Aspect Ratio: 1.33:1
Audience Rating: Unrated
Binding: DVD
Brand: Koch International
EAN: 0025493515091
Format: Box set
Item Dimensions: Array
Label: Passport
Languages: Array
Manufacturer: Passport
MPN: PIPDV5150
Number Of Items: 5
Publisher: Passport
Region Code: 0
Release Date: 2007-02-13
Running Time: 675
Studio: Passport
Theatrical Release Date: 1917-04

Best remembered as Norma Desmond, the deranged former silent star of 1950’s Sunset Boulevard, Gloria Swanson was, indeed, one of "the greatest stars of them all" back in the days before the cinema had sound. These ten remarkable films showcase Gloria Swanson’s beauty and versatility decades before she was "ready for her closeup."

From her early days in funny but flimsy Mack Sennett two-reelers through her more substantial roles under the tutelage of Cecil B. DeMille and on into the sound era of romantic comedies, here is Gloria Swanson at the height of her powers and popularity, alongside such fellow legends as Wallace Beery, Lionel Barrymore, and even Charlie Chaplin. No fan of classic cinema should miss out!

Disc One

His New Job (1915) – This is actually a Charlie Chaplin short about life on a movie set, co-written by gossip queen Louella Parsons (!), costarring Chaplin’s rival Ben Turpin, and – as a stenographer – 18-year-old Gloria Swanson! A fascinating vintage curiosity. 32 mins.

The Danger Girl (1916) – Cross-dressing in 1916? You bet. Gloria stars as a lovesick girl who dresses up as a man in order to seduce a rival femme away from her beau (Bobby Vernon, her Mack Sennett costar). 20 mins.

Teddy at the Throttle (1917) – Classic comedy with Gloria as a naïve girl who winds up tied to the railroad tracks by the villainous Wallace Beery –her real-life husband at the time (and nearly as villainous). "Teddy" is Keystone Teddy, the Wonder Dog. 25 mins.

The Sultan’s Wife (1917) – Gloria and her boyfriend sail to India where an evil Rajah wants to make her part of his harem. Once again, Teddy the Wonder Dog saves the day! 20 mins.

Disc Two

Male and Female (1919) – Turning from comedy to a Cecil B. DeMille drama, Gloria is a spoiled rich girl who learns about the qualities that really matter when she’s shipwrecked with her resourceful butler (Thomas Meighan of The Miracle Man). 115 mins.

Hollywood Remembers Gloria Swanson – A fascinating look at the life and career of Gloria Swanson, from her early Mack Sennett days through Sunset Boulevard and beyond, featuring classic clips. 25 mins.

Disc Three

Don’t Change Your Husband (1919) – A DeMille comedy with Gloria as a frustrated housewife who divorces her slob of a husband (Elliott Dexter of Flaming Youth) and marries another (Lew Cody of Dishonored), only to find she’s gone from the frying pan into the fire. 60 mins.

Why Change Your Wife? (1920) – Another comedy from Cecil B. DeMille in which Gloria – in a variation of the previous film – is the wife who is divorced by her frustrated husband (Meighan again) after he meets the lovely Bebe Daniels (42nd Street). 91 mins.

Disc Four

The Affairs of Anatol (1921) – This time, both husband and wife are two-timing each other in this DeMille comedy that features the ill-fated Wallace Reid (who had little more than a year to live) and, once again, Bebe Daniels. 117 mins.

Disc Five

Sadie Thompson (incomplete) (1928) – Arguably Gloria’s finest performance of the silent era; Somerset Maugham’s classic tale of a loose woman (Swanson) who sails to Pago Pago to start a new life, only to fall under the influence of an unforgiving and overzealous preacher (Lionel Barrymore of It’s a Wonderful Life). Sadly, the final reel is currently lost to the ages. 82 mins.

Indiscreet (1931) – Leo McCarey (The Awful Truth, Going My Way) directed this witty romp, with Gloria as a young woman who is tempted to stray from the man she loves (Ben Lyon of Hell’s Angels)by an unsavory old flame. 81 mins.

Newsreel & Interviews – A fascinating assortment of Swanson rarities, including vintage newsreels and interviews. 8 mins?

Total: 675 mins. = 11-1/3 hrs.

Customer Rating:
Summary: wow,so clear you'd think it was created yesterday!
Comment: i initially overlooked this dvd because i had almost a dozen others i wanted to study that seemed much more entertaining. so today i happend to have a chance to really pay attn. to the wonderful dvd and am i glad i did! the crispness of the movie is simply astounding and male and female really captivated me. I RECOMEND THIS ONE HIGHLY! so nice to see how people looked and acted in a gentler time. horse and buggy looking autos and slave like servents. GRANTED IT ALL CAME CRASHING DOWN SOON ENOUGH. the depression, the horrid antisemitism, the awfulness of the times to come as well as the realities of the poor and the darker complected citizens, isn't even hinted at in these silent flicks.
i guess i'm lucky i cleaned my bedroom and dug this one out.
simply had to share my delight!
I AM ALSO GLAD THAT THIS WORLD HAS CHANGED-I WOULD'VE HATED THE AWFUL APARTIDE THIS COUNTRY HAD. so many people were very trapped and excluded by society back in the day.

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Customer Rating:
Summary: Pretty decent budget boxed set
Comment: Containing 10 films, 6 of them features, this set could be a nice way for someone on a shoestring budget to start adding some Gloria Swanson films to one's library. The shorts, 'His New Job' (1915, and really a Chaplin film), 'The Danger Girl' (1916), 'Teddy at the Throttle' (1917), and 'The Sultan's Wife' (1917), are a rather interesting change of pace for the average viewer who is probably only familiar with her work in later features. Gloria actually got started acting in Keystone comedies, and displays great comedic timing and ability in these shorts. They also show her paired with Bobby Vernon, an actor who now seems to be largely forgotten, and with her then-husband Wallace Beery in 'Teddy at the Throttle.' These shorts show that she wasn't just adept in dramatic acting. The depiction of India and Indians in 'The Sultan's Wife' is highly inaccurate, but one shouldn't expect too much in the way of cultural sensitivity and awareness in anything from 1917.

Four of the features are ones she made with Cecil B. DeMille, 'Male and Female' (1919), 'Don't Change Your Husband' (1919), 'Why Change Your Wife?' (1920), and 'The Affairs of Anatol' (1921). A lot of people think of DeMille as a director of over the top Biblical stories, decadent indulgent extravagant films, and preachy morality plays, but he actually did more films like these, light-hearted morality plays and comedies about romance and domestic life. While there are some of his trademark touches of decadence and over the top scenes, such as the Babylonian dream scenes in 'Male and Female,' overall they're enjoyable, believable, and down to earth. Gloria had some great co-stars in these films too, such as Wallace Reid, Thomas Meighan, Bebe Daniels, and Theodore Roberts. 'Sadie Thompson' (1928), believed by many to be one of her greatest silent roles, is another highlight of this set, though sadly the final reel is lost, making the remainder of the story be told through stills and explanatory intertitles, and just when the dramatic intensity was at its height and leading up to what was a really riveting final reel, too. 'Indiscreet' (1931) is a typical early talkie, with very still cameras, not a lot of action shots, and below-par audio quality. It's an interesting way to kill time, but not really that memorable or great. It's also not a good sign when the villain is a lot more interesting and believable than the supposed good guy. Still, Gloria does a great job with the mediocre material, and does it all--singing, comedy, emoting, and dramatic moments. Included as bonus features are a short documentary, a 'Hollywood Biography' episode, interviews, and a newsreel consisting of clips of her films and non-acting footage.

In spite of the good points, though, this is a budget set, and when it comes to technology, one generally gets what one pays for. After viewing the entire set, one can probably guess why so many great films were issued for such an unbelievably generous price. Most of them have already been issued on DVD, only the versions here do not have the same nice prints or custom-made soundtracks. For example, this version of 'The Affairs of Anatol' doesn't have the beautiful scenes near the end that are in early Technicolor on the official DVD. Finding out about how Passport Video has a history of pirating the hard work of other people makes one wonder if perhaps these too weren't taken without permission. There's also a bug on the lower right-hand corner of the screen, and while it can be tuned out periodically because it's a rather transparent white against black and white images, it's still annoying and distracting, and has no reason to be there. One expects that when watching something taped off of the tv, not on a supposedly professional DVD! Still, this is a really good price for someone who might not be able to afford all of the individual higher-quality DVDs that have these films, and it's not like one should expect a really high standard from such a budget boxed set.

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Customer Rating:
Summary: GLORIOUS GLORIA IN ALL HER GLORY
Comment: Who could ask for more than FIVE discs of GLORIA SWANSON...PLUS a documentary on her life. I have hundreds of pieces of Swanson Memorabilia and I am delighted to have been able to buy this set for the price of a cup of coffee at Starbucks. Thank you always Gloria for creating the role of Norma Desmond......All my love always......Dennis
dennisthemenace48 on Ebay

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Customer Rating:
Summary: WARNING: Bugs/Logos on the screen!!!
Comment: Absolutely unforgiveable! Never never put logos/bugs in the corner of the screen on DVD releases. If I am going to invest money on buying a DVD, I do not wish for it to look like I am watching the program on television. Obviously Passport has a problem with people possibly copying the discs, but trying to prevent piracy this way is bad for business. Do not patronize this company or their inferior discs. One star because the "bugs" blew it for me!

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