Rich Man, Poor Woman (Japanese TV Drama with English, All Region DVD Version)

I met Peter Strauss for the first time after a staged reading at the Westport Playhouse, in which he, along with several other wonderful actors, gave a superb reading of a new play. Speaking to him, briefly, afterwards, I mentioned the absence of "Rich Man" on DVD - and he agreed. He told me he is asked this a lot and does not understand why a terrific DVD edition of this classic miniseries is not available. My God, it should be! This was one of the first real TV "events" - must see TV before it really existed - with a superb, involving story of two brothers growing up in turbulent times, their lives and loves, and their ultimate search for happiness. The acting could not be better. Peter Strauss has always been an underrated actor, in my opinion. In "The Jericho Mile" he gives a landmark performance. Here, in "Rich Man," he believably ages from a high school student to an older, forlorn Senator trying to reclaim his humanity. It was an honor to speak to Mr. Strauss, who could not have been more gracious. He was eager to see this miniseries on DVD and was also interested in being part of an "extras" package to boot. Can you imagine getting Mr. Strauss and Nick Nolte back to discuss the legendary film that began both their careers? EVERY actor here gives a unique performance. It was one of the unforgettable TV miniseries. It deserves a gold star treatment!UPDATE on DVD release! "Rich Man, Poor Man" is a five star production, but the DVD release rates barely A STAR AND A HALF - it is almost a travesty. I would like to commend Mr. Strauss, brilliant in the role in both series, for offering an excellent, perceptive, and interesting one hour long commentary track to accompany the first hour of the original series - but that is the ONLY recommendation I can give to this product.First, the video transfer is poor - there is NO high definition upgrade to the original show at all, so it looks like a typical TV show from the '70's, no upgrades at all. The sound quality is also poor.Second, and most important, the DVD has been EDITED! Incredibly enough, there are whole scenes missing from the DVD - most grievously, in the final hour of the show, after Rudy nearly loses his career after hurting a college girl, whose photo club had taken nude pictures of a drunken Julie, there is a MISSING SCENE when we see the Van Johnson character return to tell Rudy that his political career can be saved - which leads directly back to the scenes where Julie begins to drink again and, inadvertently, causes a tragedy. The scene is gone! And parts of other scenes, including the introductions to the openings, also appear to be trimmed.I bought some foreign copies of both series some time ago - and both were better than this product. Make no mistake - A & E did this on the cheap and ended up leaving a tarnished legacy for a landmark series. It is STILL worth watching, for all the wonderful stories it tells, but this DVD product is a disgrace - and you will have to find another DVD or VHS tape to actually see the WHOLE series. The VHS tapes actually seem to have better sound and picture quality and more beautifully packaged as well. I would stick with them, except that Book Two, which has great moments, is not available on VHS tapes, but only on foreign DVD's, which, I'm sure, are of better quality than this disgrace. At least these shows don't appear to be edited.Too bad. Again, Mr. Strauss's commentaries are worth hearing, but I wish there was more. That's the ONLY extra for the high price you are paying. Such a disappointment. Wasn't there ANYONE of any knowledge working for A & E who could have overseen this transfer? For the price you are paying, you deserve better.

Although it seems like some scenes have been edited or removed from the original showing that was broadcast sometime in the 1970s, it still is a great series .I watched it from beginning to end in two nights..it's that good...

One of Nick Nolte's best, early roles. And I have to say, he's so adorable looking in this movie. Peter Strauss plays Nick Nolte's more sophisticated, more put together older brother that seems to have things more worked out than his younger brother. You find throughout the movie they both have their troubles and are struggling through figuring out adulthood. Not to ruin it for everyone too much, but I tend to judge a movie by it's ending, and this one is a little tragic, but it kind of matches the overall experience of the movie. It leaves me with the same feeling as watching the series Six Feet Under, so if you like this mini-series, I highly recommend you seek out Six Feet Under, you will definitely like it.

Watched this as a college student when it was originally broadcast and loved it for a lot of reasons but remembered mostly my huge crush on Peter Strauss. Just watched it again forty years later and am amazed at the terrific performances that flew right by my twenty-year-old mind. Ed Asner and Dorothy McGuire are superb. Smaller, powerful scenes with Robert Reed and Bill Bixby. The casting in just about every role is perfect and even the "big star" of that time cameos are juicy, just not phoned in stunts. A great story and a great candidate for binge watching.

I bought it about 5 or years ago on VHS and while "RMPM" was super on TV , it seemed slow after all those years. That being said next to "CHIEFS' it WORTH REWATCHING. But not at the $100 price I paid several years ago.

One if the best series I have ever viewed.Fantastic cast and production.Nick and I briefly discussed the making of the series when in Mammoth Lakes back in the '80s.Outstanding!

Only three of 9 discs worked. I think the discs are not universal DVDs. I’ve contacted the seller. Will change my review if I get a proper response and a refund.

took me back to the '70s. very good.

I purchased this box set believing that it was a digitally improved version of this wonderful series, only to find that it is just the original series that has simply been repackaged to make it appear updated!Series one has no subtitles which, in this day and age, I believed would have been added, especially at the price being charged for this 'new' box set.As I am hearing impaired the first series is of no use to me whatsoever and precludes me from even trying Book 2 even though that does have subtitles - I am just so very disappointed with my purchase.

Having looked forward to this for some time, when I finally got round to watching this great series, I found myself feeling very disappointed, indeed.The video quality is appalling - very grainy, dark, and massively noticeable interlacing (many alternating horizontal lines on the picture). Quality is about as good as it would be if someone had made a copy by simply pointing a video camera at a TV playing an old VHS tape.I had to stop watching as I found myself totally distracted by feelings of anger and disappointment at the rubbish picture quality.

Excellent series! As you'd expect of an old TV series, the picture quality isn't as good as today's series, but you soon forget the picture quality as you are drawn into the story! Loving every hour of it so far!

Poor quality picture and had 2 get another set box as some of the episodes weren't showing properly and the next lot were the same.

Not all off the DVDs had subtitles which is a shame as I got them for my 86 year old mother