Blu-ray Review Green Dolphin Street Blu-ray Review (1 Viewer)

[Matt Hough]

A melodrama of epic scope but smaller emotional dynamics, Victor Saville’s Green Dolphin Street displays every bit of its $4 million cost on the screen but shortchanges its audience in believable human interactions and interpersonal developments.



Green Dolphin Street (1947)



Released: 05 Nov 1947
Rated: Approved
Runtime: 141 min




Director: Victor Saville
Genre: Adventure, Romance, Drama



Cast: Lana Turner, Van Heflin, Donna Reed, Richard Hart
Writer(s): Samson Raphaelson (screenplay), Elizabeth Goudge (novel)



Plot: A young man, loved by two sisters, becomes a naval officer and boards the new clipper ship 'Green Dolphin' to New Zealand, where he drunkenly writes a marriage proposal to the wrong sister, profoundly affecting the life of the other.



IMDB rating: 6.8
MetaScore:...

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[Andrew Budgell]

Great review, as always, Matt! I'm looking forward to adding this solid release to my collection.

 

[Robert Crawford]

Thank you again for your fine review of another classic movie on BD. My BB order has been delayed. I hope it doesn't get cancelled like my order for "The Greatest Show on Earth".

 

[benbess]

Very good review of this movie. As Matt says, the picture quality is outstanding—probably better than opening night in 1947.

Green Dolphin Street was trying for the drama and emotions of other epics of this era. I like it better than Matt does, although it is flawed both in screenplay and in performance. As a fan of Lana Turner, Donna Reed, and Van Heflin I enjoyed the film's strange explorations of the meanings of life and love. The cinematography by George Folsey (Meet Me In St. Louis, Harvey Girls, State of the Union, Adam's Rib, Seven Brides for Seven Brothers, The Cobweb, Forbidden Planet, etc., etc.) is very good throughout from my pov, with some moody close-ups. The special effects won an Oscar, and you can tell that MGM spent a lot on this movie. Interesting that it was in black and white, but I think it actually suits this picture well. The music is by Bronislaw Kaper.

 

[benbess]

For some reason I've always been a fan of matte paintings, even when they look artificial, which they almost always do. The artificiality of them is part of what for me makes the dream world of some Hollywood movies of this era.