Blu-ray Review A Few Words About A few words about…™ Angel Face – in Blu-ray (2 Viewers)

[Robert Harris]

RKO's 1952 Angel Face, with Robert Mitchum and Jean Simmons in the leads in an odd entrant into the noir hall of fame.

Viewing it today, one might presume it to be a B production out of Howard Hughes' RKO, and in some ways it is, as the shoot was primarily at the studio with just a few locations around LA.

But one look at the credits, and you realize there's something sinister going on here.

Directed by Otto Preminger, who knew his way around noir, a score by Dimitri Tiomkin - ditto, and shot by Harry Stradling, Sr.

This is Not a B team.

The cast is supported by Mona Freeman, Herbert Marshall, Leon Ames and Barbara O'Neil.

What surprised me the most about the film, which I'd not seen in decades, was the quality of the cinematography, helped here by a meticulous harvest from the OCN and beautiful color work and clean-up. Kudos to all involved, as yet another perfect Warner Archive release has arrived.

Re the cinematography, I kept thinking how pleased I was that I was viewing a Blu-ray without an infusion of HDR, as it might have done damage to another perfect gray / black / white scale. And then there are the close-ups. I kept looking for tell-tale signs of a split diopter and found none.

One oddity, and I'll answer the question before it arises, is the Eddie Muller commentary, which is among the best I've encountered.

It's not a normal commentary track. The film is actually run a second time in SD with the image derived from the old fine grain release for DVD.

Two problems created this anomaly. First, there is no separate track for the commentary without film audio in the background. Add to that, the earlier transfer was based upon a FGM missing frames, so sync was also an issue.

Another glorious Warner Archive release of a great film noir ripe for re-discovery.

Image – 5

Audio – 5 (DTS-HD MA 2.0)

Pass / Fail – Pass

Plays nicely with projectors - Yes

Upgrade from DVD - Absolutely!

Worth your attention - 8

Slipcover rating - n/a

Highly Recommended

RAH


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[OliverK]

Very glad to hear this is another quality release by the Warner Archive. This will be a massive improvement over my old Euro DVD release with PAL speedup!

I have not seen it in more than a decade but I remember the cinematography and a certain atmosphere to the movie that I found extremely fascinating, a bit like Out of the Past that also was very hard to get back then.

With this Blu-ray more people should discover or rediscover Angel Face - lots of talent involved in this one and luckily it shows.

 

[Robert Crawford]

RKO's 1952 Angel Face, with Robert Mitchum and Jean Simmons in the leads in an odd entrant into the noir hall of fame.

Viewing it today, one might presume it to be a B production out of Howard Hughes' RKO, and in some ways it is, as the shoot was primarily at the studio with just a few locations around LA.

But one look at the credits, and you realize there's something sinister going on here.

Directed by Otto Preminger, who knew his way around noir, a score by Dimitri Tiomkin - ditto, and shot by Harry Stradling, Sr.

This is Not a B team.

The cast is supported by Mona Freeman, Herbert Marshall, Leon Ames and Barbara O'Neil.

What surprised me the most about the film, which I'd not seen in decades, was the quality of the cinematography, helped here by a meticulous harvest from the OCN and beautiful color work and clean-up. Kudos to all involved, as yet another perfect Warner Archive release has arrived.

Re the cinematography, I kept thinking how pleased I was that I was viewing a Blu-ray without an infusion of HDR, as it might have done damage to another perfect gray / black / white scale. And then there are the close-ups. I kept looking for tell-tale signs of a split diopter and found none.

One oddity, and I'll answer the question before it arises, is the Eddie Muller commentary, which is among the best I've encountered.

It's not a normal commentary track. The film is actually run a second time in SD with the image derived from the old fine grain release for DVD.

Two problems created this anomaly. First, there is no separate track for the commentary without film audio in the background. Add to that, the earlier transfer was based upon a FGM missing frames, so sync was also an issue.

Another glorious Warner Archive release of a great film noir ripe for re-discovery.

Image – 5

Audio – 5 (DTS-HD MA 2.0)

Pass / Fail – Pass

Plays nicely with projectors - Yes

Upgrade from DVD - Absolutely!

Worth your attention - 8

Slipcover rating - n/a

Highly Recommended

RAH

I understand about the Muller commentary, but I still wish it was with a 1080p presentation. I have listened to it 2-3 times over the years.

 

[Robert Harris]

I understand about the Muller commentary, but I still wish it was with a 1080p presentation. I have listened to it 2-3 times over the years.

Would have been easier for all involved. Not a decision by choice.

 

[Robin9]

Thank you Mr. Harris. Being a major fan of Robert Mitchum, I would anyway have bought this disc, but it's good to hear that Warner Archive is still the international gold standard when it comes to Blu-ray discs.

 

[Robert Crawford]

Would have been easier for all involved. Not a decision by choice.

I’m going to keep my DVD to watch the movie with Muller’s commentary because I think the video presentation of the DVD in 480p will be better than the 480i presentation on the Blu-ray.

 

[MartinP.]

Is there a reason some, like IMDB, lists Angel Face as 1952 while others (Wikipedia, TCM) list it as 1953?

 

[Robert Crawford]

Is there a reason some, like IMDB, lists Angel Face as 1952 while others (Wikipedia, TCM) list it as 1953?

According to AFI, the movie was filmed in 1952 and RKO copyrighted it in December 1952. However, it didn't have its LA premiere or release date until February 1953.

 

[Robert Harris]

I’m going to keep my DVD to watch the movie with Muller’s commentary because I think the video presentation of the DVD in 480p will be better than the 480i presentation on the Blu-ray.

The 2k is magnificent. You’ll regret it before you even take the vow!

 

[Robert Harris]

Is there a reason some, like IMDB, lists Angel Face as 1952 while others (Wikipedia, TCM) list it as 1953?

It was a 1952 film with a Dec ‘52 premiere.

 

[ManW_TheUncool]

Like most other such classics, this will be new to me... and sounds like another worthy blindbuy...

Much appreciated for the review/recommendation, RAH, et al!

_Man_

 

[Robert Crawford]

The 2k is magnificent. You’ll regret it before you even take the vow!

I won't regret anything, I have the Blu-ray preordered a long time ago. I'm specifically talking about when I want to watch and listen to the audio commentary. A normal viewing will be with the Blu-ray.

 

[Robert Crawford]

It was a 1952 film with a Dec ‘52 premiere.

It must have had more than one premiere.

 

[Robert Harris]

I won't regret anything, I have the Blu-ray preordered a long time ago. I'm specifically talking about when I want to watch and listen to the audio commentary. A normal viewing will be with the Blu-ray.

Thank the merciful blood-stained gods. You’re going to love it.

 

[cineescape]

Glad that I waited for the BD release; almost didn't think it would happen, given how much Hollywood and the streaming industry-AND thanks to its customers-have no problems burying the optical disc.

 

[Douglas R]

Good to see Angel Face in HD. A superb film which hasn’t lost its power. It was one of about 100 RKO films which were obtained for broadcast by the BBC in the late 1950s. I remember reading about the acquisition in newspapers at the time because the sale caused a big row with British cinema owners who were annoyed that so many films were to be freely broadcast at a time of dwindling cinema attendance. For the BBC, the Fred Astaire/Ginger Rogers films were the main draw. The films were all frequently repeated so I became very familiar with RKO and I particularly recognized the high quality of Angel Face. My father was a bit dismissive about many of the films in the library which he said were B pictures although I don’t think was correct in many cases.

 

[JoeStemme]

Nice restoration.

My take: Behind Jean Simmons' sweet face is no angel in Otto Preminger's film. Simmons plays Diane, a 19 year old rich socialite, whose meet cute with ambulance driver Frank (Robert Mitchum) -- are matching slaps across the face. The devilish grin on Diane's visage foreshadows their dangerous liaison.

The screenplay by a trio of writers is a fairly straighforward drama during the build-up, with the most overtly noirish bit in the first half of the film being Diane ominously tossing a pack of cigarettes off a cliff situated at the end of her driveway to her family's well-apportioned home. This femme fatale is clearly the pursuer from the outset and she ensnares Frank into her web as she plots against her domineering mother-in-law (Barbara O'Neil)*. Diane dotes on her father (Herbert Marshall), and hires Frank as the family chauffeur. Frank is involved with another woman (Mona Freeman) which complicates matters.

Things get much darker in the second half and there are a couple of interesting twists, but too much of the screenplay is melodramatic. Frank's character in particular, never adds up. Mitchum is solid as always, but, even he can't help but come off as a sap even though it's doubtful he's intended to so blatantly to be one. Frank seems genuine in not being interested in Diane solely for her money nor her looks, yet he's never strong enough to fully break from her (not that he's altruistic and blind). His actions make sense only in terms of the needs of the script - not of the character. What saves the film is Simmons' performance, particularly in the last act. She gives the character more gravitas than is written on the page, and Simmons more than holds her own with a veteran cast including Leon Ames as an oily attorney (are there any other kind in film noir?).

Preminger, no stranger to noir (LAURA, FALLEN ANGEL, WHIRLPOOL), doesn't bring as much style here as he had in other similar efforts, but handles the performers well. ANGEL FACE is a bit too mannered, but the cast and the unexpected turns make it work. The final brushstroke is a solid capper.


* Of course, back in the 50s, even the most fierce femme fatale has to endure a a line like: “Even a woman can do it?”