Story of Esther Costello [VHS]

Story of Esther Costello [VHS]
by David Miller

Our Price: $37.00
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
Buy Used: from $29.95 (click here)
Category: VHS Video
See more movie releases

Compare Prices for Story of Esther Costello [VHS]

Buy this VHS video movie at online store in your country
Canada

VHS Tape Cover Information

Actor: Heather Sears, Joan Crawford, Lee Patterson, Ron Randell, Rossano Brazzi
Director: David Miller
Producer: Joan Crawford
Cinematographer: Robert Krasker
Producer: David Miller
Producer: Jack Clayton
Producer: John Woolf
Writer: Charles Kaufman
Writer: Nicholas Monsarrat
Edition: VHS Tape
Format: Black & White, NTSC
Running Time: 103 minutes
Release Date: 1997-02-11
Audience Rating: NR (Not Rated)
Publisher: Sony Pictures
Studio: Sony Pictures

VHS Movie Reviews of Story of Esther Costello [VHS]

Movie Review: Esther-Fest
Summary: 5 Stars

"The Story of Esther Costello" has to be one of my very favorite movies with Joan. I know I say that all the time but this time I really mean it. At the very least, it has to be one of Joan's very best movies from the fifties. My three favorite movies from this era, of Joan's six-decade career include: Harriet Craig, Johnny Guitar and this. And they are all so different! If you've seen them all you will know what I mean and you'll know why Joan was such a diverse and talented actress who never delivered anything less than complete and utter perfection!

Here are the basic stats on this movie:
The Story of Esther Costello (November 6, 1957) (Studio: Columbia)
Distributor: Sony Pictures
Runtime Listing: 102 mins.
Screen format: pan and scan
Color/BW: Black and White
(Joan played: Margaret Landi)
Brief Synopsis:
A well-off lady works to educate a deaf and blind girl purely out of the goodness of her heart.
Joan's brief comments on this film: This was my last really top picture...

And these are Joan's costars:
Rossano Brazzi played Carlo Landi
Heather Sears played the title-role, Esther
Lee Patterson played Harry Grant

I really like it when Joan plays a nice person. I don't know why. Because she appears much more believable and there always seems to be a level of continuity in her films like this. In this film, Joan plays the staring role, Margaret Landi who is a very sweet lady. She's a very hard-worker who will stop at nothing to accomplish her goal. And in some scenes it was reminiscent of Joan's defining film Mildred Pierce .

Anyway, "The Story of Esther Costello" is that proverbial Helen Keller story. ...Compassionate and passionate lady takes on the care of a deaf, blind and mute young girl. However, it is very different in one important regard, this movie is glamorous and very entertaining! After all, can you imagine a movie with Joan that was without glamour?

Once Margaret starts caring for Esther she sees swift and almost immediate changes. Heather Sears was especially talented during these scenes because she truly portrayed a person that was otherwise void of any form of sentient communication! Pretty soon, Margaret's estranged hubby comes back into her life once he hears of all the publicity (and money) that Margaret has raised for her newly-formed Esther Costello organization.

Carlo is as smooth as a silk sheet from Fortunoff and as tricky as a Rubik's Cube. Once he enters the picture the movie almost takes on a Queen Bee feel. Although, keep in mind Margaret is always kind and never ruthless. And, the movie actually ended in the same fashion as "Queen Bee!"

Joan was always very proud of this movie and only had kind words to say about it. She always regarded "The Story of Esther Costello" as one of her career highs and as one of her last great pictures. When asked to share her thoughts about this motion picture Joan stated: This was my last really top picture, and frankly if I deserved an Oscar for "Mildred Pierce" I deserved two for "Esther Costello." It was one hell of a demanding role, and David Miller directed it superbly, but I played it in my own pitch, the way I thought it should be played, and I was right.

Joan actually found a longtime friend in Heather Sears. Joan was very proud of her young protege and helped her any way she could. Heather Sears even showed her support to Joan in a BBC retrospective/interview that was conducted several years after "The Story of Esther Costello."

Fun Facts:
* This movie was made after Joan left Warners when she was free to work for any studio.
* After "The Story of Esther Costello," Joan didn't appear again in another picture for nearly two years because she was so busy on Pepsi business!
* After MGM & Warners, Columbia is the studio that Joan made the most films for (a total of six.)
* The tag for this movie was: Esther Costello...will live in your memory long after you have seen her!
* This film is based on a book written by Nicholas Monsarrat.
* Like many of Joan's films, this was not without controversy; Helen Keller's associates threatened to sue for libel.
* Desperate for some attention, in 2004 the Material Girl caused a worldwide sensation, yet again, when she announced that her "Hebrew name" is Ester!

Regrettably, this movie is not on DVD, yet. I don't know why because it's such a fascinating movie. As you can see someone is offering it on Amazon for nearly thirty eight dollars! Highway robbery. If Joan were alive to see such greed in her name she would call these sellers vultures and thieves for daring to bleed her beloved fans like this! If you are seeking this movie, don't worry though, because it does come on TCM from time to time. Also, you can likely find a much less expensive copy on half dot com or its sister-site, e bay.

I am confident that Sony will issue a Joan Crawford boxed set in the future, though. Wouldn't that be great! Besides this movie, here's what I would love to see on it: "Harriet Craig," "Queen Bee," Autumn Leaves and Strait-Jacket. There is a huge demand and audience that would gladly buy Sony's Joan Crawford Classic Columbia Boxed Set!

You know, with movies like this, some have said that Joan was the original proponent of women's lib. I don't think Joan was trying to make a statement, other than a woman can find her own way in an otherwise man's world. And dare I say that when Joan reached for the moon she became a star!

Write your own review

Art House & International VHS Video

Drama

VHS Video Movies

Movies most talked about in Joan Crawford films (Part II)

Trog
CRAWFORD,JOAN; Release date: 2007-06-26; DVD
Best price: $6.59
Price in other shops: ~~$14.98~~

Night Gallery - The Complete First Season
UNI DIST CORP. (MCA); Release date: 2004-08-24; DVD
Best price: $36.44
Price in other shops: ~~$59.98~~

Berserk! [VHS]
Sony Pictures; Release date: 1994-06-21; VHS Tape; VHS Video
Best price: $21.00

I Saw What You Did
Release date: 1999-08-24; DVD
Best price: $87.90

Strait-Jacket
CRAWFORD,JOAN; Release date: 2002-03-12; DVD
Best price: $7.93
Price in other shops: ~~$14.94~~

The Caretakers
Release date: 2010-05-03; DVD
Best price: $17.99
Price in other shops: ~~$19.98~~

What Ever Happened to Baby Jane? (Two-Disc Special Edition) Image

What Ever Happened to Baby Jane? (Two-Disc Special Edition)
WARNER HOME VIDEO; Release date: 2006-05-30; DVD
Best price: $13.49
Price in other shops: ~~$26.98~~

The Best of Everything
Twentieth Century Fox; Release date: 2005-05-24; DVD
Best price: $7.07
Price in other shops: ~~$14.98~~

Story of Esther Costello [VHS]
Sony Pictures; Release date: 1997-02-11; VHS Tape; VHS Video
Best price: $37.00

Autumn Leaves [VHS]
Sony Pictures; Release date: 1995-05-09; VHS Tape; VHS Video
Best price: $46.00

Similar VHS Movies

Kitten with a Whip (Amazon.com Exclusive)
Release date: 2010-01-11; DVD
Best price: $19.97
Price in other shops: ~~$19.98~~

The Devil's Daughter
Release date: 2007-10-01; DVD
Best price: $43.99

The Bride Wore Red [VHS]
MGM (Warner); Release date: 1998-09-01; VHS Tape; VHS Video
Best price: $46.82

The Joan Crawford Collection, Vol. 2 (A Woman's Face / Flamingo Road / Sadie McKee / Strange Cargo / Torch Song) Image

The Joan Crawford Collection, Vol. 2 (A Woman's Face / Flamingo Road / Sadie McKee / Strange Cargo / Torch Song)
CRAWFORD,JOAN; Release date: 2008-02-12; DVD
Best price: $37.49
Price in other shops: ~~$49.98~~

Susan & God [VHS]
MGM (Warner); Release date: 1998-09-01; VHS Tape; VHS Video
Best price: $18.00
Price in other shops: ~~$19.98~~

Queen Bee
Sony; Release date: 2001-12-18; DVD
Best price: $12.91
Price in other shops: ~~$19.94~~

Our Modern Maidens [VHS]
Warner Home Video; Release date: 1996-08-20; VHS Tape; VHS Video
Best price: $15.00
Price in other shops: ~~$29.98~~