Studio: Tcfhe Release Date: 11/21/2006 Run time: 118 minutes Rating: Nr
O. Henry's Full House is a recently repolished cinema gem, a must for film fans and for those who love the short stories of O. Henry (born William Sidney Porter). This collection features five of O. Henry's tales made into short films, and released in theaters in 1952 as a collection--an experiment in adapting short stories as simple short films, not padded out to theatrical lengths. The collection features a stable of 20th Century Fox's top contract players, including Anne Baxter, Richard Widmark, Farley Granger, and a dewy-cheeked Marilyn Monroe, and five topnotch directors including Henry Hathaway and Howard Hawks. The five stories include O. Henry's signature tale of grace and selflessness, "The Gift of the Magi," as well as "The Cop and the Anthem" (in which a hobo literally can't get himself arrested); "The Clarion Call" (a noirish crime mystery with loads of side-of-the-mouth cracks, like calling a guy "You clamhead!"); "The Last Leaf" (with a radiant Baxter and Jean Peters); and "The Ransom of Red Chief," a kidnap cautionary tale. The twists that O. Henry's stories are famous for perhaps work better on the page than on film, and yet the acting and production values are so superb the tales are moving and their short lengths are just right.
The extras are another literary treasure trove. The stories are introduced and narrated by none other than a chain-smoking John Steinbeck, whose admiration for O. Henry permeates his speeches. Other features include a commentary by Dr. Jenny Lind Porter, a featurette on the life and writing of O. Henry (every bit as tragic as his most bittersweet fiction), galleries, stills, and two additional shorts from 1927, "Girls" and "Man About Town." --A.T. Hurley
Beyond O. Henry's Full House
The Best Short Stories of O. Henry
Short Stories
Fox "Film Noir" DVD Series
Stills from O. Henry's Full House (click for larger image)
Customer Reviews:
Avg. Customer Rating: 4.5 / 5.0
O Henry's Full House:
I love "O Henry's Full House". O Henry was a genius in his estimation of people and in his storytelling. I highly recommend this DVD. No one watching these short stories will be disappointed.
Excellent short stories for people of all ages!!:
These short movies came highly recommended to me, by a woman I met in a McDonald's a month ago. I immediately did an internet search looking for them and found them on Amazon. I watched them with my parents and we absolutely loved the moral in each story. They're simple, yet effective in getting the moral of the story across to the viewer. Great for all ages. They're in black and white, but goes well with the story,...I soon forgot about that since I was so focused on the moral. Suprised I didn't view these... more info
A pleasant alternative to the incessant showings of It's a Wonderful Life and all those moribund variations of A Christmas Carol:
`Tis the season to become tired of endless showings of It's a Wonderful Life. One antidote is to watch O. Henry's Full House. Twentieth Century Fox took five stories by O. Henry, gave each to a different director and screenwriter and assigned a number of Fox's top stars to the project. The result? A movie made up of five charming, sometimes sentimental tales stuffed with turn-of-the-century Americana and gentle irony. We learn about human nature, good intentions, humor in adversity, hope, a bit of despair,... more info
Surprise endings:
I waited a long time for this one to be released. O'Henry is one of my most favorite authors, up there with Mark Twain. This film appealed to me in my youth because it was narrated by another great author, John Steinbeck. This is the only honest treatment of O'Henry and his work, unless you know of another -- please clue me in. The Last Leaf and The Gift of the Magi are priceless stories, told so well in this film. Also, seeing a young and beautiful Marilyn Monroe does a body good. The quality of the DVD is... more info
The collection features a stable of 20th Century Fox's top contract players, including Anne Baxter, Richard Widmark, Farley Granger, and a dewy-cheeked Marilyn Monroe, and five topnotch directors including Henry Hathaway and Howard Hawks. The five stories include O. Henry's signature tale of grace and selflessness, "The Gift of the Magi," as well as "The Cop and the Anthem" (in which a hobo literally can't get himself arrested); "The Clarion Call" (a noirish crime mystery with loads of side-of-the-mouth cracks, like calling a guy "You clamhead!"); "The Last Leaf" (with a radiant Baxter and Jean Peters); and "The Ransom of Red Chief," a kidnap cautionary tale. The twists that O. Henry's stories are famous for perhaps work better on the page than on film, and yet the acting and production values are so superb the tales are moving and their short lengths are just right.
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