A vehicle for the great Fredric March more so than Cary Grant, who had not yet fully invented his screen persona, it will be, for many, a newly discovered film.
Carole Lombard is on screen for a couple of minutes, with some attractive close-ups, but she’s never more than just above a bit here.
The flying sequences – there were plenty of bi-planes still available 14 years post-war – aren’t up to those of The Dawn Patrol (from which some footage is apparently used), or Wings or Hell’s Angels, but they get the job done.
Track is fine. Only image problems are left over from the production of the fine grain – mostly during printer functions, with what appear to be light leaks.
Far better gray scale than one might imagine. Overall, nicely done, outside of a need for more color correction, as imagery doesn’t occasionally match shot to shot.
An interesting film, especially of the era, and should be of major importance to March and Grant completists. Love to see Mr. March’s Dr. Jekyll come to Blu. That one is an extraordinary production.
As an aside, I looked hard, especially background players, but never noticed Rhonda Fleming, unless she played Fifi aka Fanny, or was a party guest.
Image – 3.75
Audio – 4.5
Pass / Fail – Pass
Upgrade from DVD – Yes
Recommended
RAH
Robert has been known in the film industry for his unmatched skill and passion in film preservation. Growing up around photography, his first home theater experience began at age ten with 16mm. Years later he was running 35 and 70mm at home.
His restoration projects have breathed new life into classic films like Lawrence of Arabia, Vertigo, My Fair Lady, Spartacus, and The Godfather series. Beyond his restoration work, he has also shared his expertise through publications, contributing to the academic discourse on film restoration. The Academy Film Archive houses the Robert A. Harris Collection, a testament to his significant contributions to film preservation.
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