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(More customer reviews)I met Peter Strauss for the first time after a staged reading at the Westport Playhouse, in which he, along with several other wonderful actors, gave a superb reading of a new play. Speaking to him, briefly, afterwards, I mentioned the absence of "Rich Man" on DVD - and he agreed. He told me he is asked this a lot and does not understand why a terrific DVD edition of this classic miniseries is not available. My God, it should be! This was one of the first real TV "events" - must see TV before it really existed - with a superb, involving story of two brothers growing up in turbulent times, their lives and loves, and their ultimate search for happiness. The acting could not be better. Peter Strauss has always been an underrated actor, in my opinion. In "The Jericho Mile" he gives a landmark performance. Here, in "Rich Man," he believably ages from a high school student to an older, forlorn Senator trying to reclaim his humanity. It was an honor to speak to Mr. Strauss, who could not have been more gracious. He was eager to see this miniseries on DVD and was also interested in being part of an "extras" package to boot. Can you imagine getting Mr. Strauss and Nick Nolte back to discuss the legendary film that began both their careers? EVERY actor here gives a unique performance. It was one of the unforgettable TV miniseries. It deserves a gold star treatment!
UPDATE on DVD release! "Rich Man, Poor Man" is a five star production, but the DVD release rates barely A STAR AND A HALF - it is almost a travesty. I would like to commend Mr. Strauss, brilliant in the role in both series, for offering an excellent, perceptive, and interesting one hour long commentary track to accompany the first hour of the original series - but that is the ONLY recommendation I can give to this product.
First, the video transfer is poor - there is NO high definition upgrade to the original show at all, so it looks like a typical TV show from the '70's, no upgrades at all. The sound quality is also poor.
Second, and most important, the DVD has been EDITED! Incredibly enough, there are whole scenes missing from the DVD - most grievously, in the final hour of the show, after Rudy nearly loses his career after hurting a college girl, whose photo club had taken nude pictures of a drunken Julie, there is a MISSING SCENE when we see the Van Johnson character return to tell Rudy that his political career can be saved - which leads directly back to the scenes where Julie begins to drink again and, inadvertently, causes a tragedy. The scene is gone! And parts of other scenes, including the introductions to the openings, also appear to be trimmed.
I bought some foreign copies of both series some time ago - and both were better than this product. Make no mistake - A & E did this on the cheap and ended up leaving a tarnished legacy for a landmark series. It is STILL worth watching, for all the wonderful stories it tells, but this DVD product is a disgrace - and you will have to find another DVD or VHS tape to actually see the WHOLE series. The VHS tapes actually seem to have better sound and picture quality and more beautifully packaged as well. I would stick with them, except that Book Two, which has great moments, is not available on VHS tapes, but only on foreign DVD's, which, I'm sure, are of better quality than this disgrace. At least these shows don't appear to be edited.
Too bad. Again, Mr. Strauss's commentaries are worth hearing, but I wish there was more. That's the ONLY extra for the high price you are paying. Such a disappointment. Wasn't there ANYONE of any knowledge working for A & E who could have overseen this transfer? For the price you are paying, you deserve better.
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Rich Man, Poor Man: The Complete Collection (1976)The first-ever dramatic miniseries to appear on American television, the multi-award winning RICH MAN, POOR MAN spans decades and generations to trace the epic story of the Jordache family from 1945 to the late 1960s.Now available for the first time on DVD, RICH MAN, POOR MAN: THE COMPLETE COLLECTION brings together all 34 episodes from Book I and II of this classic '70s series. Based on Irwin Shaw's best-selling novel and featuring an all-star cast (including Edward Asner, Bill Bixby, Susan Blakely, and Robert Reed), the series focuses in particular on Rudy Jordache (Peter Strauss) and his troubled brother Tom (Nick Nolte) as they navigate divergent paths away from their impoverished immigrant upbringing. While ambitious Rudy seems destined for success, Tom suffers from an endless string of bad luck but in the end, finds love. Encompassing a period of tremendous social and political upheaval, the Jordache saga explores timeless themes such as the difficulty of human relationships and the disillusionment of the American dream.An absorbing and masterful portrait of a fascinating and ill-fated family, RICH MAN, POOR MAN: THE COMPLETE COLLECTION recaptures a landmark moment in American broadcasting history.BONUS FEATURE: Brand-new audio commentary for Book I: Chapter 1 featuring star Peter Strauss and television historian David Bianculli
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