Burt Lancaster was, throughout the forties, fifties and sixties, one of Hollywood's most popular leading men. He had the good looks and natural screen presence to land big roles in more than a few notable films of his time, and he had the acting ability to back it all up and in 1960 was given an Academy Award for Best Actor for his work in Elmer Gantry. Warner Brothers, as part of their Signature Collection line of boxed set releases,

Executive Action (1973):

This 1973 political thriller directed by David Miller is basically a dramatic supposed recreation of the events that took place in Dallas, Texas on November 22, 1963. The basic premise is that three key wealthy and powerful men - James Farrington (Burt Lancaster), Foster (Robert Ryan), and Ferguson (Will Geer) - come to the conclusion after much debate that President Kennedy needs to be assassinated. They set into place a vast conspiracy using intelligence operatives and through some clever planning and completely diabolical actions they make it happen. Of course, Lee Harvey Oswald (James MacColl) and Jack Ruby (Oscar Oncidi) play key rolls in the set up and execution but the focus is on the conspiracy that placed them in those roles.

While not a masterpiece, Executive Action does manage to come up with some truly tense moments, particularly the assassination scene itself. Written by Dalton Trumbo and based on the novel Rush To Judgment by Mark Lane and Donald Freed, it proves to be an intelligent and well made thriller that, these days at least, seems to stand in the shadow of Oliver Stone's better known and more controversial JFK. It's interesting, however, to see the approach that this film takes. The very motivation for the assassination (stopping not just JFK but the entire Kennedy family from carrying out their agenda) does make you stop and think even if it obviously in no way whatsoever justifies what happened.

The use and integration of actual newsreel footage gives the film a documentary like feel that proves to be quite effective. Kennedy is shown going about his presidential business - dealing with the Soviets and with Vietnam. The theory here is that there were actually three gunmen used in the assassination and that Oswald was simply a patsy, put in place to take the fall and divert attention. The ending wraps this whole mystery in a riddle, it's very enigmatic and it allows plenty of room for conspiracy theorists to further ponder the events that take place.

The film is very well acted with Lancaster, Ryan and Geer proving to be the strongest players in the picture. All three are very subtlety sinister, their motives completely selfish, and their performances intentionally low key and quite cold. James MacColl, however, deserves some credit for his portrayal of Lee Harvey Oswald. He's got the mannerisms and physical presence down pat in this picture. The end result is a well-made and surprisingly underrated look at one of the most pivotal and completely depressing days in American history. The film has its share of flaws in terms of motivation, character development and justification and it probably carried a much stronger punch in 1973 than it does in 2007 but that doesn't make it any less interesting, particularly for those who enjoy political thrillers and conspiracy films.

The Flame And The Arrow (1950):

Made a couple of years before the better known The Crimson Pirate, Jacques Tourneur's The Flame And The Arrow owes an obvious debt of inspiration to Errol Flynn's Robin Hood. Set in Medieval Italy, here Lancaster plays Dardo Bartoli, nicknamed Dardo The Arrow, a charming rogue who winds up leading a revolt on behalf of the local peasant population. It seems they've finally had enough of living as second-class citizens and Dardo is the man to help them bring down the aristocrats. Along the way, he charms a wealthy woman named Anne de Hesse (Virginia Mayo) and eventually winds up showing down with the aristocrat's heavyweight, Marchese Alessandro de Granazia (Robert Douglas).

While the action scenes are a lot of fun and they provide ample opportunity for the very spry Lancaster to show off his fairly remarkable skills as an acrobat, the story borrows too heavily from The Adventures Of Robin Hood to really stand out. That's not to say the film is bad - it's actually quite good, but there's really no disputing the fact that it is quite derivative of the better known 1938 Flynn vehicle.

What makes the picture interesting is the direction from Jacques Tourneur. Best known for directing darker pictures like Out Of The Past, Cat People, I Walked With A Zombie and Night Of The Demon here we see a different sort of picture from the acclaimed and influential director. Considerably more playful than most of Tourneur's better known pictures, we can see here how the seeds were sown for some of his later, more adventure oriented films like The Giant Of Marathon and War Gods Of The Deep.

Even if the story isn't' going to 'wow' you, however, Lancaster just might. He proves himself a natural for this type of role and his interaction with his partner, Piccolo (Nick Cravet - who actually used to work with Lancaster during his circus days), provides some genuinely enjoyable comic relief. The film works well as light entertainment. The fight scenes are exciting, full of fun jumps and leaps and seeing Tourneur's work in color ensures that the film is always easy on the eyes and pretty to look at. Cinematographer Ernest Haller - best known for Gone With The Wind - earned an Oscar nomination for his work on this film, as did composer Max Steiner, though neither nominee took home a trophy for the picture.

Jim Thorpe - All American (1951):

This biographical picture finds Lancaster in the lead role, playing Jim Thorpe, best known for his accomplishments in sports. Thorpe was a Native American who grew up poor and made a name for himself as an athlete. He was a huge name in football and he did exceptionally well in the Olympics but who didn't find quite the same success playing baseball. Eventually Thorpe has his gold medal rescinded and he starts drinking far too much for his own good, eventually losing everything that mattered to him.

Lancaster is very good in the lead of this tragic fall from grace story and the story, surprisingly enough, doesn't shy away from the seedier side of Thorpe's life. The alcoholism and ensuing tragedy isn't glossed over in favor of a more positive portrayal, instead it seems to stick fairly close to the actual events. Much of the reason for this is likely that Thorpe himself worked as an advisor on the picture but some credit has to go to Lancaster, whose star power likely helped get the picture financed in the first place and director Michael Curtiz who helmed the picture.

Supporting performances from Phyllis Thaxter as Thorpe's girlfriend, Margaret Miller and from Charles Bickford as Thorpe's coach, Pop Warner, round out the primary cast nicely but this really is Lancaster's show from start to finish. The ad copy for the film states quite rightly that 'Burt Lancaster brings dignity, determination and his trademark physicality to this exciting film' and that sums it up well. Lancaster plays the part proudly and with what we can only assume was a sense of pride. He doesn't show Thorpe to be infallible; instead his portrayal is completely human and very believable. While the dramatic aspects of the picture are front and center, there are also a few genuinely exciting scenes of sports action contained in the film.

Oscar winning director Michael Curtiz (the man who directed Casablanca) does) brings his experience directing dramatic films like the Bogart picture and action films like Captain Blood to the table and blends the two genres nicely here. The film is well paced and quite uplifting and inspirational without ever feeling sappy or forced.

His Majesty O'Keefe (1954):

Lancaster, once again in the lead, plays Captain David O'Keefe, a sea captain enjoying his days in the South Pacific in the late 1800s. The demand for coconut oil is rising and he's doing well for himself trading the dried fruit of the coconut from which the oil is derived. On one expedition his crew decide they've had enough, however. They're tired and exhausted and so they rise up in mutiny against him. He winds up on the small island of Yap where the coconut trees grow like crazy. A German industrialist named Alfred Tetins (Andre Morell) has been living on the island for years but has been unable to inspire the native workers to help him harvest it and cash in, instead the natives seem obsessed with some stones that can only be found by way of a perilous journey to a nearby island.

O'Keefe eventually travels to Hong Kong and back and takes on a new first mate in the form of Mr. Chou (Benson Fong) and on the way back, the wind up on the island where the natives of Yap go to get the stones they so cherish. While there, O'Keefe meets Dali (Joan Rice), the daughter of an Englishman living on the island. O'Keefe uses gunpowder to help mine the stones, which causes an opposing tribe to become upset and conflict ensues with O'Keefe caught in the middle of the whole crazy mess.

A fairly average film, His Majesty O'Keefe does let Lancaster play an enjoyable tough and grizzled character which is a fun change from his more dashing and or dramatic performances. His O'Keefe is a little surly but we know as soon as he meets Dali she's going to fall for him. He's convincing enough in the 'tough guy' scenes that he's able to carry the film easily enough.

The color cinematography nicely captures the Fiji island locations where the bulk of the film was shot and there are plenty of colorful backdrops for which the drama and action to play in front of. While the portrayal of the native people in the film wouldn't necessarily fly today, it is a product of its time. Oscar nominated effects technician Byron Haskin does a fine job directing the picture. It moves at a good pace and the plot is strong even if we can figure out fairly early on where it's all heading. Supporting performances from the rest of the cast feel right, though as with The Flame And The Arrow this really is Lancaster's show and he dominates the screen and single-handedly carries the picture.

South Sea Woman (1953):

An enjoyable blend of action, comedy and romance, South Sea Woman finds Burt Lancaster playing a tough Marine named Sergeant James O'Hearn serving in the South Seas of the Pacific Ocean during the early part of the Second World War. When we meet him, he's being been given a court martial. During his trial, witnesses are called to the stand and through their testimony, which leads to flashbacks, we learn how O'Hearn wound up here in the first place.

We learn how a showgirl named Ginger Martin (Virginia Mayo) who was originally supposed to marry Private Davey White (Chuck Connors) wound up having her wedding cancelled when O'Hearn decided to take matters into his own hands. This leads to a bar fight between White and O'Hearn which causes them to miss their ship. Now AWOL, the two men get into trouble and eventually wind up stranded on a remote desert island, with Ginger along for the ride. The French sympathizer who runs the island, Pierre Marchand (Leon Askin) treats the three well but soon O'Hearn finds out an undercover Nazi named Captain van Dorck (Rudolph Anders) has been putting radar equipment up in the area and sets into motion a plan to stop von Dorck's mission.

An enjoyable film from start to finish, South Sea Woman does a good job of letting the natural on screen chemistry between Lancaster and Mayo carry much of the film. Chuck Connors is great in his supporting role, and the three main actors do work quite well together in this movie with the love triangle providing ample opportunity for plot twists and comedy. Lancaster is his usual dashing and charismatic self in the film and the more adventurous aspects of the film allow him to shine in the action scenes that occur throughout the picture.

Directed by Arthur Lubin (who directed they 1943 version of Phantom Of The Opera for Universal), the picture moves at a very quick pace but never feels shallow. It is, quite simply, a fun and well-made adventure film in the grand Hollywood tradition. The black and white photography nicely captures the locations and sets and the cinematography from three time Oscar nominee Ted D. McCord is quite striking.

Video:

All five films in the set are presented in their original aspect ratios (they're all fullframe except for Executive Action which is anamorphic widescreen). In terms of quality, there's little to complain about here and Warner Brothers has done a very respectable job with the material here. Jim Thorpe and South Sea Woman are black and white, the other three are in color and across the board, things look quite good. There are no problems at all with compression artifacts and print damage is pretty minor when it does occur (thankfully, it isn't that often). Contrast levels are dead on and color reproduction looks natural and realistic. Some minor aliasing occurs here and there but that's really all that there is to complain about.