Rich Man, Poor Man: the Complete Series DVD Review
Rich Man, Poor Man: the Complete Series DVD Review
Synopsis: 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.
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.
Review: I had never heard of Rich Man, Poor Man until I got ahold of this DVD collection. It was a mini-series from 1976, a few years before my time, and apparently it was quite a big deal. I miss the mini-series, I feel that a lot of television shows should be condnesed into a mini-series or two, like LOST. The show went on endlessly, really doing nothing the last few seasons, except get odd and confusing. Rich Man, Poor Man was anything but confusing, it was fantastic.
We sat down and watched the saga of two brothers, played by the now famous Nick Nolte and Peter Strauss, as their lives unfolded for two decades post-WWII. The backdrop is, of course, the changing nation and there is a lot about marriage, women's lib and race relations. The series is still relevant and really well acted. It also includes the sequel, which isn't as good, but still worth a watch. If you saw this one back in the day, it still holds up...if you haven't seen it yet, we definately recommend!
The bonus features include: Brand-new audio commentary for Book I: Chapter 1 featuring star Peter Strauss and television historian David Bianculli
Interest Range: Vintage TV