A Farewell to Arms Blu-ray Movie

Rating summary

Movie		2.5
Video		4.0
Audio		4.0
Extras		1.0
Overall		3.0

A Farewell to Arms Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Brian Orndorf April 25, 2017

Ernest Hemingway’s novel, “A Farewell to Arms,” is a tough nut to crack. It carries tremendous solemnity and personal experience, giving it an open wound atmosphere that makes it an intimate read with a gut-punch ending. Producer David O. Selznick attempts to turn Hemingway’s horror into a new version of “Gone with the Wind,” inflating love and war to a point where the original meaning of the book is lost. Melodramatic and in need of another editorial pass, 1957’s “A Farewell to Arms” certainly provides beguiling bigness, but the enormity of the production manages to smother literary intent.

Stars Rock Hudson, Jennifer Jones, and Vittoiro De Sica do their best for director Charles Vidor, filling their roles with professional dedication, but miscastings nag the picture, finding Jones and Hudson conjuring little chemistry as the secret lovers in the midst of World War I. Performances are almost secondary to Selznick, who orders up towering visuals to sell this CinemaScope event, which makes terrific use of mountainous locations and hundreds of extras, working hard to give material that exists in tight mental spaces a proper widescreen immersion factor. “A Farewell to Arms” looks great, but it doesn’t feel right, laboring through spectacle before it returns to tepid interplay.

A Farewell to Arms Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Listed as a "Brand new 4K restoration," the AVC encoded image (2.35:1 aspect ratio) presentation supports the gigantic scope of "A Farwell to Arms" with appealing detail. Glamour cinematography and period equipment contribute a degree of softness, but textures remain open for observation throughout, best when taking in the enormity of war scenes, preserving deep backgrounds and sweeping vistas. Facial particulars are also secured. Colors are capable, respectfully refreshed, accentuating military hues and blue waters, and skintones are appealing. Delineation is adequate, tested in full during evening encounters. Grain is fine and filmic. Banding emerges periodically. Source is in decent shape, without defined damage.

A Farewell to Arms Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

The 2.0 DTS-HD MA sound mix handles satisfactorily but never remarkably. A mild degree of hiss is detected throughout the listening event, and a brief audio dropout occurs during the main titles. Dialogue exchanges are more secure, handling melodramatic performances and plenty of hushes hospital banter. Accents are easy to follow. Scoring is supportive, and while it doesn't' feature the sharpest instrumentation, music sets the mood accordingly. Sound effects are loud. Group activity is preserved.

A Farewell to Arms Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

• A Theatrical Trailer (2:37, SD) is included.

A Farewell to Arms Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

The production attempts to keep up with Hemingway's plotting, but it tonally misses the mark, playing up romance instead of psychological issues, easing into comfort food cinema territory. It's a mute-button movie, especially for those who enjoy massive productions, but as an extension of Hemingway, "A Farewell to Arms" comes up frustratingly short.