The Women (1939)(Blu-ray) Available for Preorder (1 Viewer)

[Keith Cobby]

Perhaps if Warners see the enthusiasm for this film on this thread they might consider releasing Lucy Gallant.

 

[Robert Crawford]

Perhaps if Warners see the enthusiasm for this film on this thread they might consider releasing Lucy Gallant.

Don't tease me about one of my favorite 50 films. Yes, an honest to goodness guilty pleasure.

 

[Keith Cobby]

Robert, I hadn't realised it was on your favourites list. I have only seen it once a long time ago. It wouldn't quite make my top 50 but would be in my top 20 VistaVision films!

A couple of excerpts appear in the Edith Head feature on the To Catch a Thief disc. This shows that it would look splendid on blu-ray. Before the deal with Warners, Olive released a few VistaVision films and it is disappointing they didn't release it then with other previously unreleased titles (eg. Hell's Island).

 

[David Weicker]

One bit of trivia about this 'woman's film' - not a single male is ever on screen - background, long shot, extra, nothing. Even the dogs were female.

 

[Will Krupp]

One bit of trivia about this 'woman's film' - not a single male is ever on screen - background, long shot, extra, nothing. Even the dogs were female.

I've long heard that, but isn't that a guy on the back page of the magazine they're holding when discussing the "flattering" or "unflattering" picture of Mary?

 

[ahollis]

The transfer is gorgeous. I am particularly happy they ported over the extras from the DVD. I especially love the ROMANCE IN CELLULOID shorts. They tell some background of making movies at MGM and then goes into a several minute multi trailer of films coming out from the studio. I wish WAC would give us a collection of those shorts. I do agree that you need to be in the right mind to watch THE WOMEN. But the lines are some of the cattiest you will ever hear, next to ALL ABOUT EVE.

 

[ScottHM]

isn't that a guy on the back page of the magazine they're holding when discussing the "flattering" or "unflattering" picture of Mary?

Yes it is.

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[lukejosephchung]

Ron, "The Women" was the 1930's definition of what is now the "chick flick" genre...very definitely an acquired taste that you have to be in a specific mood to react to properly...I happen to LIKE this genre, which is why I bought it for myself...your personal mileage may vary!!!

 

[Andrew Budgell]

My copy arrived yesterday. I can't wait to watch it tonight...it's been a few years since I've seen it all the way through!

 

[Colin Jacobson]

I have never seen this film. Ordered it blindly.

I guess I was just in the wrong mood for this film today.

I turned it off 30 minutes in. To me, just a bunch of cackling women.

I realize it's based on a stage play, and it unfolds pretty much as such.

I am going to revisit this other time when I am in a better mood to sit
through it.

You're not alone. I saw this a couple of months ago - I rented the DVD so I could eventually compare it to the Blu-ray.

I pretty much hated it. I'm not anti-chick flick, and I'm not anti-"movies of the 30s" - I just thought this one was a dud...

 

[LeoA]

I DVR'ed this off TCM the other day. I hope it's good.

I've recorded it two or three times in recent years, but time and space constraints have always led me to delete it and plan to catch it later on.

Even if it ends up not being for me, nice to see a well liked classic from this era on Blu-Ray.

 

[AnthonyClarke]

I notice all the women in this forum are jumping with joy.

 

[Mark B]

I watched it too. I agree, strong job. They fixed the "jumping" during the Mary/Crystal showdown in the dressing room and the jittery credits. The cue marks are also gone!

They've played around some more to try to recreate the stencil look of the original black and white to color transition as the original transitional footage is lost. On the DVD the small color image was placed over a black and white still image from later in the fashion show and here they've put the audience members from the still OVER a portion of the color footage so it now appears to be partially "behind" the black and white audience. If you look closely it's not very organic (and they never would have had that capability in 1939) and not really smooth but I appreciate the effort they took for a shot that lasts all of seven seconds. the Technicolor fashion show looks like a dream. Beaver says the footage has color bleed but I didn't see any. I thought it looked bold and rich and very satisfying.

It's funny but each home video incarnation is one step closer in trying to "fix" this transition (it should be the color stage in the middle of the frame with the black and white room surrounding it, only the shot of the black and white room is long gone as it was never more than an odd bit printed onto the beginning of the color reel.) The old VHS tape just had the color shot in the middle of a blank white frame, the DVD put the same shot over the still image and now this. I really do appreciate the ongoing effort

The film looks great!

Judging by the Beaver caps, I think by bleeding he is referring to three strip registration misalignment. I love that you laid out the history of the transistion to color. I thought I was the only nerd who waited for it every time I view a new source of this film. I have seen three versions thus far, so the Blu-ray will make 4 apparently. I saw the film projected about 10 years ago and when the color portion came on everything was brownish where the black and white stenciled portion should be. Just blank and brown all around the technicolor stage insert. By brownish, It looked exactly the color of unexposed celluloid back in the day when we used 35mm cameras to shoot still photos. Remember those?