Yet again, Warner Brothers drops a massive boxed set of goodness on you, and this time, honestly, the title says it all: The Tough Guys Collection. It streeted July 18th. It’s got all the usual suspects: Bogart, Cagney, and Robinson, and a slew of stuff hitting DVD for the first time. And, thankfully, there’s nothing bare bones about it. You get a kickass set here with every single individual title coming with a nice array of goodies. Check it out…
First up there’s Bullets or Ballots with Robinson and Bogart. There’s an audio commentary track with film historian Dana Plan, a vintage newsreel, a musical short, the Friz Freleng-directed Schlesinger-produced animated short “I’m a Big Shot Now,” a new featurette, a golfing short, a studio blooper reel, trailers, and a Lux Radio Theater Broadcast starring Bogart, Robinson and Mary Astor. Nice.
Next, City for Conquest with Cagney. This comes with a commentary track from film critic Richard Schickel, a vintage newsreel, the short film “Service With the Colors,” the Chuck Jones-directed animated short “Stage Fright,” a featurette on women in gangster films, a studio blooper reel, trailers, and a Lux Radio Theater Broadcast with Robert Preston and Alice Faye.
Next, Each Dawn I Die finds Cagney in the Big House after being framed. This commentary track is by film historian Haden Guest, plus you get a vintage newsreel, a documentary “A Day at Santa Anita,” the Tex Avery-directed Schlesinger-produced cartoon “Detouring America,” the Freleng-directed Elmer Fudd cartoon “Each Dawn I Crow,” a featurette on the language of gangster films, a studio blooper reel, trailers, and a Lux Radio Theater Broadcast.
Cagney again shows up in “G” Men where Cagney is the one leading the charge against Dillinger. This comes with an audio commentary by film historian Richard Jewell, a vintage newsreel, a Bob Hope short film “The Old Grey Major,” the Schlesinger-produced cartoon “Buddy the Gee Man,” a featurette on the Code, another golf featurette, studio blooper reel and trailers.
Then we’re back in the Big House with Bogart in San Quentin, which comes with an audio commentary by film historian Patricia King Hanson, the 1937 short “The Man Without a Country,” the Schlesinger-produced cartoon “Porky’s Double Trouble,” a featurette on the Big House, a studio blooper reel and trailers.
Lastly, there’s A Slight Case of Murder starring Edward G. Robinson as a former purveyor of spirits during Prohibition who has to figure out how to change once Prohibition is over. It’s a farcical comedy, mind you. This comes with a commentary by film historian Robert Sklar, a vintage newsreel, a short film about the guy who cast the deciding vote to go ahead with the Declaration of Independence, the Chuck Jones-directed cartoon “The Night Watchman,” a featurette on Prohibition, and trailers.
Fans of the genre who have been waiting for these flicks to hit so they can come closer to complete their collections will want to snag it. For more info, check out the official website here.
