Rating summary

Movie		4.0
Video		5.0
Audio		4.5
Extras		3.0
Overall		4.0

20th Century Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Dr. Svet Atanasov April 30, 2021

Howard Hawks' " Twentieth Century" (1934) arrives on Blu-ray courtesy of Indicator/Powerhouse Films. The supplemental features on the disc include new audio commentary by critic Farran Smith Nehme; archival video introduction by Peter Bogdanovich; trailer; vintage promotional materials; and more. In English, with optional English SDH subtitles for the main feature. Region-B "locked".

The man in charge

In a recent article, I confessed that whenever I view an older film from the pre-war years, I always end up comparing the old vs. the new Hollywood. I don’t preplan this process. I want to focus on the film and enjoy it, but my mind insists that I keep on doing these comparisons. I often find myself examining minor details in the body posture of the actors, and how the small things they do before the camera routinely shape up complete acts that are incredibly difficult to locate in contemporary films. Also, I pay very close attention to the quality of the writing and how different, seemingly spontaneous lines come together. Preston Sturges' films are my favorite because even if I only listen to them, I am still enormously entertained. The relationship between the wit of his lines and the energy and precision with which they are delivered by different actors astounds me. You can’t see this type of mastery in contemporary films. It was essential for the magic that used to make Hollywood films special, but it is gone now, and I don’t think it will ever come back.

This exact process occurred again last night when I sat down to view Howard Hawks’ film Twentieth Century. I was ready to simply have a good time with it, but as soon as Oscar Jaffe (John Barrymore) began giving instructions to Mildred Plotka (Carole Lombard) on the stage, my mind switched into ‘comparison mode’. The energy was incredible, but it did not affect the synchronization of the lines that were exchanged. In fact, the more passionate Jaffe appeared, the better the synchronization became. Then after Plotka’s transformation into Lily Garland was completed, the film switched gears and became absolutely electric. Now even the secondary characters, like Jaffe’s two colorful assistants, were part of a complete act and were required to do very particular things to make it work as intended. It was quite a spectacle, and my mind was once again eager to make the obvious point that it is impossible to discover in contemporary films.

Now, I have to mention something else that I think will disappoint admirers of Twentieth Century -- its comedy is quite ineffective. However, not only do I not consider this to be a major weakness, it might be the very reason why the film is so interesting. Indeed, my initial impression was that its comedy was simply too dry and in certain places actually seriously overdone, but then my mind began registering the many particular things the two leads were doing that would make them appear ‘unexpectedly’ annoying. Well, guess what? They are doing it entirely by design, which is why the comedy frequently feels off. What is the intent? Jaffe, the ambitious theater director, and Garland, the simple girl who is transformed into a superstar, represent two sides of the same business, and it isn’t a pretty one. Despite their elegant manners and ‘sincere’ feelings for each other, they both turn out to be egoistical chameleons. Their entire existence is like the plays they do -- defined by the quality of the lies they sell on and off the stage and dependent on their success.

The final act on the train where Jaffe goes to work to reclaim Garland is a classic litmus test that reveals the true identity of the film. The clues are everywhere, but the biggest ones come from Garland’s behavior. Now she is every bit as manipulative as her former mentor, quite possibly even better, and also fixated on success. She has to be if she wishes to remain at the top. It wasn’t her choice, but the business made her be this way.

Twentieth Century was Hawks' first talking comedy. The screenplay for it came from Ben Hecht and Charles MacArthur, the creative duo that wrote the classic The Front Page (1931).

20th Century Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Presented in its original aspect ratio of 1.37:1, encoded with MPEG-4 AVC and granted a 1080p transfer, 20th Century arrives on Blu-ray courtesy of Indicator/Powerhouse Films.

The release is sourced from a solid 4K master that was prepared by Sony Pictures. On my system, the entire film looked very, very healthy, and I was actually quite surprised to see that even during reel transitions where usually you can spot signs of aging, the density and stability of the visuals were very strong. Quite predictably, depth ranges from very good to excellent. The grayscale is outstanding as well. Immediately after the opening credits disappear the film reveals a wide range of beautifully nuanced grays, blacks and whites, and even though there are no stunning panoramic vistas there is plenty of be impressed with. There are no traces of problematic digital corrections. Wonderful presentation. (Note: This is a Region-B "locked" Blu-ray release. Therefore, you must have a native Region-B or Region-Free player in order to access its content).

20th Century Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

There is only one standard audio track on this Blu-ray release: English: LPCM Mono (48kHz, 24-bit). Optional English SDH subtitles are provided for the main feature.

Clarity and sharpness are very good. However, if you turn up the volume a bit, like I did, you will hear light background hiss frequently sneaking in. It is not distracting, but its presence is virtually impossible to ignore. Dynamic intensity is quite limited, but this is to be expected from a film that was completed in the early 1930s.

20th Century Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

• Peter Bogdanovich Recommends Twentieth Century - in this archival video piece, Peter Bogdanovich offers a very enthusiastic endorsement of Twentieth Century and explains why it is a genuine classic of American cinema. The piece was produced in 1989. In English, not subtitled. (6 min).

• Stars in Her Eyes: Lucy Bolton on Carole Lombard - academic Lucy Bolton discusses the life and legacy of Carole Lombard. In English, not subtitled. (17 min).

• Commentary - exclusive new audio commentary recorded by critic Farran Smith Nehme. The bulk of the comments address the history of Twentieth Century and its reputation as the first screwball comedy, its style and tone, as well as the careers of Howard Hawks and the stars that made the film with him.

• Super 8 Version - a Super 8 version of Twentieth Century. In English, with optional English subtitles. (21 min).

• The Campbell Playhouse: "Twentieth Century" (1939) - this archival audio episode was originally broadcast on March 24, 1939. It stars Orson Wells, Elissa Landi, Sam Levene, and Ray Collins. In English, not subtitled. (56 min).

• Austin Film Society Trailer - this trailer for the 4K restoration of Twentieth Century was prepared in 2016. In English, not subtitled. (1 min).

• Image Gallery - a collection of original promotional materials for Twentieth Century.

• Booklet - 32-page limited edition exclusive booklet with a new essay by Pamela Hutchinson, extracts from interviews with Howard Hawks, overview of contemporary and modern critical responses, as well as film credits.

20th Century Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

In a short archival included on this release, Peter Bogdanovich declares that Howard Hawks' Twentieth Century is one of the best films ever made about show business people. He is right because this film profiles them with a surgical precision while pretending to be only a harmless screwball comedy. I thought that it was very original and loved its style. Indicator/Powerhouse Films' release of Twentieth Century is sourced from a wonderful, recent 4K restoration that was completed by the folks at Sony Pictures. If you decide to add it to your collection, please keep in mind that it is Region-B "locked". HIGHLY RECOMMENDED.