High Road to China | Tom Selleck, Bess Armstrong | An Affectionate Nod to the 1930's

High Road to China | Tom Selleck, Bess Armstrong | Not Released Yet?

vhs video:

High Road to China

	High Road to China Tom Selleck, Bess Armstrong Warner Home Video, 1992 average customer review:based on 85 reviews view larger image
	for more information click here

highly recommended

An Affectionate Nod to the 1930's

This wonderful film reminiscent of those 1930's comedy adventures had the misfortune to come on the heels of Raiders of the Lost Ark. It was compared unfavorably to Raiders because critics were not astute enough to recognize the difference between a film paying homage to the serial adventures of the 1930's such as Raiders of the Lost Ark, and an affectionate wave to a bygone type of picture from the same era, no longer made.

Critics may not have known what kind of film this was but Tom Selleck, as the often soused air ace Patrick O'Malley does, and so does Bess Armstong, who is quite wonderful in this film. She is spoiled heiress deluxe Evie Tozar, who hires Patrick to search for her missing father. The complication is that Bentik (Robert Morely) wants to insure she does not find him, so he can gain control of her father's fortune.

The other complication is Patrick's drinking and her determination to find her father, even if it kills him! Watching Patrick and Evie argue and bicker all across Asia reminds us of Gable and Harlow, and the charm of those films from the 1930's where we knew the constantly bickering stars were going to fall in love.

John Barry wrote his most beautiful score for this film, one that even outshines his later score for Out of Africa. It adds a sweeping beauty to the aerial scenes and the inevitable romance between the two leads. Bess Armstong shows something special here and should have become a big star. Perhaps the lukewarm reception to this magnificent film prevented that from happening.

Wilfred Brimley as Evie's father, and Jack Weston as Struts offer fine support in secondary roles, but Selleck and Armstrong are the big stars here, and they fill the screen in a manner befitting those film legends of the 1930's. You will not find anyone who has seen this film who didn't love it. Make do with whatever copy of this film you can acquire for now. Surely someone will realize what an audience there is for this film and it will be available once again.

A truly wonderful film you must own, whatever the format.

for more information click here

Not Released Yet?

C'mon guys, I've been waiting for this title for years. There is absoultly no reason for it not to be.

High Road To China - A low blow from distributors

One would think that Movie distributors would know their product and release their gems on DVD, but clearly with this movie starring Tom Selleck and Bess Armstrong they have lost the plot. This movie is Wonderful worth many replays.

Tom plays a rather self-centred bachelor pilot who is hired by a headstrong lass determined to find her father who was last heard to be in China. As these two argue their way through this adventure they gradually become aware that perhaps their mutual tension is the attraction between them and they are similar personalities. Through all the adversity experienced as they progress toward their goals, the "almost does not happen" romance ends the movie in the best way.

for more information click here

Push for the DVD

I've been waiting for this movie to come out on DVD for years. One of my all-time favorites. Some great quotes, like "How much for your wife!" usually followed in my household by, "Go ahead, punk -- make my day."

If you go to the DVD section of Amazon and search for this movie, you get a chance to sign up for a future copy. Evidently this mechanism "votes" for the studio to release it. So go vote!

reviews: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, page 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17

products you might be interested in