The Carpetbaggers (1964) ( The Carpet baggers )

The Carpetbaggers (1964) (DVD) (*)

Out of Stock

Alternate Title: The Carpet baggers
Screened, competed or awarded at:
BAFTA Awards
Golden Globes
Other Film Festival Awards

Language Selections:
English ( Mono )
French ( Mono )
Italian ( Mono )

Product Origin/Format:
Italy ( PAL/NTSC/Region 0 )

Running Time:
150 min

Aspect Ratio:
Widescreen (2.35:1)

Special Features:
Interactive Menu
Photo Gallery
Posters
Scene Access
Trailer(s)

Movie filmed in 1964 and produced in:
United States ( USA, Canada )

Directed By:
Edward Dmytryk

Written By:
Harold Robbins
John Michael Hayes

Actors:
George Peppard ..... Jonas Cord
Alan Ladd ..... Nevada Smith
Robert Cummings ..... Dan Pierce
Martha Hyer ..... Jennie Denton
Elizabeth Ashley ..... Monica Winthrop
Lew Ayres ..... 'Mac' McAllister
Martin Balsam ..... Bernard B. Norman
Ralph Taeger ..... Buzz Dalton
Archie Moore ..... Jedediah
Leif Erickson ..... Jonas Cord Sr.
Carroll Baker ..... Rina Marlowe Cord
Arthur Franz ..... Morrissey
Tom Tully ..... Amos Winthrop
Audrey Totter ..... Prostitute
Anthony Warde ..... Moroni

Synopsis:

George Peppard plays a hard-driven industrialist more than a little reminiscent of Howard Hughes. While he builds airplanes, directs movies and breaks hearts, his friends and lovers try to reach his human side, and find that it's an uphill battle. The film's title is a metaphor for self-promoting tycoons who perform quick financial takeovers, impose dictatorial controls for short-term profits, then move on to greener pastures.

Edward Dmytryk brings Harold Robbins' trashy, dirt-dishing Hollywood best-seller to the screen with George Peppard starring as Jonas Cord, a rancidly-sketched portrait of Howard Hughes. In 1925, when his father dies of a stroke, Jonas inherits the Cord Chemical factory, a manufacturer of dynamite and other explosives. Jonas proceeds with several cut-throat transactions, making a settlement with his sexy stepmother Rina (Carroll Baker) and liquidating the stock owned by cowhand Nevada Smith (Alan Ladd, in his final American film role). With the help of Mac McAllister (Lew Ayres), his father's attorney, Jonas builds his father's company into a multi-million dollar business, expanding into plastics and aeronautics. Meanwhile, Rina has become a top fashion model and movie star and Nevada Smith has parlayed his laconic demeanor into a career as a popular silent film cowboy idol. Jonas then marries, then ignores, the well-meaning Monica Winthrop (Elizabeth Ashley), and ruins her father's company in the process. Then, with the advent of sound films, Jonas helps Nevada Smith through the sound film crisis by offering financial backing for a film to star both Nevada and his ex-mother-in-law Rina. Jonas decides to direct the film himself, hoping to seduce Rina. But Jonas's insensitive and egomaniacal behavior causes Monica to leave him. Jonas invests all his time in film production but the alcoholic Rina dies in a car accident. The owners of the film studio -- Bernard B. Norman (Martin Balsam) and Dan Pierce (Robert Cummings) -- want to sell the studio to Jonas but hide the fact that Rina, the studio's biggest star, has died. Jonas buys the studio and when he finds his biggest asset is gone, he goes on a drunken binge. But Jonas quickly meets call girl Jennie Denton (Martha Hyer), who he decides to turn into a superstar modeled upon Rina. Despite having made her a star, Jonas's vile treatment of Jennie repulses both her and his old friend Nevada Smith, and Smith decides it's time to beat some sense into Jonas's head.

Jonas Cord is a disagreeable rich young tycoon on the corporate make, with some subplots about booze, broads and Hollywood in the 1930's.

This product was added to our catalog on Monday 30 March, 2015.