Frank Capra Collection on DVD December 5th

Designated the “Number One Director in Hollywood” by Time Magazine in 1938 and voted by Entertainment Weekly (April 19^th issue, 1996) as one of the greatest directors of all time, Capra has received numerous industry awards and accolades over the course of his successful career including three Best Director Oscars®. All three films that he won Best Director Oscars for are included in this set.

In 1935, Capra was honored with his first Academy Award® for Best Director for the film It Happened One Night, starring Clark Gable and Claudette Colbert. This was the first picture in the history of The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences to receive all of the “Big Five” awards: Best Picture, Actor, Actress, Director and Writing. Capra also won Academy Awards for his films Mr. Deeds Goes to Town (Best Director) and You Can’t Take it With You (Best Picture and Best Director). Most recently, Capra was honored posthumously at the 2006 AFI Awards, and became the second most-represented filmmaker (behind Steven Spielberg) on AFI’s “100 Most Inspiring Movies of All Time”, with four of his films on the list including Mr. Deeds Goes to Town and Mr. Smith Goes to Washington.

Capra was a populist, and the simplicity of his narrative structures focused on the great social problems facing America, which boiled down to scenarios where metaphorical boy scouts took on corrupt political bosses and evil-minded industrialists. During his reign in the 1930’s Depression era, the country was down but not out and the ultimate success of the individual in the Capra films was a bracing tonic.

Capra’s films that are featured in this Premiere Collection include the work of Hollywood’s classic leading men and women including: James Stewart (It’s a Wonderful Life, Vertigo), Jean Arthur (Only Angels Have Wings, The Devil and Miss Jones), Claudette Colbert (Secrets of a Secretary, Misleading Lady), Clark Gable (Gone With the Wind, Saratoga), Lionel Barrymore (Key Largo, It’s a Wonderful Life), Harry Carey (The Babe Ruth Story, Red River), Gary Cooper (The Westerner, Alice in Wonderland) and George Bancroft (A Doctor’s Diary, Stagecoach).

American Madness (1932) Set in the 1930’s Depression Era, American Madness, tells the story of bank president Thomas Dickso (Walter Huston), who has making loans to depositors without sufficient collateral. When his Board of Directors question a few “risky” loans, Dickson finds himself in the hot seat. The situation gets worse when a corrupt employee robs the bank. It’s up to his loyal staff to rally local businessmen to make more deposits, which enable the directors to keep the bank afloat, thus saving Dickson’s job. Released shortly after FDR’s New Deal, this film whole-heartedly espoused Roosevelt’s ideals. Written by Robert Riskin, American Madness, is not rated and has a run time of 76 minutes.

It Happened One Night (1934) It Happened One Night follows the antics of heiress Ellie Andrews (Claudette Colbert) as she attempts to escape the clutches of her strong willed father. In this attempt, Ellie marries a man her father hates, fortune hunter and society aviator, King Westley (Jameson Thomas). As a result of this marriage, Ellie is whisked away from King to her father’s yacht. Ellie eventually jumps ship and travels across the country to get back to her husband. On route, Ellie meets out-of-work reporter Peter Warne (Clark Gable) and reluctantly helps him get his job back by selling her story. Gable won his only Oscar for his stellar performance this film. Written by Robert Riskin, It Happened One Night¸ is not rated and has a run time of 105 minutes.

Mr. Deeds Goes to Town (1936) After his uncle’s death, small-town idealist, Longfellow Deeds (Gary Cooper) travels to New York to collect his $20 million inheritance. While there, Deeds becomes everyone’s target, from the greedy opera committee to the daily newspaper. Deeds clashes with the cynical news editor, Mac Wade (George Bancroft), who does not fall for Deeds image of a simple, honest man. Deeds eventually finds romance with reporter Louise Bennett (Jean Arthur), who is assigned to interview Deeds and she is moved by his honesty and decency. Deeds later discovers that his newly found fortune has caused him nothing but headache and eventually he decides to give it all away. Written by Robert Riskin, Mr. Deeds Goes to Town, is not rated and has a run time of 115 minutes.

You Can’t Take it With You (1938) Martin Vanderhof (Lionel Barrymore), the unusual patriarch of a clan of frustrated artists, decides to retire from the rat-race and use his fortune to encourage friends and family to pursue all types of strange and interesting jobs. Vanderhof’s granddaughter, Alice (Jean Arthur), the only one in the family who has a normal job working as a receptionist in the offices of a shady businessman, falls in love with her boss’ son. However, she fears his father would never approve of the marriage to someone in the crazed Vanderhof family. So the family tries to act normal for one night to impress her potential in-laws, but it all goes awry. Written by Robert Riskin, You Can’t Take it With You, is not rated and has a run time of 126 minutes.

Mr. Smith Goes to Washington (1939) When state Senator Samuel Foley dies, Jefferson Smith (James Stewart), local hero and innocent, wide-eyed idealist, is elected interim Senator. While at Capitol Hill, Smith discovers nothing but deep-rooted corruption, and refusing to submit to the norm, he diligently takes the message of the American people to their out of touch representatives. Frank Capra shows American democratic ideals in peril, with only the naïve and the pure of spirit able to lead the nation back to its principles. Written by Sidney Buchman and Lewis Foster, Mr. Smith Goes to Washington is not rated and has a run time of 129 minutes.

DVD BONUS FEATURES INCLUDE

• Completely digitally remastered for the best possible quality picture and sound
• “Frank Capra Jr. remembers…” featurette for each film
• Commentaries for each film
• Bonus disc includes:
  • Featurettes:
    • Interviewees include: Frank Capra Jr., Ken Bowser: Frank Capra Documentarian, Richard Pena: Director, Film Society of Lincoln Center, Jeanine Bassinger: Curator: Frank Capra Archives, Wesleyan Cinema Archives
    • Frank Capra’s American Dream documentary hosted by Ron Howard