A Few Words About A few words about...™ The Women -- in Blu-ray (1 Viewer)

[Robert Harris]

Although there were at least a couple of other M-G-M productions released in 1939 that used the Technicolor process, George Cukor's The Women is notable as being a black & white production with a five plus minute Technicolor fashion show.

It is that sequence which troubled some past video presentations.  I recall one, for which apparently the folks behind the transfer were unaware of the color sequence, or it had gone missing, and only the foreground black & white was presented, at least in the wrap-arounds.

I did note a tiny bit of registration error in a few shots, but nothing of any great concern.  I'm thinking element problems.

Finally on Blu-ray, and looking superlative, this 75 year-old classic shines, as I've never seen before.

For completists attempting to gather all of the performances of certain actors, The Women is a huge help, as in one fell swoop, one can add the work of Norma Shearer, Joan Crawford, Rosalind Russell, Paulette Goddard and Joan Fontaine.

A true classic finds it way to Blu-ray via WB.

Image - 5

Audio - 5

Highly recommended.

RAH

 

[JohnMor]

For completists attempting to gather all of the performances of certain actors, The Women is a huge help, as in one fell swoop, one can add the work of Norma Shearer, Joan Crawford, Rosalind Russell, Paulette Goddard and Joan Fontaine.

Yeah, but who are the guys in it?

 

[Reed Grele]

Never saw the film. Never knew about the Technicolor sequence. But with RAH's double nickel recommendation, I'll have to give it a try.

 

[ahollis]

This was a first day buy for me. Sylvia Fowler: Did you get her innuendo?Crystal Allen: There is a name for you, ladies, but it isn't used in high society... outside of a kennel.Mrs. Moorehead: Well, cheer up, Mary; living alone has its compensations. Heaven knows it's marvelous being able to spread out in bed like a swastika.

 

[JoeDoakes]

Thanks for the review, Mr. Harris. BTW: Were you going to have any words about Touch of Evil?

 

[Mark B]

I wonder why the Ultra-Resolution process couldn't have been applied to the Technicolor sequence to prevent registration issues? After all, it's only a short sequence, not an entire film, so budget should not have been that big an issue. Do the three strips survive?

 

[Moe Dickstein]

Never saw the film. Never knew about the Technicolor sequence. But with RAH's double nickel recommendation, I'll have to give it a try.

The ol' RAH double nickel. I think that's worthy of a TM as well

 

[classicmovieguy]

Crystal: "I'm having him dine at my place. It's about time he found out I was a home girl"
Pat: "A home girl? Get her? Why don't you borrow the quintuplets for the evening?"
Crystal: "Because I'm all the baby he wants, pet"
"Good grief! I hate to tell you, dear, but your skin makes the Rocky Mountains look like chiffon velvet!".

 

[Everett S.]

Trailer- It's all about men,but there's not one in sight!

 

[Will Krupp]

Trailer- It's all about men,but there's not one in sight!

Not true!! Check out the scene where they look at the magazine that contains the picture of Mary that "flatters her so/doesn't do her half justice" and you'll see a man on the back cover of said magazine. Considering they went to such great lengths to make sure all of the animals were female, the art was all by female artists and all of the books that appear were by female authors, it always struck me funny that something like that slipped by unnoticed. Unless, of course, it's really a woman in drag (which would be deliciously subversive.)