Warner Bros. Pictures - Tough Guys Collection

 

Titles

 

 

Synopses:


Bullets or Ballots
After Police Captain Dan McLaren becomes police commissioner former detective Johnny Blake knocks him down convincing rackets boss Al Kruger that Blake is sincere in his effort to join the mob. "Buggs" Fenner thinks Blake is a police agent.

City for Conquest
Cagney is Danny Kenny, a truck driver who enters "the fight game" and Sheridan his former girlfriend, Peggy. Danny realizes success in the ring and uses his income to pay for his bother Eddie's music education. Danny is blinded by acid on the boxing gloves of his opponent during a fight. When Danny attempts to get even with the gangster who was responsible for for his blindness he is wounded. His former manager finances a newsstand for the now blind and handicapped Danny. The movie ends some time later when Eddie becomes a successful composer and dedicates a symphony at Carnegie hall to his brother who listens to the concert on the radio from his newsstand. Peggy, in the audience at Carnegie, rushes to Danny at his newsstand where they reunite. The movie is based on a novel of the same name.

Each Dawn I Die
Although innocent, reporter Frank Ross is found guilty of murder and is sent to jail. While his friends at the newspaper try to find out who framed him, Frank gets hardened by prison life and his optimism turns into bitterness. He meets fellow-inmate Stacey and they decide to help each other.

'G' Men
It's the early days of the F.B.I. - federal agents working for the Department of Justice. Though they've got limited powers - they don't carry weapons and have to get local police approval for arrests - that doesn't stop fresh Law School grad Eddie Buchanan from joining up, and he encourages his former roommate James "Brick" Davis (James Cagney) to do so as well. But Davis wants to be an honest lawyer, not a shyster, despite his ties to mobster boss McKay, and he's intent on doing so, until Buchanan is gunned down trying to arrest career criminal Danny Leggett. Davis soon joins the "G-Men" as they hunt down Leggett (soon-to-be Public Enemy Number One) and his cronies Collins and Durfee, who are engaged in a crime and murder spree from New York to the midwest.

San Quentin
Ex-Army officer Jameson takes a job a prison guard at San Quentin. Joe, the brother of his new girlfriend May, is sentenced to the prison for robbery. When Jameson tries to separate lawbreakers from hardened criminals, badguy Hansen tries to stir up trouble by telling Joe about Jameson's interest in his sister.

A Slight Case of Murder
Remy Marco announces he's going legit with the end of Prohibition. His fortune declines because the beer he makes tastes terrible. His daughter falls in love with a rich man's son who gets a job as a cop.
 

Posters

Theatrical Releases: Various from 1935 - 1940

  DVD Reviews

DVD Review: Warner - Region 1,2,3,4 - NTSC

DVD Box Cover

CLICK to order from:

NOTE: Warner Gangsters Collection, Vol. 2 appears to be exactly the same content as Warner Bros. Pictures - Tough Guys Collection released June 6th, 2006 (and reviewed HERE)

 

Distribution Warner Home Video - Region 1, 2, 3, 4 - NTSC
Audio English (original mono)
Subtitles English, French, Spanish, None NOTE: 'Each Dawn I Die' has no English subs option
Features

Release Information:
Studio: Warner Home Video

Aspect Ratio:
All Original Aspect Ratios - 1.33

Edition Details:

  • Bullets or Ballots (1936)
  • Warner Night at the Movies 1936 short subjects gallery: vintage newsreel, musical short George Hall and His Orchestra, classic cartoon I'm a Big Shot Now
  • New featurette Gangsters: The Immigrant's Hero
  • Commentary by film historian Dana Polan
  • How I Play Golf by Bobby Jones No. 10: Trouble Shots
  • Breakdowns of 1936 studio blooper reel
  • Audio only bonus: 4/16/1939 Lux Radio Theater Broadcast with Edward G. Robinson and Humphrey Bogart
  • Theatrical Trailer
  • Each Dawn I Die (1939)
  • Warner Night at the Movies 1939 short subjects gallery: vintage newsreel, documentary short A Day at Santa Anita, Oscar-nominated classic cartoon Detouring America
  • New featurette Stool Pigeons and Pine Overcoats: The Language of Gangster Films
  • Commentary by film historian Haden Guest
  • Breakdowns of 1939: studio blooper reel
  • Bonus cartoon Each Dawn I Crow
  • 3/22/43 Lux Radio Theater Broadcast with George Raft and Franchot Tone
  • Theatrical trailer
  • 'G' Men (1935)
  • Warner Night at the Movies 1935: vintage newsreel, comedy short The Old Grey Mayor starring Bob Hope, classic cartoon Buddy the Gee Man
  • New featurette Morality and the Code: A How-to Manual for Hollywood
  • Commentary by film historian Richard Jewell
  • How I Play Golf by Bobby Jones No 11: Practice Shots
  • Things You Never See on the Screen: Breakdowns of 1935 studio blooper reel
  • Theatrical Trailer
  • San Quentin (1937)
  • Warner Night at the Movies 1937 short subjects gallery: vintage newsreel, Oscar-nominated Broadway Brevity short The Man Without a Country, classic cartoon Porky's Double Trouble
  • New featurette Welcome to the Big House
  • Commentary by film historian Patricia King Hanson
  • Breakdowns of 1937 studio blooper reel
  • Theatrical trailer
  • A Slight Case of Murder (1937)
  • Warner Night at the Movies 1938: vintage newsreel, Oscar-nominated drama short Declaration of Independence, classic cartoon The Night Watchman
  • Commentary by film historian Robert Sklar
  • New featurette Prohibition Opens the Floodgates
  • Theatrical trailer
  • City for Conquest (1940)
  • Warner Night at the Movies 1940: Vintage newsreel, Oscar-nominated short Service with the Colors, classic cartoon Stage Fright
  • New featurette Molls and Dolls: The Women of Gangster Films
  • Breakdowns of 1940: studio blooper reel
  • Audio-only Bonus: 2/9/1942 Lux Radio Theater Broadcast
  • Commentary by Richard Schickel
  • Theatrical trailer


DVD Release Date: July 18th, 2006
6 Keep Cases inside a cardboard box
Chapters: various

 

 

Comments:

The six discs are all sold separately but come at a handsome discount if purchased together in this boxset. They are all housed in full (standard) keep cases with vintage art covers. All are coded for regions 1,2,3 and 4 in the NTSC standard. Each have original audio and optional English, Spanish and French subtitles (Except 'Each Dawn I Die' which excludes the English option) in an off-white font with black border. All transfers are progressive in the original aspect ratio(s) of 1.33:1.

This is one of Warner's best Boxsets in my opinion. It has the direct commonality of genre - each film carrying a gangster/government or crime related theme (A Slight Case of Murder being perhaps the 'odd duck' with its comedic element) - the films are all made within a 5 year span - four of the six are directed by William Keighley - the other 2 Lloyd Bacon - three star Cagney, two with Edward G. and two with Bogie. The quality is very evenly matched with all ,except possibly G Men, looking exceptionally strong. Each has a commentary and further additional extras.

Aside from some expected flickering contrast and occasional damage, these transfers all look very good with nice detail and strong grey-tones and black levels. I have no complaints at all on the image - especially considering how old these film are - they look miraculous.

I enjoyed all the commentaries - especially Cry For the City (Richard Schickel), Each Dawn I Die (Haden Guest) and Bullets of Ballots (Dana Polan), although the other three also seemed well prepared and imparted excellent information. Great choices by Warner.

For more specific details please cross-reference our individual reviews.

Overall, we strongly recommend this boxset - the, first time to DVD, films make for the definitive representation of the 'Tough Guys' labeled collection. Warner has given us as close to a perfect package as any fans could have hoped. This collection is highly recommended - I think it's a steal at double the price. Thank you Warner!       

Gary W. Tooze

 




DVD Menus


 

Screen Captures

 

Bullets or Ballots Directed by William Keighley USA 1936


Starring Edward G. Robinson, Joan Blondell, Barton MacLane and Humphrey Bogart

 

DVD REVIEWED IN FULL HERE

 

 

City For Conquest Directed by Anatole Litvak and Jean Negulesco (uncredited) USA 1940


Starring James Cagney and Ann Sheridan 

 

DVD REVIEWED IN FULL HERE

 

 

Each Dawn I Die Directed by William Keighley USA 1939


Starring James Cagney George Raft and Jane Bryan

 

DVD REVIEWED IN FULL HERE

 

 

G Men  Directed by William Keighley USA 1935


Starring James Cagney, Margaret Lindsay, Ann Dvorak and Robert Armstrong

 

DVD REVIEWED IN FULL HERE

 

 

 

San Quentin Directed by Lloyd Bacon USA 1937


Starring Pat O'Brien, Humphrey Bogart and Ann Sheridan 

 

DVD REVIEWED IN FULL HERE

 

 

A Slight Case of Murder Directed by Lloyd Bacon USA 1938


Starring Edward G. Robinson, Jane Bryan and Allen Jenkins

 

DVD REVIEWED IN FULL HERE

 

 

DVD Box Cover

CLICK to order from:

NOTE: Warner Gangsters Collection, Vol. 2 appears to be exactly the same content as Warner Bros. Pictures - Tough Guys Collection released June 6th, 2006 (and reviewed HERE)

 

Distribution Warner Home Video - Region 1, 2, 3, 4 - NTSC




 

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Gary Tooze

Mississauga, Ontario,

   CANADA

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