This set ought to be entitled The Troy Donahue Collection. All four films star the blond actor who soothed hearts instead of merely breaking them. He wasnt an outcast or rebel like James Dean and Marlon Brando. Troy was a hardworking poor boy that wanted to succeed in life by achievement. He was kind, gentle and articulate. He quickly become the star of melodramas aimed at young women. He was like Fabio for movie posters except with shorter blond hair and less chest action. He soared to stardom in A Summer Place with his forbidden romancing of Sandra Dee. In these four films he works a tobacco plantation, raises horses, tours Italy and invades Palm Springs. Warner Bros. Romance Classics Collection reminds us that passion starts with Troy.
Parrish (1961 – 138 minutes) is about tobacco farming in Connecticut. Who knew the Nutmeg State had serious business in the bright leaf trade? Donahue learns a lot about love from three women. His mom (Claudette Colbert) gets hired by a rich tobacco baron (Karl Malden). But he cant live with her so he moves in with a family of sharecroppers. The farmers daughter (Connie Stevens) shares more than crops with Troy. Hes not quite satisfied with her. He tangles up with a rival tobacco barons out of control daughter (Diane McBain). Shes a brat that cant be broken. He finally finds true love in the eyes of Sharon Hugueny except things get uncomfortable since her dad is Malden. Besides the romantic relationships, we learn a bit about raising tobacco north of the Mason-Dixon line. Troy is convincing as the young guy who strives to make it in business without too many short cuts. Hes willing to get his hands dirty in the fields. Hes a good looking guy, but not a pretty boy.
Susan Slade (1961 – 116 minutes) brings back Connie Stevens in a higher tax bracket. For a decade she grew up in Chile while dad (Lloyd Nolan) ran a mining operation. On the cruise back to America she falls in love with a man. However their relationship is cut short by his passion for mountain climbing. In America, she falls for Troy, a worker at a horse ranch. He dreams of being a major writer. Her search for true romance is complicated when she discovers the mountain climber knocked her up. The family cant afford the shame of an unwed daughter. They plot to leave the country and make it look like the mother had the baby. Funny how that stigma doesnt matter anymore. Nowadays you can be on the presidential ticket with a pregnant unmarried daughter. Bert Convy (Tattletales) is the rich guy that the family wants Stevens to marry. He looks like a toxic dweeb compared to the sincere Troy. The finale reminds us why we need to keep cigarette lighters away from babies. The big special effect is really strange looking. I guarantee you will immediately hit rewind on the remote control to get a second look.
Rome Adventure (1962 – 118 minutes) is Suzanne Pleshettes film even though shes fourth in the billing with the “introducing” slot. Shes a librarian who gets in trouble when the old women discover shes bought a dirty book. Instead of living in shame, she quits the musty shelves and jumps a cruise ship to Italy to live a carnal life. She refuses to be a one man woman. Shes ready to live some life. Pleshette (The Bob Newhart Show) works at a bookstore in Rome with a woman who enjoys having her butt grabbed. She enjoys the local flavor, but gets a taste for ex-pat Americans. She hooks up with Troy for a tour of Italy that you cant order on the menu at the Olive Garden. Instead of Connie Stevens, were given Angie Dickinson (Police Woman) as the blonde. Shes extremely catty as Troys old love. She isnt happy with Pleshette around her former man. Its claws out during a dinner. In the land of Roman ruins, Pleshette is a brunette goddess. Easy to see why Troy fell in love with her during this movie. They married afterwards although it only lasted less than a year.
Palm Springs Weekend (1963 – 100 minutes) is a major studio attempt at AIPs Beach Party action. Instead of Frankie and Annette, Warner gives us Troy and Connie. Norman Taurog, the man whod been directing Elvis musical films (Blue Hawaii and Girls! Girls! Girls!), attempts to lighten up the literary melodrama background of Troy and Connie. The film seems like an Elvis movie except without Elvis. Basically its a bunch of kids coming to Palm Springs for the Easter holiday. Troy and Jerry Van Dyke are part of a college basketball team. They want to meet girls that are ready to party. Connie is on their bus. However Troys eyes are occupied by Stephanie Powers (Hart to Hart). Jerry Van Dyke plays his banjo to give us a few rockin tracks. Trouble comes in the form of Robert Conrad (The Wild Wild West). Hes a playboy with a fast car and a mean streak. Its a teen romp, but it lacks the goofiness of a Frankie and Annette flick. Oddly enough Taurog would direct a semi-Beach Party flick at AIP with the mindblowing Dr. Goldfoot and the Bikini Machine.
Warner Bros. Romance Classics Collection gives us a sense of what the studio did with Troy Donahue during his career peak. Maybe he wasnt the most emotional and talented of thespians. He was more of a calming influence for females to admire. He wasnt dangerous. He was the “just right” choice for heroines to nab in romance novels in a world of bad boys and utter tools. Its a shame that he didnt get his name on the box.
The video is 1.85:1 anamorphic. The transfers look good. Rome Adventure has quite a few awe inspiring landscapes. Troy looks good in all four films. The audio is Dolby Digital mono. The levels are good without any noticable glitches. Rome Adventure has a Portuguese dub track. The movies have subtitles in English and French. Rome Adventure also has Portuguese subtitles.
Parrish trailer (3:16) promises us a story of big money and a tobacco empire. They have Troy talk to the audiences about the three forms of love he finds in his trio of women. The want us to see him upgrading his ladies without looking like a cad. They show him in action while wearing the red jacket that James Dean made iconic in Rebel Without A Cause.
Susan Slade trailer (3:17) opens with Troy and Connie being mobbed by a crowd outside a theater. It pushes their role in Parrish. For people who complain about modern trailers giving away a film – the final scene is here.
Rome Adventure trailer (3:38) shows us that they really did go to Italy with the cast instead of shooting it entirely on the backlot with establishing shots from other films. We get a full dose of the no nonsense attitude that made Suzanne Pleshette an icon.
Palm Springs Weekend (3:13) tells us that kids take off for this resort town in the desert during spring break. Troy tells the audience why he needs to come to Palm Springs. Jerry Van Dyke keeps poking his head into the frame to insist hes there for the girls. “Palm Springs is where it swings,” Robert Conrad insists.
Warner Bros. Romance Classics Collection presents four films that used to be played in the afternoon on your local independent UHF station. Troy Donahue and Connie Stevens made a charming pair even if Connie kept getting knocked up by other guys. Suzanne Pleshette is breathtaking in Rome Adventure. Troys a nice enough guy, but shes the ultimate reason to pick up this box set.
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Warner Home Video presents Warner Bros. Romance Classics Collection. Starring Troy Donahue, Connie Stevens, Karl Malden, Angie Dickinson and Suzanne Pleshette. Boxset Contents: 4 movies on 4 DVDs. Released on DVD: January 27, 2009. Available at Amazon.
