Unconquered

UPC: 025195003551

Studio: Universal Studios

MPAA Rating: NR   Contains:[Suitable for Children]

Summary: Cecil B. DeMille's first postwar production, the $5 million Technicolor historical spectacular Unconquered lacks only the kitchen sink. The story begins in England in the 1760s, as Abigail Martha Hale (Paulette Goddard), unjustly accused of a crime against the Crown, is sentenced by the Lord Chief Justice (C. Aubrey Smith) to 14 years' forced servitude in North America. Carted off to the auction block, Abigail is highly coveted by slavemaster Martin Garth (Howard da Silva), but the highest bidder turns out to be Virginia militiaman Captain Christopher Holden (Gary Cooper). Having been jilted by his aristocratic fiancee Diana (Virginia Grey), Holden harbors no romantic feelings for Abigail, but he's determined not to let her fall into Garth's grimy clutches. The patriotic Holden also knows that Garth, who is married to the daughter (Katherine de Mille) of Indian chief Pontiac (Robert Warwick), has been trading firearms to the Ottawas. The treacherous Garth later participates in the "Pontiac Conspiracy," an allegiance of 18 Indian nations forsworn to wipe out every colonist on the East Coast. To put Holden out of the way, Garth arranges for him to be court-martialed and sentenced to death on a trumped-up desertion charge. But Abigail, partly in repayment for her rescue from Seneca chief Guyasuta (Boris Karloff) and partly because she's fallen in love with Holden, helps him escape, just in time to save a nearby military fort from an Indian massacre -- a feat accomplished by a subterfuge straight out of Beau Geste, which also starred Gary Cooper! As historically suspect as any Cecil B. DeMille epic, Unconquered is still marvelous escapist entertainment, especially during the time-honored bathtub scene involving a bare-shouldered Paulette Goddard (who spends most of the film in either a state of dishabille or bondage, or both!) Once again, however, Mr. "Spare No Expense" DeMille cuts corners by filming most of his major exterior scenes within the artificial confines of the Paramount sound stages. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

Category: Adventure

Awards: Best Special Effects – Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences Best Special Effects – Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences Best Special Effects – Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences Best Special Effects – Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences Best Special Effects – Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences

Features: Exclusive introduction by Turner Classic Movies host and film historian Robert Osborne

Unconquered

Format: DVD

Release Date: 05/22/2007

Aspect Ratio: 1.33:1 Pre-1954 Standard

Audio: DDM2.0 Dolby Digital 2.0 Mono

Runtime: 146 Minutes

Sides: 1

Number of Discs: 1

Language(s) English

Subtitles: French

Region: USA & territories, Canada

Craig Butler

Cecil B. DeMille certainly tried to give people their money's worth with Unconquered, one of his big-budget epics that tramples all over history but does its darnedest to provide a walloping good time. Whether a particular viewer will feel sufficiently walloped really depends on whether a whole mess of lovingly recreated period costumes, sensational sets, first rate photography and some exciting action sequences is enough to make for a satisfying picture. If that is what works for you, then Unconquered will be a field day. If, however, you are more interested in a screenplay that is at least somewhat intriguing and offers characters of believability and moderate depth, or if you like first rate performances, then Unconquered will disappoint. As so often is the case with a DeMille extravaganza, there's a lot of activity in the script but not much that actually adds up to interest. And of the leading actors, only Howard Da Silva's villain is worthy of the actor. Gary Cooper, of course, has enough star persona that he pulls the role off just fine, but there's nothing challenging the actor here, and so there aren't any real fireworks from him. Paulette Goddard is simply not cast well, and her special dramatic qualities are not used (although her physical attributes are put to very good use). And Boris Karloff, given a rare chance to play a non-horror role, somehow blows the opportunity. ~ Craig Butler, Rovi

Cast and Crew: Eric Alden  Actor 
Virginia Campbell  Actor 
Jeff Corey  Actor 
Byron Foulger  Actor 
Charles B. Middleton  Actor 
Jay Silverheels  Actor 
Jeff York  Actor 
June Harris  Actor 
Mimi Aguglia  Actor 
Iron Eyes Cody  Actor 
Julia Faye  Actor 
William Haade  Actor 
Noble Johnson  Actor 
Clarence Muse  Actor 
Buddy Roosevelt  Actor 
Ethel Wales  Actor 
Robert Warwick  Actor 
Gertrude Valerie  Actor 
Richard Alexander  Actor 
Lane Chandler  Actor 
Raymond Hatton  Actor 
George Kirby  Actor 
Belle Mitchell  Actor 
Nan Sunderland  Actor 
Mary Field  Actor 
Charmienne Harker  Actor 
Lex Barker  Actor 
Chief Thundercloud  Actor 
Claire Du Brey  Actor 
Virginia Grey  Actor 
Olaf Hytten  Actor 
Bob Kortman  Actor 
Hugh Prosser  Actor 
Oliver Thorndike  Actor 
Isabel Cooper  Actor 
Eddie Albert  Actor 
Paul E. Burns  Actor 
Al Ferguson  Actor 
Frank S. Hagney  Actor 
Tiny Jones  Actor 
John Merton  Actor 
John Mylong  Actor 
Sid Saylor  Actor 
Frank Wilcox  Actor 
Erville Alderson  Actor 
Leonard Carey  Actor 
Chuck Hamilton  Actor 
John Miljan  Actor 
Ottola Nesmith  Actor 
Denver Dixon  Actor 
Russ Conklin  Actor 
Dorothy Adams  Actor 
Griff Barnett  Actor 
Davison Clark  Actor 
Fernanda Eliscu  Actor 
Karolyn Grimes  Actor 
Si Jenks  Actor 
Lloyd Bridges  Actor 
Chief John Big Tree  Actor 
Edgar Dearing  Actor 
Greta Granstedt  Actor 
Rose Higgins  Actor 
Anna Lehr  Actor 
Fred Kohler, Jr.  Actor 
William Murphy  Actor 
Constance Purdy  Actor 
Jack Pennick  Actor 
Sally Rawlinson  Actor 
Art Mix  Actor 
Inez Palange  Actor 
Ray Teal  Actor 
Francis Ford  Actor 
Mike Kilian  Actor 
Cecil B. DeMille  Director 
Cecil B. DeMille  Producer 
Victor Young  Composer (Music Score) 
Fredric M. Frank  Screenwriter 
Jesse Lasky, Jr.  Screenwriter 
Charles Bennett  Screenwriter 
Gary Cooper  Actor 
Paulette Goddard  Actor 
Howard Da Silva  Actor 
Boris Karloff  Actor 
Ward Bond  Actor 
Katherine de Mille  Actor 
Richard Gaines  Actor 
Cecil Kellaway  Actor 
Porter Hall  Actor 
Marc Lawrence  Actor 
Mike Mazurki  Actor 
Gavin Muir  Actor 
Alan Napier  Actor 
Jane Nigh  Actor 
C. Aubrey Smith  Actor 
Victor Varconi  Actor 
Henry Wilcoxon  Actor 

Country: USA