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Reviews

"Bullets or Ballots" (1936) features Edward G. Robinson in one of his best tough-guy roles as an undercover cop who infiltrates the New York rackets. This solid Warner crime drama also serves as a good vehicle for Humphrey Bogart as the untrusting, trigger-happy gangster. Not much action, per se, but director William Keighley keeps the pot boiling - climaxed by a memorable confrontation between Eddie G. and Bogey. The DVD includes a "Breakdowns of 1936" blooper reel with outtakes from "Bullets or Ballots" (watch for the brief moment in which Robinson needs technical support to handle a gun).

Following his brutal portrayal in "The Petrified Forest," Bogart became a much more articulate and calculating killer in "Bullets or Ballots," a gangster thriller starring Edward G. Robinson as a crusading crime-buster, modeled after true-life cop Johnny Broderick, known as "the toughest cop on Broadway," who pretended to be thrown off the police force in order to infiltrate Bogart's gang and get the evidence to bring him to justice... Bogart revealed no emotion whatever as he goes about his gun-happy chores of shooting a respected newspaperman as well as his partner-in-crime, Barton MacLane, in his characteristic double-cross... The exciting finale found both Bogart and Robinson in a blazing showdown, an unusual ending for this period in film history, but one which Robinson had fought hard to retain... William Keighley directed the film with a firm and fresh efficiency...

With the implementation of the Hays Code in 1934, Warner Brothers explored new ways of retaining the excitement of the pre code films while honouring the principle of not making the gangsters into heroes. The solution was to make their great stars switch sides so in this one, Edward G. Robinson is an ex-cop who infiltrates the mobs. The head of the racketeers is Barton MacLane who lacked Robinsons's star power and accordingly, the heavy is much less attractive. The plot is more complex than most of these films with the introduction of the bankers and politicians who actually head the syndicates. Whether Robinson has turned crooked or not provides most of the suspense and he cleverly walks a fine line between good and evil. His character is a loner and the film is dominated by the relationships between the men. It is also not as fast moving as others films in the genre where actions speak louder than words. Joan Blondell has a small part as a smart business woman who runs the "numbers game" and invests it with more depth than she was often given the opportunity to do. Her two encounters with Humphrey Bogart, typecast as a violent but very suave racketeer, are memorable. Her sidekick is Louise Beavers who transcends black stereotypes and plays a woman of resource and intelligence. The presence of Blondell implies a romance but Robinson's loner avoids a relationship with her in a couple of touching scenes. The DVD is chock full of worthwhile extras including an interesting documentary on the immigrant in the gangster film, an amusing short film on golf with Joe E Brown, Douglas Fairbanks Junior and Edward G Robinson himself, a Vitaphone cartoon with the signature detailed drawings and rollicking music, a musical short and a very funny newsreel item. There is also one of those blooper shorts from the Warner Brothers Films of 1936. If you know your Warner's films, these are always good fun to see. The commentary attached to the film itself is analytical to the point of boredom - a bit like a university thesis on the film's plot and script. The commentator misses the opportunity to say much about the players and the sheer entertainment value of the Warners product. Incidentally, the print of the film itself is outstanding, particularly preserving the superb lighting. The DVD is excellent value particularly if it is purchased as part of the Warner's Tough Guys Collection.

Bullets or Ballots is a good gangster film set in the later 1930s which helps to explain their existence after Prohibition. Edward G. Robinson plays Johnny, a veteran of the police force whose unpopular methods leave him with nowhere to turn but to the gangsters who want him on their side. Humphrey Bogart plays a gangster who feels his position is being threatened and who serves to make trouble throughout the film. Joan Blondell plays Leigh, a pretty girl who is close friends with Johnny. Robinson plays his decent character very well, but not particularly notably. Bogart's character is childish and headstrong and he plays the part well, a variation on his many gangster parts. Blondell is less pretty here than in her pre-code films and she dons many low cut dresses perhaps to compensate. One of the most notable parts of this film is the incredibly sexy kiss between Bogart and Blondell.

Edward G. Robinson stars as a cop dedicated to getting rid of gangsters running rackets. When he is fired, he winds up taking a job with crime boss Barton MacLane, against the wishes of MacLane's number one man, Humphrey Bogart. MacLane wants Robinson to make his organization foolproof against the police. When they start having more interference from the police, people in the organization start questioning Robinson's trustworthiness, especially trigger-happy Bogart. This is a tough film, trying to address the problem of gangsters after Prohibition ended. Robinson, MacLane, and Joan Blondell as Robinson's disappointed girlfriend all turn in terrific performances, while Bogart contributes yet another of his bad guy jobs that he did so often until he became a star. I liked the perspective in this gangster film, which focused more on what the law was doing to end the problem, rather than simply giving us the story from only the gangsters' point of view. It's one of Warner Brother's least well known crime films, but it definitely deserves a look.

Reviews

This is a good quality video of Bobby Jones' golf swing and approach to the game. Especially important is the Sybervision aspect toward the end were the viewer can see his fluid swing in action so it becomes ingrained in your mind and hence your own swing. It captures the fluidity and smoothness that is essential for any great golfing swing. After watching the video I applied it to my game and within 3 outing at the range and course I was hitting the ball absolutely beautiful- 3 woods off the deck with a boring trajectory. In other words I was hitting the ball like Bobby Jones!! No I'm not kidding; I just shot 3 under at a very challenging executive course for 9 holes!! I must add thought that my golf "game" was already substancial with a 8.2 handicap and I have 23 years playing "experience", so for newcomers it may take more time and dedication before your Jones like swing starts to blossom. Purchase this video and enjoy!! Bobby Jones was the man!!

Ok so this video contains footage from the 1930's. But guess what, Bobby Jones's fundamental golf swing is no different from those of the 2002 golf teachers. This video breaks down Jones's graceful swing in slow motion. The video wants to make the viewer emulate Jones swing, and it should. And on top of all that the video displays Jones's graceful demeanor. Play it and enjoy.

Reviews

The black and white movies are still the best and the Gangsters Collection 2 brings it back in the second volume To see some of the best actors in their best roles is great. James Cagney, Humphrey Bogart, and Edward G. Robinson. The collection shows how in the 30's the gangsters not only as criminals but also humans with human feelings. Some of these movies I never seen before and was surprised by their quality. The Gangster Collection is a must for anyone who likes the silver screen classics!!!

This was simply a great purchase, The family and I are fans of the old Gangster movies.

This is an excellent choice for those of us age 50 and over. We grew up with black & white film and the actors truly were great, making their characters plausible. Great story lines in each film. I love 'em all... Cagney, Edward G. and Bogey WOW!!!

This second in the series of Warner Brothers "Gangsters Collection",is a much weaker offering of films than the first one;one is only slightly connected to anything to do with gangsters and another is not an original print but a later re-release copy.Let's look at the roster. "City for Conquest",released Sept/41,is the best of the bunch and rates four stars.The movie starts by showing us the three main protaganists as children(a common tool);Danny(later Cagney)who's good in a fight and protective of dance-loving Peggy(later Sheridan)and Danny's brother Eddie(later Arthur Kennedy)whose passion is music.We switch to them a few years into the future and Danny is a happy go lucky guy who could go far as a boxer if he had the ambition to do so but is quite content to be a regular guy and marry Peggy.Peggy on the other hand longs to be a dancer quite badly,while Danny's brother Eddie has the talent to be a compser/musician but can't get a break.Peggy gets her break at dancing but gets involved with a self centered no-good partner Murray(Anthony Quinn).Thinking that he should follow Peggy's example Danny agrees to box full time.In the end both Peggy and Danny's ambitions are for naught but find out contentment was always with just each other.Eddie gets the break he's always dreamed of and thanks his brother publicly when it finally comes. Cagney's character here is instantly likable and there is a real chemistry between the three main characters.The only fly in the ointment is the periodic appearance of an "oldtimer"(Frank Craven).He's supposed to be a kind of narrator/everyman but he is more intrusive than anything and detracts from the overall flow.The only "gangster" tie-in here is an old friend who comes into Danny's life(Googi,played by Elia Kazan)who was poor at the start but is now well heeled and who eventually gets killed.A gangster movie per se'? No. "A Slight Case of Murder",released in Feb/38(2 1/2 stars)is a disapppointing screw ball comedy that I thought should have been better than it was.It concerns the story of one Remy Marco(Edward G Robinson)who ran a beer "consortium" during prohibition but now goes legit since the Volstead Act was repealed.He has a real gang of misfits helping him run his beer empire which instead of going great guns is slowly bankrupting him.Bankers are hounding his every footstep and are on the verge of foreclosing on his debts when a windfall of money turns up at his Sarasota Springs home. Five local bandits have stolen the takings for all the local bookies and hidden in his house before his arrival.When Remy arrives with his family there is only one greedy bandit alive who tries to get out with the dough but can't.In the end the money is used to pay off his debts. The movie tries to be funny but falls flat more often than not.A moment where Remy and his guys are standing around discussing on who's properties they should each place a body doesn't pack the comedic punch it should.Furthermore,the fact that Remy's business is not doing well is because the beer stinks but not one of his men tell him until he finds out himself late in the film;a very unlikely premise and major flaw.However,one scene with an adopted young teen,Douglas(Bobby Jordan of the Dead End Kids),is beautiful.Remy's wife asks why the "prize(Douglas)hasn't gone to b-e-d?".Douglas replies"cause I want more to e-a-t,ya c-o-w!". "Bullets or Ballots",released June/36(3 1/2-4 stars),stars Edward G. as Johnny Blake,a tough street smart cop.Johnny's career is sailing along until one day he gets fired by the chief of police,after a departmental shake up.Johnny takes an offer of employment from mob boss Kruger(Barton Maclaine)who enlists him to check out all his operations.Bugs Fenner(Bogart),one of Krugers head men,doesn't like or trust Blake,and with good reason.Unbeknownst to the gang,Blake was fired as a ruse,to infiltrate the gang and break it up.In the end,and with alot of gun shots and blood,Johnny accomplishes the impossible...with his life. The story is an involving one with Bogie as a mean-as-nails hood and Robinson doing a fine job as a tough cop. "Each Dawn I Die",released July/39(3 1/2 -4 stars),stars Cagney as Frank Ross,a crusading newpaperman.Ross is incarcerated in the pen for murdering three people in a car accident while drunk;a total frame up by the local mob boss.Inside he meets a tough mobster by the name of Stacey(Raft).Ross saves Rafts' hide and even goes so far as to do months in the hole on a ruse so Stacy can escape and find out who,and get proof of,Ross's innocence.During the fiery conclusion a confession is made by a fellow inmate(thanks to Stacy)and Ross gets his freedom. Cagney turns in another powerful performance with a great range of emotions,especially during his incarceration.He is well supported by Raft,Jane Bryan,George Bancroft,Maxie Rosenbloom,and many others. "San Quentin",released Aug/37(2 1/2-3 stars),concerns the story of one Steve Jamieson(Pat O'Brien)who gets the job of head yard officer within San Quentin pen.Steve is former Army,and is hired to enact much needed discipline amongst the inmates.He falls for a local singer May(Ann Sheridan),whose brother Joe(Bogie)gets shipped off to San Quentin where he meets up with Steve;and it's not love at first or second sight.Slowly Steve's actions amongst the men,especially Joe,earn him respect.But Joe gets his head turned back and breaks out with a couple of other cons.Steve heads to Mays apartment and is shot by Joe,who is in turn shot fatally by the cops waiting outside.Joe gets away to die on the steps of San Quentin telling the attending guards Steve was right all along. "San Quentin" is a good effort that could have been better.Bogie steals the show here while O'Brien almost sleep walks through and even Sheridan can't wake him up. "G-Men",originally released in May/35,is the 1949 re-release version here(a cheat by Warners-3 stars).The film opens up with a /49 FBI man talking to subbordinates in a room with a projector and screen about the film that first mentioned the term "G-man".We see the projector screen light up with the Warners logo and the picture zooms in to commence the movie.The story concerns one Brick Davis(Cagney)who plays a lawyer whose fortunes aren't all that well.When a friend gets bumped off by the local mob he joins the government investigation agency(the future FBI).He vows to get revenge on them;a group run by the boss Collins(Barton MacLaine).Brick falls for his group boss Jeffs'(Robert"King Kong" Armstrong") sister Kay(Margaret Lindsay),much to Jeff's chagrin.They begin at odds but Brick and Jeff become close friends in the end.Collins ends up kidnapping Kay and it is Brick and company to the rescue. A pretty good early Cagney effort with a good supporting cast.Watch for Lloyd Nolan in his first role.Would have rated it higher if this had been an original print. Technically these films do show their ages but generally speaking they are crisp transfers and the contrast is very good.What gets this solid four star rating are the extras.You will find many delightful surprises here with many period shorts,an early Vitaphone short with Bob Hope,vintage cartoons,vintage newsreel clips,multi Warner stars in blooper(or "breakdowns")reels for almost every year from /35-/40,multiple featurettes,commentaries and theatrical trailers. In conclusion though the films here are not on a par with their predecessors in Volume#1,there are still alot of things to delight and discover not only in the films but more so in the extras.I wouldn't rate "City for Conquest" as a gangster film(but it's the best of the bunch!) and "G-Men" was a re-release print.But I still recommend it for all film buffs.

Who would mind three great actors and the best to play ganster characters ever: Jimmy Cagney, Bogie and Edward G. Robinson. Each of these movies are gems for their kind taking us back to Prohibition Era, produced during the 30's and the beginning of the 40's. If you are a Cagney fan then you should try this, for the sake of adding value to your Jimmy collection. Remember that if you buy each of these movies separately the cost will be considerably consistent and you might try this collection as it offers the same movies and special features.

Reviews

Love the DVD format -- had the Bobby Jones series on vhs for years. Great for rainy day, off season viewing.

I had watched the series on TV many years past and thought it helped me, as a new golfer at the time. Now that I've improved over the years the lessons mean even more and the imitation of Jones' swing added 15 yards to my drives. It would be nice to compile the "real" golf lessons without having to watch the miscellaneous stuff going on...interesting once or twice but real help is in watching Jones swing. TD

EVEN THOUGH ALL THE MATERIAL IS DATED IT WAS A LOT OF FUN TO WATCH.WELL MADE WITH GREAT ACTORS AND OF COURSE BOBBY HIMSELF

Reviews

An excellent, easy to follow book about the fundamentals of the golf swing. Haney takes you step by step from the grip and alignment to the backswing and follow through. He explains things without using a lot of technical jargon although I'm still not sure what he means by "milking the club". Plenty of pictures to accompany the text helps make things clearer. Haney does a good job of explaining the "why" as well as the "how" when he discusses grip, alignment, posture etc which helps to make things stick. I'm still working on the grip he recommended as well as making my swing plane more shallow.

Still trying to find what plan Hank Haney was referring to. I had also purchased the DVD. Sold both items on eBay. I'll stick with David Leadbetter.

this didn't really seem all that useful if you've been playing and paying attention. was surprised.

Thank You Hank, With all the instruction info out there, this is a Great Book to get you back to understanding how the golf game and the golf swing is supposed to happen. Clarity is a beautiful thing. A matter of fact approach (which I love). Great stuff keep up the good work.

This is a great book i read it 3 times already and has improved my golf where i'm always in the 70's now.

Reviews

I enjoyed listening to Tiger Woods` "How I Play Golf". My husband is the golfer in the family and I got this book for him. I started listening to it and was so wrapped up in the book that I finished it before he began it. Tiger is an exceptional player. In this book, he explains many different aspects of how he plays the game. His father taught him to play when he was a young boy. He learned to play in the dark which helped him win one amazing tournament. The book covers a lot of information such as: how to have a great backswing, common mistakes and how to avoid them, controlling the spin of your ball and direction, and how to practice your shots and have fun doing it. There are plenty of photos that support Tiger's text. Golfers will enjoy this book. Whether you want to improve your swing, learn to choose the right club, perfect your grip, and improve your stance, you will find this book a valuable resource. Learn from the best, Tiger Woods. Highly recommended for all golfers.

This book is a must for any golfer wishing to improve his/her game. It is clearly written with great sequential pictures and illustrations. It explains many of the fundamentals in an easy to understand manner. Based on the information in the book, I changed my grip and technique for putting and I am much more consistent. I also changed my grip and swing technique for my drives with much better results. With some practice over the past month using the techniques from this book, I've moved from a 90's to 80's golfer. It is the best golf book I've ever read.

Really good car "read." It's funny because the narrator sort of sounds like Tiger too... Really good visualization tool, and the PDF's are pretty helpful in concert with the audio. Couldn't help but laugh, though, when Tiger states, "I like to have fun" when talking about celebrating after a win.

I've only read a couple of chapters but from that sample the book is very good. The book is an easy read- informative without being technical and the right amount of anecdote is mixed in. The only negative I can find so far is the actual writing style. After hearing him talk & realizing his age at the time of publication the words don't seem to be his voice. It seems that editors style is most prevalent. It's not a problem once you get used to it though it was a disappointment at first.

TIGER WOODS: How I Play Golf with the Editors of Golf Digest (Warner Books) © Marc Wickert December 27, 2009 www.knucklepit.com The beauty of this modern age for anybody into anything is that there are instructional books and DVDs by the best practitioners in the world in every field imaginable - golf, mixed martial arts, tennis... even books on how to grow handlebar mustaches. The thing is, no matter where you live on the planet, you can hop online and order a book or DVD, then start receiving tuition from the greatest exponent in any chosen sport or interest. TIGER WOODS: How I Play Golf is a perfect example, where you can have the world No.1 for your mentor. As the cover states: "There is simply no athlete quite like Tiger Woods. His domination of golf is unparalleled." CONTENTS: Preface - How to Start (Yearning to Learn) Chapter One - How to Putt (Rolling the Rock) Chapter Two - How to Get It Down (Turning Three into Two) Chapter Three -How to Escape from Sand (Making the Hard Easy) Chapter Four - How to Swing (Building an Action to Last) Chapter Five - How to Flag Your Irons (Knocking Down the Pin) Chapter Six - How to Nail Fairway Woods (Playing the Versatile Clubs) Chapter Seven - How to Smoke the Driver (Going with All You've Got) Chapter Eight - How to Handle Problems (When it Starts Getting Ugly) Chapter Nine - How to Stay in Control (Managing Your Game) Chapter Ten - How to Master the Mind (Winning Psychology) Chapter Eleven - How to Get Strong (Surviving as the Fittest) Chapter Twelve - How to Play (Enjoying the Journey) All instructions from Tiger are clearly worded and accompanied by excellent photos to make your lessons with him easy to follow and put into practice. As with the best of the best in all sports - Fedor Emelianenko in MMA, Roger Federer in tennis, or Tiger Woods in golf - there is more to the player's winning ways than meets the eye. All elite champions have great mental powers. And as mentioned above, TIGER WOODS: How I Play Golf also contains the chapter, How to Master the Mind, which covers some very interesting aspects of Tiger's mental approach to the game. This is an outstanding publication for any professional or would-be golfer.