A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court Blu-ray Movie

Rating summary

Movie		4.5
Video		4.5
Audio		4.5
Extras		0.0
Overall		4.0

A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court Blu-ray Movie Review

A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur’s Court is a classic Hollywood musical-comedy that is well worth seeing. Based on the novel by Mark Twain, A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur’s Court stars Bing Crosby, Rhonda Fleming, Cedric Hardwicke, and William Bendix. Produced by Robert Fellows (Let’s Dance, Plunder of the Sun), A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur’s Court was released April 22^nd, 1949. Becoming a huge box-office hit, A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur’s Court was one of the biggest hits the year it was released. A must-see musical gem.

Hank Martin (Bing Crosby) is a blacksmith mechanic who is working tirelessly at his job when he finds himself bumped on the head and transported magically to the realm of the sixth-century Camelot. Becoming popular and esteemed in no time, Hank is able to help teach some romantic things to gorgeous Alisande La Carteloise (Rhonda Fleming). Love is in the air with the va-va-vu of Alisande.

Hank even fools King Arthur (Cedric Hardwicke) into believing he is a wizard. Yet calling himself a wizard causes trouble for Hank when he finds himself toe in toe with Merlin (Murvyn Vye). Before long, Hank also finds himself having to duel with Sir Lancelot if he truly wishes to take the hand and heart of the beautiful princess he lusts after – can Hank win the duel?

The performances are excellent in the film. Bing Crosby is especially terrific in the leading role. Crosby is a superb performer and his sense of natural charisma and talent is spectacular and on full display in the film. Rhonda Fleming delivers a superb performance in the film, too. Fleming is a beautiful actress with enormous talent and grace. There is undeniable screen presence for Fleming and she is so beautiful and charming one cannot look away.

The song performances include "If You Stub Your Toe on the Moon" by Bing Crosby, "Busy Doing Nothing" by Bing Crosby, William Bendix and Cedric Hardwicke, "When Is Sometime" by Rhonda Fleming, and "Once and for Always" by Bing Crosby and Rhonda Fleming. The songs were superb. Outstanding. The music adds so much to the production and to the viewing experience. The film is undeniably charming as a musical and these musical numbers elevate the viewing tenfold – adding to the fun of the filmmaking. The score composed by Victor Young (The Quiet Man, Johnny Guitar) is superb, too.

The production merits are exquisite. The art direction by Roland Anderson (Breakfast at Tiffany’s, Reap the Wild Wind), Hans Dreier (Sunset Blvd., Double Indemnity), and Albert Nozaki (The Ten Commandments, When Worlds Collide) is lavish and a highlight of the film. The style is quite sophisticated and luxurious. The kind of old-school Hollywood spectacle and glamour that isn’t always seen today.

The costumes by Mary Kay Dodson (Alias Nick Beal, Golden Earrings) and Edith Head (Sabrina, Roman Holiday) enriched the filmmaking. The costumes were perfect for the entire cast. The most beautiful costumes were designed for Rhonda Fleming. Fleming is such a natural beauty and screen presence. These costumes enhanced her magnetic beauty and radiance throughout the film.

The cinematography by Ray Rennahan (Blood and Sand, Lady in the Dark) is as majestic as a beautiful painting. The cinematography showcases beautiful colors and the aesthetic feels hypnotic to watch. Visually arresting, the cinematography adds so much to the experience.

Edited by Archie Marshek (The Most Dangerous Game, Calcutta), A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur’s Court is a well-paced film. Marshek keeps a good pace. The film is never a bore at any moment in the experience. The pace is spot-on and the song-and-dance sequences carry that much more weight because of the tight editing.

The screenplay by Edmund Beloin (Lady on a Train, Because of Him) is a highlight and the characters are given great dialogue throughout the film. The storyline is fun and does a good job adapting the source material. The script plays with the concept in a fun way and this makes the filmmaking all the more engaging.

Directed by Tay Garnett (China Seas, Bataan), A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur’s Court is simply majestic musical filmmaking. Anyone who considers themselves a fan of classic Hollywood musicals should consider the film a must-see gem. The filmmaking is enchanting and the director brought out the best from the cast of actors and from the collaborators. A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur’s Court is a beautiful dream. Don’t miss it.

A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Released on Blu-ray by Universal, A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court is presented in 1080p MPEG-4 AVC encoded high-definition in the theatrical aspect ratio of 1.35:1 widescreen. The film presentation is superb. The high-definition video looks crisp and clear on the release. The print is magnificent and there is little in the way of print damage. The print some the occasional speck but appears almost flawless with great definition and detail. The color reproduction is exceptional. The excellent video quality makes the film all the easier to be transported away by – off to another world.

A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

The release is presented in English DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0 mono. The lossless audio quality on the release is excellent. Dialogue sounds crisp, clear, and engaging. The song selections are beautifully reproduced. The score is preserved well by the lossless encoding as well. The track is surprisingly excellent sounding with few issues at all with hiss, crackle, or other audio detractors. A superb presentation.

English SDH subtitles (for the deaf and hard of hearing) are provided on the release.

A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

The release includes no bonus features. The film begins at startup and there is no main menu for the release.

A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court is a must-see Hollywood musical. The film is a blast of spectacle and magic with great performances by Bing Crosby, Rhonda Fleming, Cedric Hardwicke, and William Bendix. The filmmaking is magical and the production is beautiful on a number of levels – from the lavish costumes to the outstanding production design. The story is fun and audiences are taken on a journey.

The Blu-ray release provides excellent high-definition video and lossless audio for the feature presentation. The release does not provide any supplemental features. Despite the release being barebones in the extras department, the release is well worth owning for the superb presentation of a classic gem. Highly recommended.