Image credit: It Happened One Night: Everett Collection

Premiere Frank Capra Collection

10 big DVD boxed sets: ''Premiere Frank Capra Collection''

VITAL STATS Five films (Mr. Smith Goes to Washington; It Happened One Night, pictured; You Can't Take It With You; Mr. Deeds Goes to Town; American Madness); six discs; $59.95; out Dec. 5. CREATIVE ACHIEVEMENT Hollywood's greatest depicter of the American Dream — from its despairing lows to its life-affirming highs — created a series of golden-age masterpieces so empathetic to the masses and endearingly humane, they continue to have resonance decades after their debuts. EXTRAS Martin Scorsese, Robert Altman, and other modern filmmakers praise the three-time Oscar-winning director in a new doc narrated by Ron Howard, while son Capra Jr. adds a personal touch to the commentaries. THE BEST Yes, it's gooey and naive, but 1939's Mr. Smith — Capra's response to the burgeoning conflict in Europe and the death of his infant son — still makes ''Greatest Movies'' lists for a reason. Jimmy Stewart's idealist junior senator is a forthright, filibustering marvel. THE WORST The set contains a ''Frank Capra Jr. Remembers...'' featurette for all five films, and he serves as the sole commentator on three, so some of the anecdotes — many already well-known — are frequently repeated. VERDICT Despite the historical overlaps, it's a wonderful collector's set. — Michelle Kung

5 THINGSYOU DIDN'T KNOW...
1. Sicily-born Capra changed his middle name from ''Rosario'' to ''Russell,'' because it ''didn't smell of the ghetto.''
2. A true disciple of the ''no small roles'' philosophy, Capra spoke to every one of his extras, even in large crowd scenes.
3. Bankers compose the bulk of Capra's villains, courtesy of a bank kicking the director and his family out of their house following his father's death.
4. In his commentaries, Capra Jr. makes a point of singling out his dad's ''getting to know you'' scenes (usually about 20 minutes in): character interactions that didn't advance the plot but familiarized audiences with the main players.
5. An instinctive filmmaker, Capra shot by the credo ''If you have to think about it, forget it.''

5 More... Classic Discs
1. Forbidden Planet: SE (1956) The pre-Star Trek sci-fi take on Shakespeare's Tempest. (Out now)
2. Pandora's Box (1929) The silent melodrama with former Ziegfeld girl Louise Brooks. (Nov. 28)
3. O. Henry's Full House (1952) Five of the short-story writer's most popular tales. (Out now)
4. Miracle on 34th Street (1947) Featuring the black-and-white and colorized versions. (Out now)
5. There Was a Crooked Man... (1970) A Kirk Douglas lowbrow, oddball prison comedy. (Dec. 19)

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