![Stars & Stripes Forever [Blu-ray]](http://cdn.hometheaterforum.com/4/4a/50x50px-ZC-4a701c5d_B005QIOK70-51ceskIIYQL.jpeg)
It’s not quite clear why of all the musical treasures in the vaults of 20th Century Fox Henry Koster’s Stars and Stripes Forever was chosen for a holiday Blu-ray release, but who’s complaining? In an era of fictionalized movie biographies of famous composers, Stars and Stripes Forever pretty much stands alone as one of the most legitimate, faithful-to-the-facts film biographies ever made. Well cast and smoothly directed, Stars and Stripes Forever offers tuneful if somewhat less than memorable entertainment.
Stars and Stripes Forever (Blu-ray Combo Pack)
Directed by Henry Koster
Studio: 20th Century Fox
Year: 1952
Aspect Ratio: 1.37:1 1080p AVC codec
Running Time: 89 minutes
Rating: NR
Audio: DTS-HD Master Audio 1.0 English; Dolby Digital 2.0 mono Spanish
Subtitles: SDH, Spanish, French
Region: A
MSRP: $34.99
Release Date: December 13, 2011
Review Date: December 12, 2011
The Film
3.5/5
After directing the Marine Corps Military Band for twelve years, composer and conductor John Philip Sousa (Clifton Webb) realizes if he’s to be able to provide his family a comfortable life, he must leave the Corps and start his own band as a means of publicizing his marches and other musical pieces he wants to write. He takes with him young marine Willie Little (Robert Wagner) whose variation on the tuba, the sousaphone, delights the composer. Sousa’s new band is a hit everywhere, and he even manages to work in numbers with Willie’s girl friend Lily Decker (Debra Paget). But soon war with Spain looms, and Willie enlists to fight in Cuba while Sousa writes his most famous march to commemorate the United States’ dedication to the war, “The Stars and Stripes Forever.”
Wisely picking up Sousa’s life story after marrying Jennie (Ruth Hussey) and siring three children, there is very little conflict in Sousa’s life once his own band becomes an instant sensation. Thus, the Willie Little-Lily Becker romance was invented by screenwriter Lamar Trotti (who also produced but died before the film premiered) for the movie to provide a romantic element and some friction to the otherwise unruffled Sousa story. Of course, that meant working in a couple of non-Sousa numbers featuring Debra Paget’s delightful singing and dancing, first in a music hall-like ditty “Father’s Got ‘Em” and later in a more elaborate stage number “When It’s Springtime in New York.” She also demonstrates the new dance the Two-Step set to Sousa’s “Washington Post March.” Sousa’s most famous marches make appearances throughout the movie: “Semper Fidelis” in addition to “Washington Post” and the title song played as the film’s rousing climax though one really laments that the opportunity wasn’t taken advantage of to introduce the public to some of Sousa’s other, less familiar marches and songs. The movie also manages to work into the story both “Dixie” (as a running joke) and “The Battle Hymn of the Republic,” the latter outstandingly arranged to lift it from its usual dirge-like tempo into something more stirring and electric. Director Henry Koster utilizes a couple of montage sequences to show Sousa on tour around the world and a progression of his song hits (most of which we don’t get to hear), and his direction otherwise is silky and undemonstrative.
Clifton Webb has been magnificently cast as Sousa and does his usual first-rate job as the no-nonsense musician, entirely believable conducting his various bands throughout the movie. Ruth Hussey makes a most loyal and understanding wife and is a welcome addition to the cast. While their rocky, romantic courtship is fairly tedious and their “secret marriage” not so secret, Robert Wagner and Debra Paget make a beautiful young couple and acquit themselves admirably in very stereotypical parts. Roy Roberts has a good moment or two as Major George Porter Houston who hates to lose Sousa when he leaves the Marines.
Video Quality
4.5/5
The film’s original theatrical aspect ratio of 1.37:1 is faithfully rendered in 1080p using the AVC codec. Fox has not allowed the Technicolor to overwhelm the senses controlling its bold hues admirably and generating realistic and appealing flesh tones. The vivid reds in those uniforms and the blues throughout are also beautifully handled though one shot showing blue sky gives a more blue-green appearance. There is also an occasional shot that seems somewhat drained of color for no apparent reason. Black levels are rich with this transfer, and shadow detail is excellent. The film has been divided into 24 chapters.
Audio Quality
4/5
The DTS-HD Master Audio 1.0 sound mix features all of those Sousa marches with robust audio (one only laments that stereo recording wasn’t available) which is never distorted but instead is given a series of full-bodied renditions under the expert hand of Alfred Newman. Dialogue and sound effects all blend marvelously well together with one never overpowering the other at any time. Only some slight hiss on the soundtrack during quieter moments can be heard, but it’s rarely loud enough to really distract. CONTEST ENTRY CODE: Sousa
Special Features
3.5/5
All of the bonus featurettes are presented in 480i.
“From Our National March to the Silver Screen” is an overview on the production of the movie with brief interviews featuring film historians Miles Kreuger, Marc Wanamaker, Larry Billman, and Sousa band leader Keith Brion. In addition to talking about Stars and Stripes Forever, Kreuger and Wanamaker also give a brief history of the Fox musical from Janet Gaynor and Charles Farrell through Shirley Temple, Alice Faye, Betty Grable, and June Haver along with mentions of Ethel Merman and Carmen Miranda. This runs 16 ¾ minutes.
“John Philip Sousa’s Contribution to American Music” is a 6 ¾-minute tribute to the composer by Keith Brion. Also featured in this brief vignette is Miles Kreuger’s mentioning Sousa’s invention of the sousaphone and a brief clip of the USC marching band’s modern rendition of “Stars and Stripes” in a jazzier style.
The United Kingdom version of the main title is shown as Marching Along for 1 ¾ minutes and in black and white.
Both the U.S. and U.K. theatrical trailers are available for viewing. Each runs 3 minutes.
There are three art galleries which can be stepped through. The pressbook gallery (which allows closer inspection of its contents), the advertising gallery (with lobby cards and posters), and a stills gallery (with cast portraits and behind the scenes photos of the cast and crew at work).
An enclosed 15-page booklet features stills from the film, and brief bios of Sousa, Clifton Webb, Robert Wagner, Ruth Hussey, Debra Paget, and director Henry Koster.
The second disc in the package is the DVD version of the movie.
In Conclusion
3.5/5 (not an average)
A light musical entertainment and a beautiful Blu-ray disc, Stars and Stripes Forever makes a surprise but welcome addition to a growing list of movies from the pre-widescreen era. Fans of the stars, John Philip Sousa’s music, or the film should be particularly delighted with this excellent release.
Matt Hough
Charlotte, NC
