Blu-ray Review A Tale of Two Cities (1936) Blu-ray Review (1 Viewer)

[Matt Hough]

It may have been the best of times and the worst of times for the individuals in Jack Conway’s A Tale of Two Cities, but it’s only the best of times for classic film enthusiasts who should rush to this beautiful Warner Archive package without fail!



A Tale of Two Cities (1935)



Released: 25 Dec 1935
Rated: Passed
Runtime: 128 min




Director: Jack Conway, Robert Z. Leonard
Genre: Drama, History, Romance



Cast: Ronald Colman, Elizabeth Allan, Edna May Oliver, Reginald Owen
Writer(s): Charles Dickens (novel), W.P. Lipscomb (screen play), S.N. Behrman (screen play), Thomas Carlyle (bibliography "The French Revolution"), M. Cléry (bibliography "Journal of the Temple"), Mademoiselle des Écherolles (bibliography "The Memoirs"), M. Nicholas (bibliography "The Memoirs")



Plot: A pair of lookalikes, one a former French...

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[David_B_K]

Great review Matt! I was getting ready to watch the DVD of this when I heard about the Blu-ray release; so I will wait until the disc arrives.

Your review hits some of my favorite highlights of this film. I liked your mention of the "angelic" Elizabeth Allen in the scene where she lights the candle for Sidney and we see her through his eyes (the entire Christmas sequence is beautifully done, fake snow and all). Tremendous film that I can't wait to see on Blu-ray.

 

[Andrew Budgell]

Great review, Matt! Can't wait to get my hands on this one!

 

[Will Krupp]

I saw this remaster on HBO Max and it was, indeed, delicious. Thanks for the great review, Matt!

As regards the Oscars, I'm afraid CITIES may have been another victim of short memories on behalf of the voters. It opened in New York City (at the Capitol) on Christmas Day 1935 but didn't open in Los Angeles (at both Loew's State and Grauman's Chinese) until January 8th, which made it ineligible for the 1935 awards and forced it to compete in the 1936 race. Voting relied on the memories of the Academy and, since that voting didn't take place until early 1937, it simply wasn't uppermost in their thoughts at the time. It managed a Best Picture (or "Outstanding Production") nomination and a Best Editing nomination but it seems as though no one remembered the actors or the director by the time it came around.

 

[GlennF]

Great review Matt! I was getting ready to watch the DVD of this when I heard about the Blu-ray release; so I will wait until the disc arrives.

Your review hits some of my favorite highlights of this film. I liked your mention of the "angelic" Elizabeth Allen in the scene where she lights the candle for Sidney and we see her through his eyes (the entire Christmas sequence is beautifully done, fake snow and all). Tremendous film that I can't wait to see on Blu-ray.

When it snows in those big fluffy flakes here in Toronto I always tell people.."It's MGM snow" and this is the very scene I am thinking about.

 

[David_B_K]

Chewy snow.