Columbia Classics Collection Vol. 3

Collection of six classic films produced by Columbia Pictures. 'It Happened One Night' (1934) is Frank Capra's Oscar-winning romantic drama starring Clark Gable and Claudette Colbert. Heiress Ellie Andrews (Colbert) flees her disapproving millionaire father (Walter Connolly) when he forbids her to marry worthless playboy King Westley (Jameson Thomas).

En route to her fiancé, Ellie meets unemployed reporter Peter Warne (Gable). The unlikely pair are forced to rough it together when their bus breaks down, but Peter's plans to sell the story of their journey together hit a snag when he finds himself falling in love with Ellie. 'From Here to Eternity' (1953) is Fred Zinnemann's classic drama about Pearl Harbor on the eve of the Japanese attack.

Private Prewitt (Montgomery Clift) is newly arrived at the military base and has already fallen foul of his superiors due to his refusal to box on the company team. Given the worst duties as a result, Prewitt is befriended by Angelo Maggio (Frank Sinatra), a young soldier who is himself persecuted by the Italian-hating Sergeant Fatso (Ernest Borgnine). Meanwhile, Sergeant Warden (Burt Lancaster), Prewitt's superior, treads on dangerous ground when he allows himself to get caught up in an affair with an officer's wife (Deborah Kerr).

'To Sir, With Love' (1967) is based on E. R. Braithwaite's novel and stars Sidney Poitier. Mark Thackeray (Poitier) is an engineer who loses his job and turns to teaching in a tough school in London's East End.

He immediately faces hostility from his students - the graduating class - who are determined to break his spirit. However, Thackeray counters by treating the teenagers as young adults, attempting to prepare them for life in the outside world. Gradually, as he takes the class on field trips to museums and similar outings, Thackeray earns both their affection and respect.

'The Last Picture Show' (1971) is set in 1950s Texas and follows the exploits of high school football stars Sonny Crawford (Timothy Bottoms) and Duane Jackson (Jeff Bridges) as they take their first steps into adulthood - Sonny drifting into an affair with an older woman (Cloris Leachman), and Duane experiencing problems with his self-centred, social-climbing girlfriend Jacy Farrow (Cybill Shepherd). Meanwhile, the local cinema so dear to the friends and so evocative of the innocence of their childhood years, is faced with closure. 'Annie' (1982) is John Huston's screen version of the Broadway musical based on the long-running comic strip 'Little Orphan Annie'.

Annie (Aileen Quinn) lives a miserable life in an orphanage run by the cruel Miss Hannigan (Carol Burnett). A chance of escape and happiness comes Annie's way when she meets billionaire 'Daddy' Warbucks (Albert Finney), but Hannigan and her colleagues soon conspire to get Annie back. Finally in 'As Good As It Gets' (1997), curmudgeonly romantic writer Melvin Udall (Jack Nicholson) is a neurotic, homophobic racist who enjoys insulting his gay neighbour, artist Simon Bishop (Greg Kinnear), and being rude to waitress Carol (Helen Hunt) at his local restaurant.

However, when Simon is hospitalised, it falls to Melvin to look after his pet dog, Verdell. An emotional thaw begins to set in and, when Carol misses stints at the restaurant due to her son's asthma, Melvin pays for him to have proper medical attention. A budding romance with Carol is threatened, however, by Melvin's obsessive neuroses.