mitchum as well, for his air of rugged virility and self-confidence). Since many of his best starring vehicles have already been released on DVD (including Cape Fear and Night of the Hunter), it should come as no surprise that this six-disc boxed set includes some of his lesser films. The most typical is probably Macao (1952), a Josef von Sternberg-directed adventure with an exotic locale and a sexy female lead—Jane Russell, a frequent Mitchum costar. Angel Face (also 1952), a turgid drama directed by Otto Preminger, casts Mitchum as an ambulance driver involved with Jean Simmons. Slightly better is Home from the Hill (1960), a long but reasonably engaging drama in which the star plays a Southern landowner with two unruly sons and a dissatisfied wife. This set's best film, hands down, is The Sundowners (also 1960), Fred Zinnemann's superb drama about a family of Australian sheepherders, pairing Mitchum with Deborah Kerr and Peter Ustinov, and featuring the star in one of his most offbeat roles. As for the last two films in the set, The Good Guys and the Bad Guys (1969) and The Yakuza (1975), the less said the better. Of course, Mitchum is compulsively watchable, even when he's in substandard movies. DVD extras include audio commentaries, vintage featurettes, and a TCM Private Screenings episode featuring an interview with Mitchum and Russell. A strong optional purchase. (E. Hulse)