Belle of the Nineties Blu-ray Movie

Rating summary

Movie		3.0
Video		3.5
Audio		3.5
Extras		2.5
Overall		3.0

Belle of the Nineties Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Jeffrey Kauffman February 16, 2022

Note: This version of this film is available on Blu-ray as part of Mae West in Hollywood.

For a star who was perceived to be such a voluptuous female sex symbol, Mae West had, well, swagger. Just look at the way she gallivants, even marauds, physically through her scenes, walking almost like a prize fighter observing some prey she's just devastated. She frequently has a masculine mien in her gait, hands on hips almost threateningly, and with a kind of pugnacious attitude that nonetheless never completely masks a rather unexpectedly sweet and kind aspect to many of her characters, even if those characters are just as apt to be tough as nails. Specifically in terms of West's memorable saunter, if none of her other unforgettable aspects, one of the commentaries included with this set calls West's distinctive stride a "shimmy" that West supposedly overtly stated was culled from watching black women, though some may jokingly wonder if West was also watching black men for a few pointers. What is kind of fascinating about West's ineluctable allure in terms of behaviors and mannerisms, though, is how she manages to be slyly seductive and ridiculously overheated almost simultaneously, but it's instructive to note that this layering of attitudes and demeanors, as well as "mere" physical presence, was part and parcel of West's own writing and character building acumen, since it seems only obvious that West was more than aware that she was putting on a show on any number of levels. West's proclivities as "another" kind of auteur, one who crafted a series of films that frequently were based on West's own ideas and/or writing, are rather prominently on display in this handsome new(ish) set from Powerhouse Films' Indicator imprint, which aggregates together ten features ranging from 1932 to 1943.

Belle of the Nineties once again finds Mae West as a chanteuse plying her wares in the late 19th century, here as Ruby Carter, who's a sensation in the nightclub scene of St. Louis. There's also once again a kind of quasi-criminal element lurking in the sidelines of a story that sees Ruby in an on again, off again relationship with prizefighter Tiger Kid (Roger Pryor). The bloom is off the rose just a bit in this follow up to West's massive hits She Done Him Wrong and I'm No Angel. As with both of her previous starring features, there are copious amounts of both melodrama and sexually tinged humor, though a certain perhaps externally applied chaste quality is on display. West's well publicized feuds with censors were only just beginning, but they may have played into an entry that seems surprisingly tame for a West film. That said, West's forward thinking in terms of offering integrated casts pays considerable dividends here with the kind of startling inclusion (given the film's setting, anyway) of Duke Ellington.

Belle of the Nineties Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Belle of the Nineties is presented on Blu-ray courtesy of Powerhouse Films' Indicator imprint with an AVC encoded 1080p transfer in 1.35:1. The back cover of this release touts a "2021 restoration. . .from a 4K scan". As with some other films in this set which feature the imprimatur of a 4K scan, expectations should probably be tempered, at least somewhat, as this is another presentation that still shows some pretty significant signs of age related wear and tear, and in fact a careful perusing of the screenshots I've uploaded to accompany this review will show things like scratches, nicks and other blemishes. The overall look here is somewhat soft without tons of fine detail at times, with a rather heavy grain field which at least indicates no artificial digital scrubbing has been employed. My score is 3.75.

Belle of the Nineties Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

Belle of the Nineties features an LPCM Mono track which capably supports the film's music and dialogue, albeit once again with a lack of real dynamic range and an overall boxy, narrow and shallow sound. There are no real signs of major damage, but there is some noticeable background hiss. Optional English subtitles are available.

Belle of the Nineties Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

Powerhouse Films has packaged this release with both I'm No Angel and Belle of the Nineties sharing a disc. The following is a complete listing of supplements on the disc:

• I'm No Angel Audio Commentary with Farran Smith Nehme


• I'm No Angel Super 8 (Short Version) (HD; 8:02) is silent with subtitles.


• I'm No Angel Super 8 (Long Version) (HD; 17:46)


• I'm No Angel Theatrical Trailer (HD; 1:55)


• Belle of the Nineties Theatrical Trailer (HD; 1:53)


• I'm No Angel Image Gallery (HD)


• Belle of the Nineties Image Gallery (HD)

Belle of the Nineties Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

It's understandable that once Mae West became "Mae West" in the eyes of the public, no one wanted to tweak things too much, since there was a financial killing to be made in just leaving things the same. But even putting aside some of the repetitive elements at play in Belle of the Nineties, and with an understanding that censors may have put the kibosh on something more freewheeling (and therefore entertaining), there's a certain lack of energy in this film which may suggest that even West's heart wasn't really in it, at least fully, perhaps at least partially due to the interference of outside "advisors". Technical merits are decent, though the advertised "4K restoration" needs to be understood within the context of an archival element which has some damage.