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This is probably my all-time favorite movie.
First, I should mention there are 3 different films with the same title. The 1937 version, starring Janet Gaynor and Fredric March, is the one I'm reviewing. The 1954 film, starring Judy Garland and James Mason, and the 1976 film starring Barbara Streisand and Kris Kristofferson are both musicals, while the 1937 film is a drama. I found both musical versions disappointing compared to the 1937 version.
The 1937 version, as other Amazon customers have mentioned, is truly a classic, in the best sense of that word. There is a sense of "freshness" about it that you only experience in the best of films. I'm happy that other Amazon customers have appreciated the movie as much as I have and have extolled many of its virtues. I'll only add one more virtue to that list: excellent editing. The pacing of the movie is flawless. There is never a wasted moment. Every scene contributes to the forward progression of the story. How many movies can one say that about? And yet, I never felt it was rushed.
I must confess that none of my friends I've recommended the movie to were as enamored of it as I was. So I thought I'd first mention things about the film which might not be appreciated by some viewers.
First of all, the film is definitely a tragedy. Even I must admit the Academy Awards scene is truly painful to watch. But the movie is not an unrelenting downer. There are comic interludes and scenes of optimistic enthusiasm. And I found the final scene at the Grauman's Chinese Theatre uplifting and redeeming.
Second, admittedly (and embarrassingly), the movie does contain some "corn". This includes every scene with Andy Devine in it, and some of Janet Gaynor's naivete comes across that way too. But I take the corn as an artifact of its time and a small price to pay for the movie's many positive virtues.
Third, one of my friends thought the movie was "overacted". There is some truth to that. I thought that Janet Gaynor's "overacting", such as her less-than-subtle facial expressions, might have been the result of her earlier silent film career, where such overacting might have been necessary. But it works. The viewer can't help but empathize with Janet Gaynor's character.
Now, to the quality of the numerous transfers. Being my all-time favorite movie, I've bought many VHS and DVD versions of the film. (I assume it is in the public domain.). The best transfers, for which I've awarded my 5 stars to, are the Image DVD, the Kino DVD, and the Kino VHS. Although the differences between the Image and Kino transfers are noticeable, I found both were acceptable to me. I think it's partly a matter of personal preference rather than one being more accurately transferred than the other.
I don't pretend to have the technical expertise of some of your reviewers. So I'll limit my comments regarding transfer quality to the opening scenes of the movie where many of the transfers I've viewed are totally unacceptable. Luckily, the first version of the movie I ever saw (on VHS) was complete or I might not have realized that part of the movie's opening is missing from many versions (on both DVD and VHS). The opening scene of the film shows the sign of the Selznick Studios, followed by the Southern-style mansion front of the studios. That scene is accompanied by a fanfare played first by the trumpets. The next scene shows a night time panoramic view of Hollywood over which appear ascending titles and credits, which remind me of a red neon sign. This scene is accompanied by a gorgeous melody by Max Steiner. The previous fanfare makes the perfect introduction for Max Steiner's melody. The effect of the rising "neon" titles accompanied by Max Steiner's glorious music is emotionally overwhelming. I wish I had been there in 1937 to experience this in the movie theatre on the big screen.
Quite a few transfers of this movie are missing part or all of the opening scene of the Selznick Studios and the accompanying fanfare music. These "butchered" versions deprive the viewer of one of the most impressive openings to any movie ..... ever! Watching a butchered version is almost like listening to the first movement of Beethoven's Fifth Symphony from which someone had deleted the famous 4-note opening motif. The Image and Kino versions are all complete in the opening scene. If you have a different transfer, make sure you have the opening scenes as I've described them.
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Customer reviews
Beautifully restored by Warner Archive! 10 STARS!
Reviewed in the United States on July 27, 2022
This restored Blu-ray is a masterstroke. It will never look better.You will not be disappointed.
Reviewed in the United States on July 27, 2022
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Reviewed in the United States 🇺🇸 on May 23, 2015
Reviewed in the United States 🇺🇸 on July 27, 2022
You will not be disappointed.
Beautifully restored by Warner Archive! 10 STARS!
By John Malanga on July 27, 2022
This restored Blu-ray is a masterstroke. It will never look better.By John Malanga on July 27, 2022
You will not be disappointed.
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Reviewed in the United States 🇺🇸 on March 30, 2022
Reviewed in the United States 🇺🇸 on March 9, 2014
Reviewed in the United States 🇺🇸 on January 18, 2022
Top reviews from other countries
Paul
First and best version of this story.
Reviewed in the United Kingdom 🇬🇧 on August 5, 2018kenneth e. allen.
A good film, a good story, a fine cast.
Reviewed in the United Kingdom 🇬🇧 on March 21, 2014
