Blu-ray Review A Few Words About A few words about…™ Take Me Out to the Ball Game – in Blu-ray (1 Viewer)

[Robert Harris]

Warner Archive deliveries are akin to packages delivered to camp. You always hope for something special.

And so it was with their new Blu-ray of Take Me Out to the Ball Game, a delightful 1949 musical from the Freed unit, starring Frank Sinatra, Esther Williams and Gene Kelly in three-strip Technicolor.

Everyone who appreciated the genre is hopefully now aware of the quality of these Technicolor releases, and I was expecting a similar example for TMOtoBG.

But I regret to report that not to be the case.

We've had certain expectations set, and suddenly an example arrives that takes the look, textures and color of the technology and sends them to another level.

Possibly it comes down to production design.

But the purity of the colors is the finest that I've seen, full mimicking the look of a pristine 35mm print - only better. The brilliance of the reds, blacks, blues and of course, yellows knocks this one - nope - not going there.

The extra of Boys and Girls Like You and Me is set up with the wildest history I can recall for a cut number, and the example appears to be newly harvested.

Directed by Busby Berkeley.


Image – 5

Audio – 5

Pass / Fail – Pass

Upgrade from DVD - Yes

Highly Recommended

RAH

 

[Rodney]

Since you "didn't go there" I'm giving your post a thumbs up despite the mistype. Ester indeed.

Thanks for the review, and can't wait to get this one in my hands.

 

[Joel Arndt]

And just when we thought these 3-strip Technicolor films couldn't look any better than the recent WAC releases and now they do. Amazing! Can't wait to get my hands on this one, also. It looked great on HBO Max.

 

[lark144]

I had a feeling this would be one of the best three-strip Technicolor Blus from the Warner Archive, as the 35mm print they used to show at the Regency back in the day was really dazzling. I mean, REALLY DAZZLING. The colors jumped off the screen. Wonderful dancing too, choreographed by Kelly & Donen. The film though, always left me cold. Not much of a plot. Esther Williams had very little to do. Though it's about a baseball team, there's almost no baseball to speak of. As I recall, it's mostly Kelly showing Sinatra how to pick up girls, as if he needed any coaching in that department. The pacing is funereal. And there's no real third act. It just kind of sputters out. But the dancing and the color was enough to get me to watch it multiple times 40 years ago, so I guess that still holds.

 

[Robert Harris]

It’s the purity of the colors that got me.

Just perfect.

 

[Richard M S]

Well if it looks that good then it is a must-buy for me.

 

[lark144]

It’s the purity of the colors that got me.

Just perfect.

OK. You convinced me. I'm ordering it.

 

[filmnoirguy]

Of the MGM musicals of the 1940s, I would rate this one as the weakest.

 

[Richard Kaufman]

Not a patch on "On the Town," though.

 

[Colin Jacobson]

I wasn't wild about the movie but this is definitely a gorgeous BD! It just leaps out of the screen!

 

[roxy1927]

Oh gee I guess I'll have to get it. Still Esther's writing about working with Kelly and Donen on this film in her autobio is a lot more entertaining than the film itself. Scorching.

 

[warnerbro]

Why can't everything look this good! How did they do it? It looks perfect -- like I am watching something live right in front of me. Even the outtakes look just like the feature film! Baby doll is so good I can't believe they cut it. I love the way Esther Williams is doing the robot!

 

[Will Krupp]

How did they do it? It looks perfect -- like I am watching something live right in front of me. Even the outtakes look just like the feature film!

You aren't kidding! I sat down to watch this yesterday and was, to put it mildly, blown away. I don't think I ever stopped smiling the entire time. A truly fantastic job!

 

[warnerbro]

I hope IN THE GOOD OLD SUMMERTIME looks this good! I've never seen anything so sharp, clean, and vibrant! ZIEGFELD FOLLIES was a bit muddy and didn't look near this good.

 

[Will Krupp]

ZIEGFELD FOLLIES was a bit muddy and didn't look near this good.

It also isn't nearly as much fun (but you didn't hear that from me!)

 

[MarkA]

It also isn't nearly as much fun (but you didn't hear that from me!)

I watched my DVD of Ziegfeld Follies to see if I wanted to buy the Blu-ray. I don't.

 

[Joe Caps]

Dare I say it I would love aq blu of Pagan Love Song with all of the outtakes also restored.

 

[Robert Harris]

Why can't everything look this good! How did they do it? It looks perfect -- like I am watching something live right in front of me. Even the outtakes look just like the feature film! Baby doll is so good I can't believe they cut it. I love the way Esther Williams is doing the robot!

Secret weapon. MPI

 

[Robert Crawford]

Secret weapon. MPI

MPI worked on Ziegfeld Follies that some are complaining about. I guess it's all about the film elements you have to work with.

 

[roxy1927]

I was watching Rodgers and Hammerstein's Cinderella from 65 which looks fairly good though typically soft on YouTube and suddenly realized that Boys and Girls Like You and Me is used as a polanaise during the ball. It's probably the first time that song has been used in a completed production without being cut.