A Few Words About A few words about...™ Lilies of the Field -- in Blu-ray (1 Viewer)

[Robert Harris]

Ralph Nelson's Lilies of the Field is a film that just seems to work.

Sidney Poitier, around whom everything hinges, received a Best Actor statuette for his role of Homer Smith, five years after his nomination for The Defiant Ones.

Produced on a tiny budget, and photographed in gorgeous black & white by Ernest Haller (look him up), the film arrives on Blu-ray from Twilight Time via MGM, who have provided a quality master.

A lovely little film, and worth your time, if you don't mind viewing something that will make you feel good.

Image - 4.5

Audio - 5

4k Up-rez - 4.5

Pass / Fail - Pass

Recommended


RAH

 

[Doug Wallen]

Thanks for your seal of approval. I got this for my wife's birthday, one of her favorites. I appreciate your few words even though my wife just wanted the film.

 

[haineshisway]

Finding it more than a little odd that no one has commented on this. So, let's just put it on the table - a seriously great movie shot by a director who doesn't feel the need to do anything but tell the simple story - it was a smash hit back in the day and I just have to assume this is not on anyone's radar today - you know, back in a different world films could be quiet and gentle and just tell a nice story sans the idiocy of screenwriting gurus like the two stooges, Robert McKee and Syd Field. As Mr. Harris says, a film to make you feel good. No villains, no forced conflicts, just human characters, superb acting, simple and lovely direction, a great script, great photography, and above all a movie score that actually is a movie score, unlike most of the crap that passes for film music today. Transfer is nice but MGM should really just get someone in there who understands film ratios and how things were shot - this film was shot and projected in 1.85 not 1.66. But that's minor - the film's the thing here - the truth is for whatever reason I hadn't seen this since it came out (I saw it five or six times back then) - and what a lovely treat and wonderful viewing it was - laugh-out loud funny at times, very touching at times, and paced perfectly.

 

[Charles Smith]

That's funny, I could have sworn I did post something here. Well, let me shamelessly port over what I said this morning on Mr. HHW's own site:

Same here with LILIES OF THE FIELD. Saw it with the family and of course it was all the rage and we loved it ... but never again after that. I always imagined that when I returned to it after so many years that I'd find it very good but maybe not the breakthrough landmark-y thing it was then, but three minutes into the TT disc and I was hooked. Everything about it is fresh and delightful, almost stunningly so.

 

[Robert Crawford]

Finding it more than a little odd that no one has commented on this. So, let's just put it on the table - a seriously great movie shot by a director who doesn't feel the need to do anything but tell the simple story - it was a smash hit back in the day and I just have to assume this is not on anyone's radar today - you know, back in a different world films could be quiet and gentle and just tell a nice story sans the idiocy of screenwriting gurus like the two stooges, Robert McKee and Syd Field. As Mr. Harris says, a film to make you feel good. No villains, no forced conflicts, just human characters, superb acting, simple and lovely direction, a great script, great photography, and above all a movie score that actually is a movie score, unlike most of the crap that passes for film music today. Transfer is nice but MGM should really just get someone in there who understands film ratios and how things were shot - this film was shot and projected in 1.85 not 1.66. But that's minor - the film's the thing here - the truth is for whatever reason I hadn't seen this since it came out (I saw it five or six times back then) - and what a lovely treat and wonderful viewing it was - laugh-out loud funny at times, very touching at times, and paced perfectly.

Actually, after I viewed this BD, I made my comments about it in this thread.

 

[Matt Hough]

Actually, after I viewed this BD, I made my comments about it in this thread.

And you also made some comments in my review thread for the disc. That review can be found here. Because of the volume of posts and threads, my review has already been pushed back to page six! Maybe that's why you didn't see it, Bruce.

 

[haineshisway]

I don't really check the Twilight time news thread so didn't see those posts, and as Matt says his review post is somewhere far, far away