Tag: reginald owen

An Old-Fashioned Christmas Movie On The Farm (2022) with… A Christmas Carol (1938)

For the last Christmas film I’m looking at before the holiday itself, we’ve got one version of one of Hollywood’s most frequently told tales: that of Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol! This time, we’re looking at the 1938 film starring Reginald Owen as Ebenezer Scrooge!

Coming Up Shorts! with… Bored Of Education (1936)

(available on Blu-ray as part of The Little Rascals: The ClassicFlix Restorations, Volume 6 (1936-1938) from ClassicFlix)

(Length: 10 minutes, 21 seconds)

It’s the first day back to school after a long vacation, but Spanky (George McFarland) and Alfalfa (Carl Switzer) don’t want to go to school. Their new teacher, Miss Lawrence (Rosina Lawrence) overhears their plot to get out of school, and comes up with a plan of her own to get them to stay. It’s an entertaining short that shares a similar plot to the earlier Teacher’s Pet (1930). Spanky and Alfalfa are indeed the fun here as they use a balloon to fake a toothache (which later affects Alfalfa’s singing a little bit). Personally, I enjoyed it, and I would heartily recommend it!

Coming Up Shorts! with… The Christmas Party (1931)

(Available as an extra on the A Christmas Carol Blu-ray from Warner Home Video)

(9 minutes, 2 seconds)

Jackie (Jackie Cooper) hopes to host a Christmas party at his house for his football team. However, when the guest list gets bigger than he imagined, he gets permission to use a soundstage at the MGM studio to host the party. Once you get past the whole opening, there really isn’t much plot to this short. Most of it is the dinner at the soundstage, with some of the big MGM stars of the time like Clark Gable, Marion Davies and others serving the kids their meal. That doesn’t necessarily make for a great short, but it’s at least an interesting holiday short anyways.

Coming Up Shorts! with… Peace On Earth (1939)

(Available as an extra on the A Christmas Carol Blu-ray from Warner Home Video)

(8 minutes, 50 seconds)

Around Christmastime, a grandpa squirrel comes to visit his grandchildren. When they ask him about the phrase “goodwill to men,” he relates the story of how mankind destroyed themselves in their last war. It’s an interesting antiwar cartoon, made just as the second World War was starting to ramp up. I can’t deny that it still feels way too relevant, as I watch how everybody has to fight over every single thing even today. It’s beautifully animated, and certainly echoes the right holiday spirit for this time of the year, which makes it worth seeing every now and again.

And Now For The Main Feature…

It’s Christmas Eve, and young Fred (Barry MacKay) has come to see his uncle Ebenezer Scrooge (Reginald Owen) at his counting-house. Fred hopes to invite his uncle to Christmas dinner with his fiancée, but Scrooge turns him down, considering Christmas to be nothing more than a humbug. Scrooge begrudgingly gives his employee, Bob Cratchit (Gene Lockhart), the day of Christmas off, but ends up firing him later when Bob accidentally wrecks Scrooge’s top hat in the streets. At his home later that evening, Scrooge is visited by the spectre of his dead partner, Marley (Leo G. Carroll), who warns him that he must change his ways or he will suffer in the afterlife, even more than Marley is. Marley further informs him that three ghosts will visit him that night. At one o’clock, Scrooge is visited by the Spirit Of Christmas Past (Ann Rutherford), who shows him what Christmas looked like for him in the past, when his sister was sent to bring him home from school, and later when he was apprenticed to Fezziwig (Forrester Harvey). At two o’clock (after the Spirit of Christmas Past had left him), he meets the Spirit Of Christmas Present (Lionel Braham), who shows him how his nephew is celebrating Christmas, as well as how Bob Cratchit is enjoying the day with his family, including his young and ill son, Tiny Tim (Terry Kilburn). After he is warned that Tiny Tim may not survive his illness, Scrooge then meets the Spirit Of Christmas Future (D’Arcy Corrigan). The Spirit shows him a future in which Tiny Tim does not survive, and Scrooge himself dies alone with nobody to care about him. Finally, he awakes to find that the Spirits had shown him all this in one night. Will their message take hold and help him to become a better man, or will he continue to be a selfish miser?

Nowadays, Charles Dickens’ tale of A Christmas Carol has been adapted for the big and small screen many, many times. However, back when the 1938 film version was done, that wasn’t quite the case, as it had mainly been done for a few shorts and one film (mostly in Britain). In the 1930s, actor Lionel Barrymore was well-known for playing the role of Ebenezer Scrooge every year on the radio, and when MGM wanted to make a film version of the tale, he was their first choice for the role. However, he had been struggling with arthritis for some time, and that plus two recent hip injuries resulted in him being unable to walk (having already been on crutches for the same year’s You Can’t Take It With You). So he declined the role, but suggested Reginald Owen for the part. To help audiences accept Reginald Owen in the part, Lionel Barrymore appeared in a special trailer for the film, and let Reginald Owen perform as Scrooge on the radio that year. Production on the film had already been delayed, and they rushed to get through filming in about six weeks. The film did decently at the box office, and would be the go-to version of the tale for a number of years, until more faithful versions of the tale appeared.

First off, I should say that I’ve never had the chance to actually read Charles Dickens’ story yet (although it’s one that I would like to get to one of these days), so I can only compare it against other film versions. I actually first saw this movie somewhere around ten to fifteen years ago. It was part of the four-film Classic Holiday DVD Collection from Warner Brothers, which I had bought for a film I had already seen, Boys Town (1938), with plans to try out the rest of the group (which also included the previously reviewed 1945 film Christmas In Connecticut). I can tell you right now, even then I had seen a huge number of adaptions of Dickens’ classic story, and was feeling burnt out on the whole story, so this was probably the film in that set that I least looked forward to seeing. I would definitely say that the movie changed my opinion and made me a fan! Reginald Owen makes for a very good Scrooge in my opinion, as we see his journey from miserable miser to the kind and giving man at the end of the tale. And he’s supported well by a number of other actors and actress, especially Gene Lockhart as Bob Cratchit.

To me, this film is as much about embracing your inner child even as an adult. Scrooge seems to have forgotten, and it’s only when he is given a reminder that he changes. Barry MacKay’s Fred fits this idea well with some of the film’s more memorable moments (for me). When we first meet him, he is sliding on the ice with some of the kids, having just as much fun as them. Later on, he tries to convince his fiancée Bess (Lynne Carver) to join in, and initially she resists. It’s only after they see the minister shoo away some of the kids sliding in front of the church and then, when he thinks nobody’s looking, enjoy a quick slide himself, that she joins in. Also, we get to see the Cratchits’ Christmas almost entirely from the kids’ viewpoint, without seeing much of the sorrow that their father is dealing with. Even Bob Cratchit cheers up (after he was fired) when he starts doing what he can to make his family’s Christmas a good one, anyways.

Now, is this film flawed? Yes. In my opinion, where it seems to falter the most is in the writing. To me, this Scrooge seems to change too quickly, and almost makes me feel like they had at least one ghost too many. To make things worse, they skip over too much of Scrooge’s past, ignoring his romance with Belle almost completely (and in the process, they don’t show any of Scrooge’s gradual descent into greed). And the section with the Spirit Of Christmas Present almost seems questionable, as we don’t really see how Scrooge is affecting those around him (especially Gene Lockhart’s Bob Cratchit, who looks too well-fed for the role, even if his performance is otherwise flawless). That being said, none of these flaws detract from the story enough to stop me from watching it. It may not be my favorite version of the story, but it’s one that I will gladly watch (and recommend)!

This movie is available on Blu-ray and DVD from Warner Home Video.

With this being my last post before the holiday itself, I want to wish you all a merry Christmas (and to those who don’t celebrate it, I wish you happy holidays), and I wish you peace on earth, and goodwill to ALL, and to quote Tiny Tim, “God bless us, everyone!”

Film Length: 1 hour, 9 minutes

My Rating: 9/10

List Of Actor/Actress Filmographies/Collections

Rose-Marie (1936) – Reginald Owen – The Pirate (1948)

Wedding Present (1936) – Gene Lockhart – Jesse James (1939)

Leo G. Carroll – Father Of The Bride (1950)

Love Finds Andy Hardy (1938) – Ann Rutherford

As an Amazon Affiliate, this site gets a small percentage for every purchase made upon using one of the Amazon links, even if it’s not the movie I linked to (and it’s at no extra cost to you). If you like what I’m doing with the blog, please consider using them so that I can continue to do more!

Thoughts From The Music(al) Man (2021) on… The Good Fairy (1935)

Today, we’ve got another double-feature! This one will be focusing on two movies that were written by Preston Sturges. The first one is the 1935 film The Good Fairy, starring Margaret Sullavan and Herbert Marshall! But first, we have a theatrical short to get through!

(available on Blu-ray and DVD as part of The Pink Panther Cartoon Collection: Volume 1 (1964-1966) from Kino Lorber)

(Length: 6 minutes, 24 seconds)

The Pink Panther tries to get himself into the orchestra at a concert, but the conductor keeps throwing him out. Of course, the fun here is in the orchestra trying to do Beethoven’s 5th Symphony, but the Panther keeps trying to do the Pink Panther Theme. The chemistry between the Panther and the Little Man as the conductor is still as good as always, and makes for a great deal of the fun. Throw in a quick cameo at the end from Henry Mancini (through live-action footage), and this one is a lot of fun to come back to every now and then!

And Now For The Main Feature…

When Maurice Schlapkohl (Alan Hale), the owner of a big movie theater, comes to the municipal orphanage (for girls), he hires orphan Luisa Ginglebusher (Margaret Sullavan) to be one of his ushers. The head of the orphanage, Dr. Schultz (Beulah Bondi), tries to give her advice, both on how to deal with men, as well as the hope that she will try to do good deeds for those around her. One night, when Luisa leaves the theater, she is accosted by a man, and her only hope is to pretend that the passing Detlaff (Reginald Owen) (whom she had met in the theater) is her husband. After she explains herself and her situation to Detlaff over sandwiches, he gives her an invitation to a fancy party. When she arrives, she finds out that he is the waiter there (and therefore cannot speak to her very easily without getting in trouble). She at first confuses the owner of a South American meat packing company, Konrad (Frank Morgan), for a waiter, until he tells her who he is and tries to seduce her. To get herself out of trouble, she again claims to be married, but Konrad is still interested, and promises to help make her “husband” rich (if only to get him out of the picture). Figuring it to be a possible way to do a good deed for others, like Dr. Schultz had suggested, Luisa picks a random name out of the phone book when Konrad is distracted. The next day, he goes to see her “husband,” a lawyer named Dr. Max Sporum (Herbert Marshall) to offer him a five-year contract that would take him to South America (but he obviously doesn’t give the exact reason why he is doing this). Dr. Sporum believes this is essentially karma, as he has long tried to be honest and ethical in all his dealings, and finally things are going right for him. A bit later, Luisa tries to see him to tell him the truth, only to see how happy this has made him, and she can’t bring herself to disillusion him. They spend some time together, spending the money he has been given due to his new account, and they fall for each other. However, Luisa still has to meet with Konrad later, so that Dr. Sporum will be able to keep his position. Will she be able to go through with it, or will everything still work itself out for all involved?

The movie was based on the 1930 play A jó tündér (or The Good Fairy) by Ferenc Molnár (which had been translated and adapted by Jane Hinton for the 1931 Broadway show). Preston Sturges adapted it for the big screen, and tailored the script for actress Maureen Sullavan for her third film. In spite of many behind-the-scenes issues (such as Preston Sturges generally getting the script to everyone a day before they would shoot it, or quarrels between Maureen Sullavan and director William Wyler), the movie turned out to be a hit. The screenplay would be the basis for the 1951 Broadway musical Make A Wish, and the story would be remade onscreen as the 1947 Deanna Durbin film I’ll Be Yours and a 1956 TV movie for Hallmark Hall Of Fame.

I’m coming off my first time seeing this movie. I was willing to try it, having seen a few other films that Preston Sturges was involved with, and this one sounded like fun. Having Frank Morgan in the cast didn’t hurt, either, as he is usually fun to see (outside of in Fast And Loose, although I blame that one on the early sound technology and how it affected everybody’s acting). And, having seen it, I still maintain my opinion of Frank Morgan, as he is just as fun (and funny) here as I would expect! And he’s not the only one. Reginald Owen as the waiter Detlaff, who takes on an almost fatherly role for Margaret Sullavan’s character, provides some humor as well. Margaret Sullavan herself is quite a bit of fun, able to handle most of the comedy well as her character tries to navigate the whole situation. Eric Blore makes an enjoyable (if not altogether too short) appearance as the drunken Dr. Metz, the Minister of Arts and Decorations. I will admit, Herbert Marshall seems to be the weak link for me in the main cast, but even he’s enough fun (especially when he is being pushed to get rid of his facial hair at Luisa’s insistence).

It’s an understatement to say that this movie has a number of memorable moments within it! I know I get a chuckle out of the “movie-within-a-movie” scene early on, with its melodramatic tone and one character basically saying “Go” with different inflections the whole time (seriously, it seems like the type of thing that Singin’ In The Rain made fun of). And, honestly, the dynamic between Frank Morgan and Reginald Owen’s characters (Konrad and Detlaff, respectively) provides quite a few laughs throughout the movie. Of course, the two standout moments for this pair are when Konrad tries to order dinner for two (and Detlaff keeps looking for reasons to get Margaret Sullavan’s Luisa out of the private dining room to get her out of trouble), and the end, when everything gets explained. Plain and simple, I really enjoyed this movie, and had quite a few good laughs with it! So I would indeed recommend this one!

What’s Old Is A New Release Again (2020) with… The Good Fairy (1935)

This movie is available on Blu-ray from Kino Lorber Studio Classics, featuring a new 4K master. This transfer looks wonderful! The detail is superb! There are a few (very few) specks here and there, but so few that it’s hardly worth mentioning. It’s safe to say this wonderful film has been given the treatment it deserves, and the Blu-ray is well worth it!

Film Length: 1 hour, 38 minutes

My Rating: 8/10

List Of Actor/Actress Filmographies/Collections

Margaret Sullavan – The Shop Around The Corner (1940)

Herbert Marshall – Mad About Music (1938)

The Cat And The Fiddle (1934) – Frank Morgan – Naughty Marietta (1935)

Stingaree (1934) – Reginald Owen – Rose-Marie (1936)

Eric Blore – Top Hat (1935)

As an Amazon Affiliate, this site gets a small percentage for every purchase made upon using one of the Amazon links, even if it’s not the movie I linked to (and it’s at no extra cost to you). If you like what I’m doing with the blog, please consider using them so that I can continue to do more!

Thoughts From The Music(al) Man (2019) on… Rose-Marie (1936)

And now we’re here for the 1936 version of Rose-Marie, starring Jeanette MacDonald and Nelson Eddy.

In this movie, Jeanette MacDonald plays Rose-Marie de Flor, an operatic diva (emphasis on “diva”). When she hears that her brother, John Flower (James Stewart), has broken out of prison and killed a mountie, she decides to come to him in the wilderness. On the way, she runs into Sergeant Bruce (Nelson Eddy), the mountie who has been tasked with finding her brother. Bruce quickly figures out that she is the famous opera diva, but, due to Rose-Marie’s relationship to her brother being kept secret, he doesn’t realize her main reason for being there. After she leaves with her guide, he puts two and two together, and follows her. She loses her guide and is stuck with Bruce (who doesn’t admit that he knows, instead admitting to going a different direction). Of course, on the trip there, they both fall for each other, which makes Bruce’s job that much harder.

What can I say? This is a wonderful movie! This is the second film version of a 1924 stage operetta, following a (now believed to be lost) 1928 silent film and later followed by the 1954 version starring Howard Keel, Ann Blyth and Fernando Lamas. In spite of the fact that this version deviates the most from the play as far as the story is concerned, this is the best-known version. This film does make use of some of the music from the stage operetta to wonderful effect. We have songs such as “The Mounties,” sung by Nelson Eddy and the title tune “Rose-Marie,” sung by Nelson Eddy as a serenade for Jeanette MacDonald’s character (which works until he starts to sing it again and accidentally substitutes another lady’s name for Rose-Marie’s, revealing that he’s used the song before). But the best song would have to be “Indian Love Call” (although, if you don’t like the song, it’s very hard to enjoy the last half hour of the movie, as it’s sung about four times within that time frame). But it is such a wonderful song, and I personally have never heard it sung better than either Jeanette MacDonald or Nelson Eddy.

Speaking of the film’s two stars, this is the second of eight movies that they were paired together for. This ended up being the first of their movies together that I saw (I had previously seen maybe one film each for their solo outings). Any knowledge of these films I possessed previously was from clips of some of their movies being included in the That’s Entertainment trilogy, and, as I have never been terribly fond of opera, I was reluctant to try them out. Then I saw the 1954 film with Howard Keel (whom I did like), enjoyed it and wanted to try this one. I was blown away by how much I liked this one, and it became easy for me to try to seek the others out. I still don’t really care for opera, but I am willing to put up with it for these movies. And this movie in particular has always felt like a lesson in great chemistry, because the movie relies quite heavily on just these two for the vast majority of the film. And it works! And we also have James Stewart in an early (and brief) role as the escaped convict brother, which apparently helped to get him noticed (and a few bigger roles, too) after having only done small bit parts. So, yes, I very much recommend this one!!

This movie is available on DVD either individually or as part of the four film Jeanette MacDonald & Nelson Eddy Collection: Volume 1 from Warner Archive Collection.

“When I’m calling you-oo-oo-oo-oo-oo-oo…”

Film Length: 1 hour, 51 minutes

My Rating: 10/10

*ranked #7 in Top 10 Movies Watched In 2019

List Of Actor/Actress Filmographies/Collections

Naughty Marietta (1935) – Jeanette MacDonald – San Francisco (1936)

Naughty Marietta (1935) – Nelson Eddy – Maytime (1937)

The Good Fairy (1935) – Reginald Owen – A Christmas Carol (1938)

James Stewart – Born To Dance (1936)

Allan Jones – Show Boat (1936)

In Person (1935) – Alan Mowbray – My Man Godfrey (1936)

Naughty Marietta (1935) – Jeanette MacDonald/Nelson Eddy (screen team) – Maytime (1937)

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What’s Old Is A New Release Again (2018) with… Stingaree (1934)

This time around, we’re getting into the 1934 movie Stingaree, starring Irene Dunne and Richard Dix.

In this movie, Irene Dunne plays Hilda Bouverie, a maid to the vain, wannabe singer Mrs. Clarkson (Mary Boland) in Australia.  Mrs. Clarkson has invited Sir Julian Kent (Conway Tearle), a man of some importance in the world of opera, to her home for a party (where she plans to sing for him). Hilda, however, is the one who can actually sing, but Mrs. Clarkson decides to send her elsewhere during the party. Sir Julian is, however, kidnapped by the notorious bandit Stingaree (Richard Dix), and Stingaree takes his place. At Mrs. Clarkson’s home, he hears Hilda sing, and, while falling in love with her, decides that he must have Sir Julian hear her sing.

This movie is considered to be a hybrid of musical and Western (even though it takes place in Australia). I think it is a fun movie, although I would say that the music is rather forgettable. From what I have read, this is the movie that established Irene Dunne as a singer in the movies, and she would follow it up with Roberta and the 1936 Show Boat, among others. In reading about this movie, I found out that the studio, RKO, had tried to sign actress Jeanette MacDonald for the part. I can believe it, as the film seems similar to some of Jeanette’s movies, especially some of the ones she made with Nelson Eddy. However, I do like Irene Dunne in the role, and I think it works for her.

Apparently, this movie has had a bit of a rough life. In the mid-forties, it was given to its original producer, Merian C. Cooper, as part of a legal settlement with RKO (along with five other movies). Outside of one time it was aired back in the fifties (from what I’ve read), it hadn’t really been seen until Turner Classic Movies was able to get the rights and show it again in 2007. Apparently, though, the movie seems to have fallen into the public domain, as Kino Lorber was able to release it on Blu-ray and DVD without having to license it from Warner Brothers, whom I would have assumed had the rights. The disc case claims it is a new restoration. I’m not completely sure that “restoration” is the right word for it. It has been given an HD transfer, but it certainly could have done with some more cleaning up. Personally, I think it looks good enough I can live with it. My problem with the release has more to do with the audio. The dialogue is not always as clear as I would prefer (although I don’t know enough about restoration techniques to know what, if anything, could be done about it). However, I could have lived with the audio IF ONLY THERE COULD HAVE BEEN SUBTITLES ON THIS RELEASE. While I understand that to do subtitles costs money (especially if they have to do it themselves instead of having the studio provide them), it still would have been nicer if they were there. In my opinion, if the audio could have been improved so that the dialogue could have been clearer, and/or there had been subtitles, I could have enjoyed the movie much better. So, I would recommend the movie itself, as it is a wonderful movie, but I have a hard time recommending this recent disc release at full price.

This movie is available on Blu-ray and DVD from Kino Lorber.

Film Length: 1 hour, 17 minutes

My Rating: 7/10

List Of Actor/Actress Filmographies/Collections

Irene Dunne – Show Boat (1936)

Reginald Owen – The Good Fairy (1935)

As an Amazon Affiliate, this site gets a small percentage for every purchase made upon using one of the Amazon links, even if it’s not the movie I linked to (and it’s at no extra cost to you). If you like what I’m doing with the blog, please consider using them so that I can continue to do more!

Thoughts From The Music(al) Man (2018) on… The Pirate (1948)

Time for another request! This time, it’s the second Judy Garland/ Gene Kelly movie, The Pirate, also starring Walter Slezak.

Coming Up Shorts! with… You Can’t Win (1948)

(available as an extra on The Pirate Blu-ray from Warner Archive Collection)

(Length: 7 minutes, 53 seconds)

On his day off, some guy just keeps struggling with everything he does going wrong. This one was quite funny, with mishaps coming from a persistent salesman, a cigarette lighter, starched shirts, cleaning a car and hanging a hammock. For the most part, I haven’t cared for the Pete Smith specialties, but this one was quite fun! The mishaps are relatable, and yet hilarious (in that old “I don’t mind laughing at the misfortunes of others, but probably would be mad if that happened to me”-type of humor)! Fun enough that I wouldn’t mind revisiting this one!

Coming Up Shorts! with… Cat Fishin’ (1947)

(available as an extra on The Pirate Blu-ray from Warner Archive Collection)

(Length: 7 minutes, 43 seconds)

Tom the cat tries to fish (using Jerry the mouse as bait) on an off-limits fishing hole guarded by Spike the dog. One fish in particular keeps giving Jerry trouble, but he manages to divert him away time and time again! And, while he’s not the main trouble for the middle of the short, Spike’s presence as he chases after Tom is always welcome! Certainly a lot of fun seeing this Tom and Jerry cartoon, and it’s one that I hope to come back to here and there for a few good laughs!

And Now For The Main Feature…

Judy plays Manuela, a girl living in the town of Calvados. She dreams of being carried off by the pirate Macoco, but she becomes engaged to the rich mayor of the town. Wanting to see the sea before she is married, she goes with her aunt to Port Sebastian to get her wedding dress. While there, she encounters a traveling troupe of actors, led by Serafin (Gene Kelly). He falls for her immediately, but she is repulsed by him. At their show, Serafin hypnotizes Manuela, and learns of her love for Macoco. Upon being kissed, she awakes from her trance, and runs back to her aunt, with plans to go immediately back to Calvados. The acting troupe arrives right before the wedding, with Serafin now claiming to be Macoco. He threatens to destroy the town if Manuela isn’t brought to him. While she comes to him, the mayor gets away to bring the militia, doing so successfully.

One thing I should say right off is not to be fooled by the title. Anybody expecting a grand pirate adventure will be disappointed. There are no ship battles, sword fights, etc. Everything pretty much happens on land. The closest you get is Gene Kelly’s pirate ballet, which is a dream sequence for when Judy’s character imagines Serafin as Macoco in action. In spite of that, it is still a wonderful dance, giving Gene a chance to show off his athletic abilities.

There is a lot of fun to this movie, where its music is concerned. Admittedly, most of it is somewhat forgettable (but it certainly is fun to see Gene and Judy giving it their all, just the same). The main song that is memorable is “Be A Clown,” which is used twice. For the first version, Gene dances with the Nicholas brothers, which was the first time they had danced onscreen with a Caucasian (and Gene insisted on them doing the routine with them). It was a wonderful dance, although the Nicholas brothers were punished by the dance being cut in some parts of the country, and they were blackballed from the movies after that. The song was reprised to end the movie, with Judy joining Gene, and both of them in clown getup, to comical effect. What should be mentioned here, too, is that the music was “borrowed” by Arthur Freed and given new lyrics to become the song “Make ‘Em Laugh” in Singin’ in the Rain (although apparently Cole Porter didn’t complain).

I do recommend this movie if you get the chance to see it! The movie is available on DVD from Warner Home Video.

What’s Old Is A New Release Again (2020) with… The Pirate (1948)

On November 24, 2020, The Pirate was released on Blu-ray by Warner Archive Collection. This Blu-ray makes use of a new restoration from a 4K scan of the original nitrate Technicolor negatives. I’ve been watching (and enjoying) this movie since the early 2000s, both on TV and on DVD. Both those sources apparently have been using a transfer done by an overseas lab that was, in the minds of many, very poorly done. It never bothered me that much, but, again, it’s what I knew. This new Blu-ray COMPLETELY blows that old transfer out of the water! The colors are just so vibrant now, it’s like an entirely different movie now! And the detail! Oh, this much detail is just fantastic to see, it’s so nice and crisp! When the Blu-ray of Summer Stock was released, that transfer was so much better that I bumped up my score of that movie (which at the time, I would have said was my favorite of the three Judy Garland/Gene Kelly pairings). For The Pirate, I would also have to bump up that score (and even to put it at 10/10 doesn’t seem to do it justice!), with it now feeling like my favorite of the three! So, seriously, if you’ve been watching it either on TV or on DVD, forget about them, and see the new Blu-ray! You’ll wonder how you could ever go back to the old transfer!

Film Length: 1 hour, 42 minutes

My Rating: 9/10

My Rating (after Blu-ray): 10/10

List Of Actor/Actress Filmographies/Collections

The Harvey Girls (1946) – Judy Garland – Easter Parade (1948)

Ziegfeld Follies (1945) – Gene Kelly – Take Me Out To The Ball Game (1949)

A Christmas Carol (1938) – Reginald Owen

As an Amazon Affiliate, this site gets a small percentage for every purchase made upon using one of the Amazon links, even if it’s not the movie I linked to (and it’s at no extra cost to you). If you like what I’m doing with the blog, please consider using them so that I can continue to do more!