Rating summary

Movie		4.0
Video		4.0
Audio		4.0
Extras		3.0
Overall		4.0

All I Desire Blu-ray Movie Review

A strong performance by Barbara Stanwyck makes it a must-see

A haunting melodrama with plenty of style, All I Desire is an impeccable film produced by Ross Hunter (Thoroughly Modern Millie, Flower Drum Song). Based on the novel by Carol Ryrie Brink (The Pink Motel), the film features a must-see performance by the great Barbara Stanwyck (Double Indemnity, The Lady Eve). Filled with evocative imagery, the film is worth a watch.

The story explores the journey of Naomi Murdoch (Barbara Stanwyck) as she returns to her home many years after abandoning her husband and children to pursue a stage career. As Naomi again becomes involved in the life of her family, the plot thickens: Naomi felt forced to leave due to a scandal. Now Naomi wants to start a-new with her family. Going to see a stage production featuring her own daughter in an important role, Naomi now desires nothing more than her family. Will things ever be the same once more?

The performance by Barbara Stanwyck is at the heart of the production. The story centers upon her character so much that the effectiveness of the entire film depends squarely on Stanwyck's ability to carry the story. Stanwyck was up to the challenge. A remarkably gifted actress, Stanwyck once more proves how versatile she was during her career. The performance demands a great deal from her and she lives up to the role. The performance could have easily become too over-the-top given the subject matter involved but Stanwyck performs the part with a clear passion and drive that provides the story with a sense of authenticity that permeates the entire production. A wonderful, essential performance. In a sense, All I Desire is essential viewing for Stanwyck's performance alone.

The production has a number of impressive components that also strengthen the experience. The film has impressive art direction by Alexander Golitzen (Foreign Correspondent, Touch of Evil) and Bernard Herzbrun (The Fighting O'Flynn, Creature from the Black Lagoon). The sets are well designed. The locations are effective. The artistry of the production can be seen and felt in each sequence. The original music score composed by David M. Lieberman, Henry Mancini (The Pink Panther), and Herman Stein (No Name on the Bullet) also adds a dramatic undercurrent to the story.

An icon. A legend.

The costumes by Rosemary Odell (To Kill a Mockingbird, City Beneath the Sea) also bring some elegance to the production. The attire for Barbara Stanwyck is sublime throughout the entire film. These costumes are a great component of the filmmaking.

The black and white cinematography by Carl E. Guthrie (The Woman in White, Between Two Worlds) is quite impressive and strikes an effective tone for the material. The film is never pitch-black (or as dark as a film noir) but it manages to convey the decidedly dark tones of the story with some haunting visuals and perfect lighting. The character silhouettes are especially effective and make a big impression during the film.

Adapted by Gina Kaus (Three Secrets), All I Desire features a strong screenplay by James Gunn (Affair in Trinidad, Born to Kill) and Robert Blees (A Woman for All Men, The Fighting Chance). The film is tense and dramatic in all the right ways. The character arc of Naomi Murdoch is wonderfully explored. The script gives the actors plenty to work with. The end result was a film that felt far more believable and impressive.

Douglas Sirk (Imitation of Life, The Tarnished Angels) capably directs All I Desire. Working alongside editor Milton Carruth (Shadow of a Doubt, All Quiet on the Western Front), Sirk is certainly a actor's director: a filmmaker in tune with performers. The primary focus of the filmmaking here is on the performances. Sirk creates compelling tension as a filmmaker, writing with the lens, while giving plenty of opportunities for Barbara Stanwyck to shine. Don't overlook this worthwhile effort.

All I Desire Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Arriving on Blu-ray from Kino Lorber, All I Desire is presented in 1080p MPEG-4 AVC encoded high definition in the theatrical aspect ratio of 1.36:1 full frame. The video transfer was impressive and satisfactory. I was quite satisfied with the encode. The silky black and white cinematography looks stunning on the disc. The film looks crisp and clear. The transfer is not noted as being a 4K scan but the level of detail and clarity on display is quite terrific throughout. The depth of the image is superb. The presentation is consistently clean and there are no egregious issues to report with regards to glaring print deficiencies like scratches, dirt, and debris. A satisfying video presentation.

All I Desire Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

All I Desire is presented in DTS HD Master Audio mono. The lossless audio track is impressive and has no detrimental issues to report. Dialogue is crisp, clear, and easy to understand. The music score was well reproduced on the track. There were no examples of egregious hiss, crackle, warps, clicks, pops, and other such audio-related deficiencies throughout the presentation. The audio track is well matched to the video presentation and gets the job done.

Please Note: Optional English subtitles are provided.

All I Desire Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

Audio Commentary by film historian Imogen Sara Smith

All I Desire Theatrical Trailer (SD, 1:05)

The release also includes a selection of trailers promoting other releases available from distributor Kino Lorber: The Great Man's Lady (SD, 2:13), The Bride Wore Boots (HD, 2:05), Witness to Murder (SD, 2:09), There's Always Tomorrow (HD, 2:39), The Tarnished Angels (SD, 2:41), and The Magnetic Monster (SD, 2:21).

All I Desire Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

Barbara Stanwyck is at the heart of All I Desire and its success. Her performance is remarkably special and is something to behold. The production is effective on many levels but it is Stanwyck's star-power which makes the film such an impressive watch. The Blu-ray release features a strong video-audio presentation and is worth a pick-up. Recommended.