1946 Making World

Making of the Mob, is an eight-part docudrama that begins in 1905 and spans more than 50 years, tracing the original five families that led to the modern American Mafia, including the rise of Charles Lucky Luciano, Meyer Lansky and Benjamin Bugsy Siegel.

War widow Gerladine Fitzgerald falls into shady con-man John Garfield's scheme - but what he didn't plan for is falling for his prey which makes both of them targets with the racketeers that he is partnered with.

Hugely popular in his home country of Japan, Keisuke Kinoshita worked tirelessly as a director for nearly half a century, making lyrical, sentimental films that often center on the inherent goodness of people, especially in times of distress. He began his directing career during a most challenging time for Japanese cinema: World War II, when the industry’s output was closely monitored by the state and often had to be purely propagandistic. This collection of Kinoshita’s first films—four made while the war was going on and one shortly after Japan’s surrender—demonstrates the way the filmmaker’s humanity and exquisite cinematic technique shone through even in the darkest of times.

George Bailey has spent his entire life giving of himself to the people of Bedford Falls. He has always longed to travel but never had the opportunity in order to prevent rich skinflint Mr. Potter from taking over the entire town. All that prevents him from doing so is George's modest building and loan company, which was founded by his generous father. But on Christmas Eve, George's Uncle Billy loses the business's $8,000 while intending to deposit it in the bank. Potter finds the misplaced money and hides it from Billy…..

Artus Films of France has just released a phenomenal set of four Erich von Stroheim movies, "The Great Gabbo", "The Crime of Dr. Crespi", "The Mask of Diijon", and "The Lady and the Monster". All of them are in English, with removable French subs. The set is named "Erich von Stroheim Mystérieux".

The first study devoted to the genesis of domestic TV/Film production, this project presents an industrial and cultural history of the transformation of the lower reaches of Britain's film industry during the period 1946-1964.

"The best thing to happen to Bing Crosby since Bob Hope," (WSJ) Gary Giddins presents the second volume of his masterful multi-part biography

Pip, a good-natured, gullible young orphan, lives with kind blacksmith Joe Gargery and his bossy, abusive wife 'Mrs. Joe'. When the boy finds two hidden escaped galley convicts, he obeys under -probably unnecessary- threat of a horrible death to bring the criminals food he must steal at peril of more caning from the battle-ax. Just when Pip fears to get it really good while they have guests, a soldier comes for Joe who takes Pip along as assistant to work on the chains of escaped galley-convicts, who are soon caught. The better-natured one takes the blame for the stolen food. Later Pip is invited to became the playmate of Estelle, the equally arrogant adoptive daughter of gloomy, filthy rich Miss Havisham at her estate, who actually has 'permission' to break the kind kid's heart; being the only pretty girl he ever saw, she wins his heart forever, even after a mysterious benefactor pays trough a lawyer for his education and a rich allowance…