Stephen Crane's The blue hotel
(DVD)

Based on the short story by Stephen Crane.

Broadcast as part of the PBS television series The American short story in 1977.

Special features: Author bio [text feature]; Actor bios [text feature]; Printable study guide [requires a DVD-ROM drive]; About the ASSC [text feature]; Transcript interview [with Robert Geller]; Henry Fonda intro (2 min.); Watch for these DVD's [text feature]; Trailer[s] (5 min.).

Director of photography, Ed Lynch ; edited by Barbara & Richard Marks.

Host, Henry Fonda ; starring David Warner (Swede), Rex Everhart (Scully), James Keach (Johnnie), John Bottoms (Cowboy), Geddeth Smith (Eastener), Thomas Aldredge (Gambler).

Nebraska in the 1880's is bleak, lonely, and far from what the Wild West is purported to be. But for a naive Swedish immigrant, the frontier parlor of the blue hotel represent the quintessential western fantasy. No one can convince the Swede that his dime-store notions about the West are foolish. He sees murderous intentions all around him and in his terror he turns everybody against him; the story inevitably ends in tragedy. However, who is responsible? The negative Swede? Or the cliquish hotel guests?

MPAA rating: Not rated.

DVD, Region 1.

FICTION