---
product_id: 50948619
title: "David Lean Collection"
price: "$2289"
currency: MXN
in_stock: true
reviews_count: 9
url: https://www.desertcart.mx/products/50948619-david-lean-collection
store_origin: MX
region: Mexico
---

# David Lean Collection

**Price:** $2289
**Availability:** ✅ In Stock

## Quick Answers

- **What is this?** David Lean Collection
- **How much does it cost?** $2289 with free shipping
- **Is it available?** Yes, in stock and ready to ship
- **Where can I buy it?** [www.desertcart.mx](https://www.desertcart.mx/products/50948619-david-lean-collection)

## Best For

- Customers looking for quality international products

## Why This Product

- Free international shipping included
- Worldwide delivery with tracking
- 15-day hassle-free returns

## Description

David Lean was the son of strict Quaker parents and did not see his first film until aged 17. He began his film career in 1928 as a teaboy for Gaumont-British studios, where he soon was promoted to clapboard boy, and finally to editor - a position at which he excelled. By the end of the 1930s Lean was the most highly-paid film editor working in British cinema and widely regarded as the best.As a director, David Lean's first intention was always to tell a story, few directors were as able to convey the spirit of place in film. Surprising the audience was very important to David Lean, whether it was Pip rushing straight into Magwitch in the graveyard in Great Expectations or Harold Hobson drunkenly pursuing the moon in a puddle in Hobson's Choice, Lean conjured up image after image to amaze, amuse, move or excite his audience. The collection comprises;The Sound BarrierHobson's ChoiceBlithe SpiritBrief EncounterGreat ExpectationsOliver TwistMadeleineThe Passionate FriendsThis Happy BreedIn Which We Serve Special Features: Collectors' guide.

Review: DAVID LEAN CENTENARY COLLECTION DVDs from ITV - 10 films for an absurd price (£18 currently), all good quality (9/10) with sound levels on some films that is a bit variable 8/10 just, (PASSIONATE FRIENDS is appalling - whisper level dialogue - thundering music and effects, keep the remote handy) and all with good subtitles. This is a must for lovers of cinema or just good films. Obviously some of the films here will appeal more than others. For me the standout ones are, in no order, BRIEF ENCOUNTER - I was so pleasantly surprised to find it still packs an emotional wallop, even if society (and film making) has changed immeasurably - now there would be full nudity!? This is thanks to a master class in understated acting (from the whole cast, especially Cyril Raymond as the husband), scripting and a beautifully paced direction. The 2 Dickens films GREAT EXPECTATIONS and OLIVER TWIST still stand the test of time and enjoy tremendous sets, lighting, crowd atmosphere, and - acting! Lovely films. IN WHICH WE SERVE is still powerful if you can take the cliches - they perhaps weren't cliches then? But it is superbly filmed and acted (tho I believe the directing was mainly by Noel Coward). The rest have, for me, dated a bit, but are still very much worth the price of entry. A valuable collection. A must - for everyone.
Review: Wonderful films, luminous DVDs: a must-buy! - Boxsets like this are a godsend to serious movie buffs; they offer us the opportunity to hold our own mini-film festivals and study/enjoy a large portion of a major director's body of work. In this case, we get to follow the first half of David Lean's career. From 1942 to 1953, Lean directed 10 films -- all of them produced within the British film industry, most filmed on studio sets, and all but two shot in moody black-and-white. (Not included is "Major Barbara" (1941), which sources indicate was primarily directed uncredited by Lean. Nor are Lean's final six feature films, which were all international productions made on location.) I'm not sure that much more needs to be said about the individual films themselves. If you're considering this purchase, then you probably know most of them already. I'd like to make two quick points: (1) I'm largely in agreement with David Thomson and other critics who have attempted to rehabilitate Lean's early career and elevate these films above some of his later, more popular epics; these films strike me as having more vitality, humor, and visual inventiveness than, say, the ponderous "Doctor Zhivago." (2) Watching Lean's four collaborations with Noel Coward offers a remarkable study in a gifted artist slowly but steadily surpassing his gifted mentor; already in "This Happy Breed" you can sense Lean chafing against Coward's social conservatism, granting better close-ups to Kay Walsh's rebellious daughter than to Robert Newton's mouth-piece for Coward. The DVDs themselves are uniformly very pleasing. As other reviewers have noted, the films are presented in their CORRECT aspect ratio of 1.33:1 or thereabouts. The restorations by the BFI are wonderful; I've never seen the Technicolor look so vibrant in "Blithe Spirit." I do have two minor complaints: (1) There is very heavy grain present in some of these transfers (notably "In Which We Serve" and "Madeleine"), and I'm not always certain that the grain is inherent in the original source materials. Some of it looks like it might have been created by a little too much digital fiddling by ITV. Or perhaps it's because some of these DVDs are single-layer and thus have a rather low bit-rate. (2) There are also surprisingly few extra features for such a labour of love. All the discs feature photo galleries, and the first six retain their original theatrical trailers. Otherwise, there are only three 24-minute featurettes for "In Which We Serve," "Brief Encounter," and "Oliver Twist" -- all of which were produced by Carlton several years ago. Oh, yes, there's also a booklet with a few paragraphs dedicated to each film. But ITV missed a wonderful opportunity to add to our appreciation of these films, and perhaps to continue rehabilitating some of them. For instance, both "The Passionate Friends" and "Madeleine" would benefit from some critical insight, and it's almost shameful that the DVD for a film of "Great Expectation"'s stature is basically bare-bones. Nevertheless, as other reviewers have pointed out, desertcart's sale price makes this boxset a steal. And further criticism would be churlish. ITV is to be commended, and this item is to be purchased by any serious cinephile.

## Technical Specifications

| Specification | Value |
|---------------|-------|
| ASIN  | B001AHKH6E |
| Actors  | Anne Todd, Dinah Sheridan, John Justin, Nigel Patrick, Ralph Richardson |
| Aspect Ratio  | 4:3 - 1.33:1 |
| Best Sellers Rank | 7,936 in DVD & Blu-ray ( See Top 100 in DVD & Blu-ray ) 1,287 in Box Sets (DVD & Blu-ray) 2,735 in Drama (DVD & Blu-ray) |
| Country of origin  | Poland |
| Customer reviews | 4.7 4.7 out of 5 stars (584) |
| Director  | David Lean, Noël Coward |
| Is discontinued by manufacturer  | No |
| Item model number  | 5037115274632 |
| Language  | English (Dolby Digital 2.0) |
| Media Format  | PAL |
| Number of discs  | 10 |
| Producers  | Anthony Havelock-Allan, David Lean, Noël Coward, Ronald Neame, Stanley Haynes |
| Product Dimensions  | 17 x 4 x 28 cm; 310 g |
| Release date  | 11 Aug. 2008 |
| Run time  | 16 hours and 29 minutes |
| Studio  | ITV DVD |
| Subtitles:  | English |

## Product Details

- **Format:** PAL
- **Genre:** Drama
- **Runtime:** 16 hours and 29 minutes
- **Studio:** Carlton

## Images

![David Lean Collection - Image 1](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/71pCGI1Lw6L.jpg)
![David Lean Collection - Image 2](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/71Y4t2Ox53L.jpg)

## Customer Reviews

### ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ DAVID LEAN CENTENARY COLLECTION DVDs from ITV
*by A***N on 3 February 2019*

10 films for an absurd price (£18 currently), all good quality (9/10) with sound levels on some films that is a bit variable 8/10 just, (PASSIONATE FRIENDS is appalling - whisper level dialogue - thundering music and effects, keep the remote handy) and all with good subtitles. This is a must for lovers of cinema or just good films. Obviously some of the films here will appeal more than others. For me the standout ones are, in no order, BRIEF ENCOUNTER - I was so pleasantly surprised to find it still packs an emotional wallop, even if society (and film making) has changed immeasurably - now there would be full nudity!? This is thanks to a master class in understated acting (from the whole cast, especially Cyril Raymond as the husband), scripting and a beautifully paced direction. The 2 Dickens films GREAT EXPECTATIONS and OLIVER TWIST still stand the test of time and enjoy tremendous sets, lighting, crowd atmosphere, and - acting! Lovely films. IN WHICH WE SERVE is still powerful if you can take the cliches - they perhaps weren't cliches then? But it is superbly filmed and acted (tho I believe the directing was mainly by Noel Coward). The rest have, for me, dated a bit, but are still very much worth the price of entry. A valuable collection. A must - for everyone.

### ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Wonderful films, luminous DVDs: a must-buy!
*by T***A on 25 March 2009*

Boxsets like this are a godsend to serious movie buffs; they offer us the opportunity to hold our own mini-film festivals and study/enjoy a large portion of a major director's body of work. In this case, we get to follow the first half of David Lean's career. From 1942 to 1953, Lean directed 10 films -- all of them produced within the British film industry, most filmed on studio sets, and all but two shot in moody black-and-white. (Not included is "Major Barbara" (1941), which sources indicate was primarily directed uncredited by Lean. Nor are Lean's final six feature films, which were all international productions made on location.) I'm not sure that much more needs to be said about the individual films themselves. If you're considering this purchase, then you probably know most of them already. I'd like to make two quick points: (1) I'm largely in agreement with David Thomson and other critics who have attempted to rehabilitate Lean's early career and elevate these films above some of his later, more popular epics; these films strike me as having more vitality, humor, and visual inventiveness than, say, the ponderous "Doctor Zhivago." (2) Watching Lean's four collaborations with Noel Coward offers a remarkable study in a gifted artist slowly but steadily surpassing his gifted mentor; already in "This Happy Breed" you can sense Lean chafing against Coward's social conservatism, granting better close-ups to Kay Walsh's rebellious daughter than to Robert Newton's mouth-piece for Coward. The DVDs themselves are uniformly very pleasing. As other reviewers have noted, the films are presented in their CORRECT aspect ratio of 1.33:1 or thereabouts. The restorations by the BFI are wonderful; I've never seen the Technicolor look so vibrant in "Blithe Spirit." I do have two minor complaints: (1) There is very heavy grain present in some of these transfers (notably "In Which We Serve" and "Madeleine"), and I'm not always certain that the grain is inherent in the original source materials. Some of it looks like it might have been created by a little too much digital fiddling by ITV. Or perhaps it's because some of these DVDs are single-layer and thus have a rather low bit-rate. (2) There are also surprisingly few extra features for such a labour of love. All the discs feature photo galleries, and the first six retain their original theatrical trailers. Otherwise, there are only three 24-minute featurettes for "In Which We Serve," "Brief Encounter," and "Oliver Twist" -- all of which were produced by Carlton several years ago. Oh, yes, there's also a booklet with a few paragraphs dedicated to each film. But ITV missed a wonderful opportunity to add to our appreciation of these films, and perhaps to continue rehabilitating some of them. For instance, both "The Passionate Friends" and "Madeleine" would benefit from some critical insight, and it's almost shameful that the DVD for a film of "Great Expectation"'s stature is basically bare-bones. Nevertheless, as other reviewers have pointed out, Amazon's sale price makes this boxset a steal. And further criticism would be churlish. ITV is to be commended, and this item is to be purchased by any serious cinephile.

### ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Classic collection
*by J***E on 4 December 2012*

Lovely to have these classic movies on DVD. I think I could watch Brief Encounter every day! The Dickens films are simply marvellous: the young John Mills as Pip in Great Expectations, and Alec Guinness, very young, as Pip's companion in Great Expectations and then turning in a brilliant performance as Fagin in Oliver Twist. If you've never seen Dirk Bogarde in The Tale of Two Cities, this is the collection to have - he brings the character of Sidney Carton to life in this poignant and moving story, possibly Dickens's best. The Sound Barrier is a little dated now, but a wonderful way to understand the transition of air travel into the jet age. Madeleine is unusual and atmospheric, a Gothic crime tale based on a true story. The Passionate Friends is charming and a reminder of a bygone age of manners and good behaviour. These three films all star Ann Todd who was David Lean's wife for a while. She is a beautiful, mannered actress of her period, and these classics are a breath of fresh air in their measured pace, stylish and stylised acting and, while not quite in the Brief Encounter class (which is exceptional), wonderful matinee fare. David Lean was a fantastic director and these early films give a good flavour of the marvels to come in Lawrence of Arabia, Dr Zhivago, and Ryan's Daughter. I recommend any film buff to include this box set in their film collection.

## Frequently Bought Together

- David Lean Collection [DVD]
- The Humphrey Bogart Collection - The Maltese Falcon / Casablanca / The Big Sleep / Key Largo [DVD]
- Spencer Tracy And Katharine Hepburn Collection [4 Film] [DVD] [1942]

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*Last updated: 2026-02-20*