This week we start in the 1950s: The Golden Age of Television

The Criterion Collection has assembled a new three-disc set qualifying as the year’s most entertaining collection, with Marty, No Time for Sergeants, Patterns, A Wind From the South, Bang the Drum Slowly, The Comedian, Days of Wine and Roses and Requiem For a Heavyweight. The package, along with a 34-page booklet by Ron Simon, features eight of television’s most enduring live dramas, originally airing from 1954-58. At that time, networks turned out a string of some legendary productions, featuring some of the medium’s all-time great work (Mickey Rooney’s performance in The Comedian is still the best I have ever seen on television).

Columbia Pictures

Mickey Rooney, left, and Jackie Gleason star in Requiem For a Heavyweight, included in the DVD collection “The Golden Age of Television.”

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The plays usually ran under the rubric of their sponsor, such as Philco Television Playhouse, and ran less than an hour (slightly longer with Playhouse 90 productions — The Comedian, Wine and Roses and Requiem). The satisfying three-act plays came complete with unity and resolution. And, in the days before digitization or videotape, they were performed live and only recorded on kinescope.

These eight showcase some amazing talent, including Marty’s Rod Steiger and Nancy Marchand (who, years later, played Tony Soprano’s mother for one season of The Sopranos before her untimely death), young Andy Griffith in Sergeants (the only comedy included), and Drum’s Paul Newman.

Many of the directors graduated to film, such as John Frankenheimer (The Manchurian Candidate, Birdman of Alcatraz). Some mythical writers supplied the material, such as The Twilight Zone’s Rod Serling, author of both Requiem For a Heavyweight and the teleplay for The Comedian; Paddy Chayefsky, author of Marty and, later, Network; and novelist Ira Levin (The Stepford Wives, Rosemary’s Baby), who penned the teleplay for Sergeants.

All eight include a brief previously filmed introduction, giving background to the production.

*

Paper Heart (***) Charlyne Yi stars in and co-wrote the screenplay for this likable, offbeat film, part romantic comedy and part documentary, or maybe faux documentary. She plays herself, a young, single woman who can’t find love. She embarks on a quest with her co-writer and director Nicholas Jasenovec (played confusingly by Jake Johnson) to see if she can understand what constitutes love, what makes it and how it affects people.

When she becomes romantically involved with actor Michael Cera, who plays himself, the situations become almost surreal. Before the conclusion, the filmmaking team travels across the country before ending up in the city of love, Paris.

Rated PG-13, 88 minutes.

The DVD, also on Blu-ray, contains two music videos, a whopping 17 deleted scenes, and 26 minutes of interviews with eight featured comedians.

*

The Open Road (***) Justin Timberlake turns in a credible performance as minor league baseball player Carlton Garrett, son of ex-Houston Astros hall of famer Kyle Garrett (Jeff Bridges). When Carlton’s mother (Mary Steenburgen) enters the hospital, possibly dying, she asks to see Kyle again. Carlton and his ex-girlfriend Lucy (Kate Mara) travel to a memorabilia show in Ohio to try to bring Kyle back. Because of their circumstances, they must drive, ending up on a routine road trip, but one in which many revelations unfold. Plausible drama made palatable by Bridges’ hammy performance and the likeability of Mara and Timberlake.

Rated PG-13, 90 minutes.

The DVD offers commentary from Bridges and writer-director Michael Meredith, and a seven-minute “making-of” featurette.

*

The Brooklyn Heist (**1/2) This lightweight caper-comedy is so goofy, it is hard to dismiss. Three different groups of amateur thieves plot and then break into a Brooklyn pawnshop, unfortunately all at the same time. Director Julian Mark Kheel shuffles his film stock, giving each group its own specific look. But it would not be hard to tell the difference among the neighborhood gangster, the gangsta wannabes and the Russian brother and sister who are naturalized-citizen wannabes.

Rated PG-13, 85 minutes.

The DVD offers commentary, five deleted scenes, an alternate ending, alternate takes and a look at how Kheel achieved his three distinctive looks.

*

The Gambler, the Girl, and the Gunslinger (**) Dean Cain stars in this diluted Western about a gambler who wins half of a ranch and must then team up with the combative owner (James Tupper) of the other half to fight off various forces. And of course a beautiful woman (Allison Hossack) figures in.

Not rated, 90 minutes.

The DVD includes several interviews with the main cast.

*

And Disney unveils a few nuggets for youngsters this week:

Mickey Mouse Clubhouse — Mickey’s Choo-Choo Express Mickey, Minnie, Donald, Daisy and Goofy take a ride on the Clubhouse Choo-Choo for this animated feature. After making several stops, they bring back snow to make snow angels and snowmen in summer.

Rated TV-Y, 45 minutes.

The DVD also offers viewers three ways to watch and play. Plus, a bonus episode, Mickey’s Big Job.

*

Handy Manny — Manny’s Motorcycle Adventure In Manny’s first full-length adventure, he and his friends travel on his motorcycle to his family reunion.

Rated TV-Y, 50 minutes.

This DVD also offers three ways to watch and play. Plus, the bonus episode A Very Handy Holiday.

*

Santa Buddies — The Legend of Santa Paws In this enduring franchise, the talking golden retriever pups return, taking a trip to the North Pole for a holiday adventure. B-Dawg, Budderball, Buddha, Mudbank and Rosebud head to Santa’s workshop when an unexpected detour develops.

Not rated, 88 minutes.

The DVD comes in the usual Disney array of choices, including Blu-ray. The two-disc combo pack includes the Blu-ray copy and an HD option. Also: several sing-along-with-the-buddies music videos.

*

Also this week: Deadline, Into the Storm, Night at the Museum: Battle of the Smithsonian, Saturday Night Live — The Complete Fifth Season and Terminator Salvation

DR. BOO ALLEN is an award-winning film critic for the Denton Record-Chronicle.