July 30, 2014 THE VILLADOM TIMES I • Page 23 ‘Grace Kelly Collection’ includes six feature films by Dennis Seuling Grace Kelly made only 11 feature films in her five-year movie career before aban- doning Hollywood to become Princess Grace of Monaco. Six of those films are now available in a new DVD release, “The Grace Kelly Collection” (Warner Home Video). Kelly’s first big break came when Gary Cooper arranged for her to star with him in “High Noon.” She was nominated for Best Supporting Actress for her work in “Mogambo” opposite Clark Gable. Alfred Hitchcock starred her in three films. She won the Best Actress Oscar for “The Coun- try Girl” (1954). Kelly’s beauty made a big impression on Prince Rainier III, whom she met while in Cannes for the 1955 film fes- tival. They married the next year and had three children. Princess Grace died tragi- cally in 1982 at age 52 in a car accident. In Hitchcock’s “Dial M for Murder” (1954) Kelly plays Margot Wendice, the intended murder victim of husband Tony (Ray Milland). When his scheme backfires, Tony manages to get Margot convicted of premeditated murder. A good friend (Robert Cummings) and a police inspector (John Williams) must out-strategize Tony to save Margot’s life. “To Catch a Thief” (1955) pairs Kelly with Cary Grant in another Hitchcock film, this one a romantic thriller. Grant plays Cary Grant and Grace Kelly in a scene from the Alfred Hitchcock film ‘To Catch a Thief.’ John Robie, retired cat burglar now living on the French Riviera. A series of jewel heists casts suspicion Robie, who then gets involved with American socialite Frances Stevens (Kelly). The film delivers Hitch- cock’s trademark suspense while exploiting the outstanding chemistry between Grant and Kelly. In “High Society” (1956) Kelly co-stars with Bing Crosby, Frank Sinatra, and Louis Armstrong in a musical version of Philip Barry’s “The Philadelphia Story.” Kelly duets charmingly with Crosby on “True Love,” Cole Porter’s Academy Award-win- ning ballad. The other films in the collection are “Mogambo” (1953), “The Country Girl” (1954), and “The Bridges at Toko-Ri” (1954). Unfortunately, the collection does not include the great “Rear Window” (1954) one of her best collaborations with Hitch- cock. Bonuses include a classic cartoon, making-of featurettes, trailers, audio com- mentary by Peter Bogdanovich, and, best of all, “Princess Grace de Monaco: A Moment in Time,” a documentary containing Kelly’s last interview. “Noah” (Paramount) is director Darren Aronofsky’s take on a story from Genesis. A prologue recaps Adam and Eve’s fall from grace that led to the wickedness of Noah’s time. Noah (Russell Crowe) is the only righteous man left. After experienc- ing disturbing visions about the demise of mankind, he seeks advice from his grand- father, Methuselah (Anthony Hopkins). The visions continue, and Noah becomes convinced that The Creator is preparing to destroy mankind in a massive flood. He must build an ark to save the animals. However, the current king of the region, Tubal-cain (Ray Winstone), does not cotton to Noah’s defiance and tries to take the ark by force. Fallen angels called Watchers join Noah in a war against Tubal-cain’s follow- ers. This dark drama depicts Noah as a self- righteous, vengeful, humorless zealot with low regard for his fellow man. Combining the trappings of a Biblical epic with a char- acter study of an iconic figure, Aronofsky tosses in considerable action and some rock creatures that appear to have wandered in from a “Lord of the Rings” picture. The Icelandic locations are appropriately imposing, but the action sequences wear thin quickly since viewers know Noah will eventually get the ark under way. The film co-stars Jennifer Connelly as Noah’s wife and Emma Watson as daughter Ila. Bonuses on the two-disc Blu-ray/DVD (continued on Crossword page)