Blu-ray Review The Eddy Duchin Story Blu-ray Review (1 Viewer)

[Richard Gallagher]

The Eddy Duchin Story Blu-ray Review

Mention the name "Eddy Duchin" to anyone under the age of sixty and you are likely to be greeted with a blank stare, unless you happen to mention it to someone who has seen the 1956 Columbia Pictures biopic, The Eddy Duchin Story. During the 1930s Duchin, a pianist, was one of the most popular bandleaders and recording artists in the United States. His career was interrupted by World War II, during which he served as a combat officer in the U.S. Navy, reaching the rank of Lieutenant Commander. He resumed his music career after the war, but it was cut short when he fell ill with leukemia, a disease which killed him in 1951 at the all-too-young age of 41. Five years later The Eddy Duchin Story opened at Radio City Music Hall in New York City, and now it has been given a very nice Blu-ray release by Sony and Twilight Time.

Studio: Sony

Distributed By: Twilight Time

Video Resolution and Encode: 1080P/AVC

Aspect Ratio: 2.55:1

Audio: English 2.0 DTS-HDMA

Subtitles: English SDH

Rating: Not Rated

Run Time: 2 Hr. 3 Min.

Package Includes: Blu-ray

Standard Blu-ray Keep Case

Disc Type: BD50 (dual layer)

Region: All

Release Date: 02/11/2014

MSRP: $29.95

The Production Rating: 4.5/5

The Eddy Duchin Story is to some extent a typical Hollywood biopic of the 1950s, which is to say that it takes some liberty with the facts. The film opens in New York City in 1927 (we know the year because of the newspaper headline "Lindy in Paris!"). Duchin (Tyrone Power), a pharmacist-turned-pianist who has just arrived from Boston, mistakenly believes that he has been offered a job by Leo Reisman (Larry Kearing), an orchestra leader at the swanky Central Park Casino. From a historical standpoint, there are two problems with this scenario. For one, the real Duchin was only 18 years old in 1927, and here is being played by the 42-year-old Power; the other is that the Central Park Casino did not open as a night club until 1929. The film gets away with this by never mentioning Duchin's age.It turns out that Eddy has misconstrued some encouraging comments as a job offer when he previously met Reisman and his aide, Leo Sherwood (James Whitmore). As Eddy glumly walks away, he decides to sit down at the club’s piano and begins playing Chopin's "Nocturne in E Flat." This catches the ear of Marjorie Oelrichs (Kim Novak), a socialite/interior decorator who is coordinating an event for that evening at which the guest of honor will be New York City Mayor Jimmy Walker. Marjorie, recognizing Eddy's disappointment at not being hired, tells Reisman that she wants there to be live music during the orchestra's breaks. The only way to do that is to hire another piano player, and before long Eddy is on his way to stardom.Marjorie lives with Sherwood Wadsworth (Shepperd Strudwick) and his wife Edith (Frieda Inescort), characters who are based upon the real-life couple of W. Averill Harriman and his wife Marie (Harriman was a U.S. Ambassador under President Franklin D. Roosevelt and was the Governor of New York State when The Eddy Duchin Story was released). Marjorie is immediately fascinated by Eddy, but the Wadsworths are less impressed. He is not a member of their social class, and the film obliquely lets the audience know that he is Jewish (there is no direct mention of this, but when Eddy's parents learn that he and Marjorie are going to get married his mother toasts them with "mazel tov"). The film never addresses the fact that Marjorie was dropped from the Social Register for marrying Duchin, a snub which she scornfully dismissed by declaring "It's just a private telephone book."On their wedding night a literal ill wind blows into Eddy and Marjorie's spectacular apartment overlooking Central Park, a somewhat heavy-handed foreshadowing of tragic thing to come. Rather than engage in any spoilers, I will just point out that the second half of the film focuses upon Eddy's infuriating neglect of and troubled relationship with his son, Peter (who at age 76 has had his own long and successful career as a bandleader) and a friend of the Wadsworths, Chiquita Winn (Victoria Shaw). It is no secret that The Eddy Duchin Story is a musical tearjerker, and there is plenty to be sad about. But there also is the splendid music, with Power doing a superb job of mimicking Eddy's unique style of playing (which included playing cross-handed), as well as his showmanship and charisma. Then there is the Academy Award-nominated cinematography by Harry Stradling, which beautifully captures Manhattan as it looked may decades ago. There is an exquisite, dialogue-free sequence of Eddy and Marjorie spending a day and night walking through Central Park as "I'll Take Romance" plays in the background.Kim Novak is beahtiful as always, although New York Times film critic Bosley Crowther criticized her performance as "slumberous." Victoria Shaw is impressive as Chiquita, and James Whitmore does a typically solid job as the wise assistant who tries - not always successfully - to keep Eddy grounded.The Eddy Duchin Story unashamedly tugs at your heartstrings. However, what it lacks in subtlety is more than made up for by its star power, outstanding cinematography, excellent direction by George Sidney, and wonderful music. The poignancy of the film is only enhanced by the fact that Tyrone Power - who was friend of Eddy Duchin - died of a heart attack two years later at the age of 44 while filming a dueling scene for Solomon and Sheba.

Video Rating: 3.5/5 3D Rating: NA

The 1080p image is delivered via the AVC codec and accurately recreates the film's 2.55:1 Cinemascope aspect ratio (the packaging says 2.35:1, but HTF member Eddi Larkin has pointed out that it is actually 2.55:1, which is confirmed by my measurements). The film retains an appropriate level of film grain and displays strong contrast and vivid, accurate colors. The only negative feature is a lack of shadow detail. There is a considerable degree of black crush, which is particularly noticeable when the characters are wearing dark suits, tuxedos, etc. and the texture of the fabrics is barely visible. This may reflect how The Eddy Duchin Story was filmed, and it did not detract from my enjoyment of the film.

Audio Rating: 4.5/5

The English 2.0 2.0 DTS-HD MA soundtrack beautifully reproduces the film's excellent musical soundtrack, giving it a surprisingly vibrant soundstage. The dialogue is crystal-clear and understandable throughout, and English SDH subtitles are available for those who need them.

Special Features Rating: 2.5/5

As usual, this Twilight Time Blu-ray has an isolated score track, which includes sound effects.Also included are two theatrical trailers, both of which are in very good shape.An eight-page booklet contains nine still photos from the film, a movie poster reproduction, and an intriguing essay by film historian Julie Kirgo.

Overall Rating: 4/5

While growing up the 1950s I was aware of Eddy Duchin only because my parents owned the soundtrack record album (which apparently was not a real soundtrack but rather a re-recording of the tunes which are featured in the film). Because his career was cut short, Eddy Duchin might be totally forgotten today were it not for his son, Peter, and The Eddy Duchin Story (Peter, incidentally, has been critical of Samuel A. Taylor's screenplay because it fictionalizes a considerable amount of detail about Eddy and Marjorie). This excellent Blu-ray is being produced in a limited edition of 3,000 copies, so readers interested in purchasing it should go the Screen Archives Entertainment website and confirm that copies are still available.

Reviewed By: Richard Gallagher

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[moviepas]

I have always loved this film and still have my Laserdisc copy. The actress Victoria Shaw was Australian(Jeanette Elphick) who died in 1988 at 53 in 1988 back in Sydney where she was born(emphysema). She appeared in General Hospital. She was not a "star" of early Australian TV as what was written in a biog article either in Classic Images or Films of the Golden Age.

Carmen Cavallaro was pianist for the film and the record album on US Decca Records.

Kirk Alyn, Bess Flowers, Larry Keating & Gloria Holden are amongst the cast list.

 

[EddieLarkin]

Despite what the press release, SAE website, rear of the case and this review state, this film is presented in 2.55:1, as it should be.

 

[Richard Gallagher]

I have always loved this film and still have my Laserdisc copy. The actress Victoria Shaw was Australian(Jeanette Elphick) who died in 1988 at 53 in 1988 back in Sydney where she was born(emphysema). She appeared in General Hospital. She was not a "star" of early Australian TV as what was written in a biog article either in Classic Images or Films of the Golden Age.

She was married to Roger Smith, who was then one of the stars of 77 Sunset Strip and who is now the husband of Ann-Margret. She also played Dick Clark's first on-screen love interest in Because They're Young (1960).

 

[Richard Gallagher]

Despite what the press release, SAE website, rear of the case and this review state, this film is presented in 2.55:1, as it should be.

Thanks for heads-up. I just measured it on my monitor and it comes out to just a shade under 2.55:1. I will make the necessary corrections.

 

[Mark-P]

Just wondering if the sound is stereo or mono? While I don't own the DVD, I did find a cover scan that shows the DVD had 3 channel sound. I don't know why Twilight Time couldn't have used the discrete 3 channel stereo instead of a mix-down.

 

[Richard Gallagher]

It sounds mono to me. I listened carefully to the musical numbers and I don't detect any separation.

 

[davidHartzog]

I watched it the other night, very good film, excellent transfer. As it happens, I watched Jade a couple nights later, and there's Linda Fiorentino and David Caruso dancing to the Peter Duchin Orchestra.

 

[EddieLarkin]

Wrong again

The sound is stereo; enabling Pro-Logic confirms this.

 

[Richard Gallagher]

Wrong again

The sound is stereo; enabling Pro-Logic confirms this.

I haven't tried enabling Pro-Logic, but using 5.1 multi-channel input I don't detect any stereo separation at all.

 

[Keith Cobby]

One of Victoria Shaw's few films. If you like her in this I recommend Edge of Eternity.

 

[Keith Cobby]

Technical question: When you access this thread from the top bar the layout and fonts are different than if you access it from the RH side bar.

 

[Richard Gallagher]

Technical question: When you access this thread from the top bar the layout and fonts are different than if you access it from the RH side bar.

The font is smaller and the layout is different when you access reviews from the side bar. The happens automatically; we reviewers publish our reviews just one time and we all work with the same templates. I'll see if I can get a better answer for you.

 

[Charles Smith]

This got me curious, so I'm looking at it now from the sidebar. Wow! A whole different appearance to the page. I wonder what that's all about. It's not a "bad" thing -- looks like everything's there, whichever way you look at it -- but you gotta wonder why. Fascinating.

 

[Citizen87645]

Reviews exist in both the discussion forum as a thread as well as an "article" (and technically, the article is what is created first). It's a long story.

 

[Adam Gregorich]

Charles-
When we switched platforms we made some changes to how reviews were handled. They are actually not created as forum posts but created by plugging the various fields into a database via our articles system (which is not tied to the forum). Replies are left as comments. The only way to get to the review "article" is via a link on the main page and the sidebar. There actually is a review "home page" here: http://www.hometheaterforum.com/articles.html/_/dvd-blu-ray-reviews/ With this process we are building a foundation to be able to have a more robust review system. In the future we will role out a review search page that will let you search by format, studio, review scores, etc.

Since its a slow process, we linked each review to the forum, so that when a reviewer creates a review article, it also automatically creates a forum post in the review forum. Also any comment left here shows up as a reply to the matching forum thread and vice versa.

 

[Charles Smith]

That sounds good. As it stands now, I'm usually able to find older reviews in the regular search, of items I missed reading about in years past or want to re-read, but a real database of them will be fine thing.

 

[Keith Cobby]

Finally bought this (sale) with Edge of Eternity. Double bill of Victoria Shaw.

 

[Robin9]

Finally bought this (sale) with Edge of Eternity. Double bill of Victoria Shaw.

Took you long enough!

 

[Keith Cobby]

Replaced the DVDs. If TT had not started discounting I would have bought it on the day of release!