A Bullet Is Waiting Blu-ray Movie

Rating summary

Movie		2.0
Video		4.0
Audio		4.5
Extras		3.0
Overall		2.5

A Bullet Is Waiting Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Dr. Svet Atanasov October 11, 2021

John Farrow's "A Bullet is Waiting" (1954) arrives on Blu-ray courtesy of Indicator/Powerhouse Films. The supplemental features on the disc include new audio commentary by critics Barry Forshaw and Kim Newman; new program with critic Josephine Botting; vintage promotional materials for the film; and more. In English, with optional English SDH subtitles for the main feature. Region-B "locked".

I am unsure why John Farrow’s A Bullet is Waiting appears in the Columbia Noir #4 box set. There are some very atmospheric westerns out there that do a lot of the same things the classics film noirs do to impress, but this film isn’t one of them. It is just an old-fashioned and very melodramatic B-western that looks and behaves exactly like a B-western should.

Somewhere amongst the rugged hills of the Sierra Nevada, Cally Canham (Jean Simmons) uncovers two strangers who have crashed their plane. While pointing her rifle at them, she learns that one is a bounty hunter (Stephen McNally) and the other (Rory Calhoun) a criminal who has been caught after making an amateurish mistake. Because of an approaching storm, she agrees to let them spend the night at her secluded sheep ranch, but only if they promise to behave.

The storm and the bounty hunter’s injured leg alter Cally’s plan and she agrees to host her ‘guests’ a bit longer. In the days ahead, however, she learns that the bounty hunter and the criminal have a history together that seriously complicates their current relationship. The revelation forces her to reconsider her initial impressions of them and then abandon her decision to remain neutral as they continue to verbally and physically challenge and attack each other.

The return of Cally’s father (Brian Aherne), an Oxford professor who has permanently removed himself from Academia, gives everyone an opportunity to step back and reevaluate the drama that has been brewing since the beginning of the storm.

Even though Farrow directs with confidence and makes the most out of the beautiful sets and decors that are supposed to trick the viewer to accept that the vast Californian wilderness is authentic, A Bullet is Waiting is awfully difficult to enjoy even as casual late-night entertainment. Indeed, this film quickly heads down a very familiar path and then ends up rehashing a number of entirely predictable situations where the four actors essentially exchange a whole bunch of meaningless lines.

What disappoints the most, however, is Farrow’s odd reluctance to take a few risks and at the very least add a couple of suggestive overtones to the melodrama. It is something that instantly would have made a positive difference because it would have humanized the main protagonists and by default legimized some of their actions. Sadly, Farrow remains oblivious to the artificiality of the melodrama and simply keeps moving forward until it is time to wrap it all up.

The arrival of the former Oxford professor makes it painfully obvious that the entire project was not properly put together. With manners and attitude that seem a lot more appropriate for a respectable bank manager than an experienced rancher, Aherne somehow manages to defuse the tension and then quickly ensure a finale that would have been perfect in a fairy tale for adults. It is not only utterly unbelievable, but seriously distasteful, perhaps even somewhat insulting.

Farrow was able to use the services of multiple Oscar-nominated cinematographer Franz Planer, who had previously lensed Letter from an Unknown Woman (1948), Champion (1949), and Roman Holiday (1953).

The original soundtrack was created by Dimitri Tomkin, who had just won an Oscar statuette for his contribution to the classic western High Noon (1952).

A Bullet Is Waiting Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Presented in an aspect ratio of 1.33:1, encoded with MPEG-4 AVC and granted a 1080p transfer, A Bullet is Waiting arrives on Blu-ray courtesy of Indicator/Powerhouse Films.

The release is sourced from an older but very handsome master that was supplied by Sony Pictures. While this master comes with some minor but unmissable limitations, the entire film looks very healthy and fresh. I projected it and on my system delineation and depth was frequently very nice, a few times even impressive (see screencapture #6). Clarity was quite pleasing as well. Grain is nicely exposed and resolved, and I actually do not think that there is room for significant improvements. At best it can be evened out, but density levels are already very good. Immediately before or after transitions some minor unevenness can be spotted, but it is entirely organic, so the visuals remain very filmic. Color balance is good, but ideally saturation and some minor nuances should be slightly better. There are no distracting age-related imperfections. My score is 4.25/5.00. (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).

A Bullet Is Waiting Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

There is only one standard audio track on this Blu-ray release: English LPCM 1.0. Optional English SDH subtitles are provided for the main feature.

I did not encounter any issues to report in our review. The audio is very clear, stable, and nicely balanced. Dynamic intensity is good for a film from the early 1950s. In fact, whenever Dimitri Tiomkin's soundtrack has an important role to play dynamic intensity could be rather surprisingly strong.

A Bullet Is Waiting Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

• Trailer - a vintage trailer for A Bullet is Waiting. In English, not subtitled. (2 min).

• Image Gallery - a collection of vintage promotional materials for A Bullet is Waiting.

• From Cricklewood to Hollywood: Josephine Botting on Jean Simmons - in this new program, critic Jean Simmons discusses the life and career of Jean Simmons. In English, not subtitled. (21 min).

• Commentary - this new audio commentary was recorded by critics Barry Forshaw and Kim Newman. Some of the most interesting observations in the commentary address the film's stylistic identity and tone as well as the careers of the people that made it.

• Yoke's On Me (1944) - a short film featuring the three stooges. Directed and produced by Jules White. Fully remastered. In English, with optional English SDH subtitles. (17 min).

• Book - a limited edition exclusive 120-page book with new essays by Beth Ann Gallagher, Bob Herzberg, Sophie Monks Kaufman, Omar Ahmed, Jen Johans, and Monica Castillo, archival articles and interviews, and film credits.

A Bullet Is Waiting Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

There are plenty of wonderful film noirs that were shot in color. There are plenty of very interesting westerns with distinct noirish qualities as well. John Farrow's A Bullet is Waiting was shot in color and is a western, but it does not qualify to be profiled as film noir. However, to be perfectly honest, I do not have a problem with the stylistic identity of this film. I just don't think that it is done particularly well. It is very melodramatic, to the point of being slightly annoying, and everything that happens in it is entirely predictable and unbelievable. Perhaps it would appeal to a few fans of its stars, but I did not like it at all. Also, I think that it is the weakest film in the Columbia Noir series. This release is sourced from an older but very good remaster that was prepared by Sony Pictures. It is included in Indicator/Powerhouse Films' Columbia Noir #4 box set.