Rating summary

Movie		4.0
Video		3.0
Audio		4.0
Extras		3.0
Overall		3.5

Big Brown Eyes Blu-ray Movie Review

A fun charmer featuring the great Cary Grant.

Big Brown Eyes is a fun comedy-mystery with some nice surprises up its sleeve. Produced by Walter Wanger (Cleopatra, Foreign Correspondent), there is plenty of sleuthing behind this old-fashioned entertainment. Based on the story Hahsit Babe by James Edward Grant, Big Brown Eyes is a good excursion highlighted by terrific performances by Cary Grant and Joan Bennett.

Danny Barr (Cary Grant) is a hot-shot police detective working alongside the gorgeous Eve Fallon (Joan Bennett). Their unique collaboration together starts to turn sour when Eve bickers with Danny to the point where she loses her job. Setting out to work on her own as a New York crime reporter, things turn deadly when both Danny and Eve discover that the vile Richard Morey (Walter Pidgeon) got away with murder following a deadly shootout. Determined to save the day, Danny and Eve once again join forces. Can the duo bring justice against the killer?

Both Cary Grant and Joan Bennett are terrific in their respective roles. The duo have good chemistry on-screen. The pair make the filmmaking all the more entertaining by bouncing off each other with their lines. The performances manage to showcase the comedy and suspense of the production. Fine efforts by both.

The art direction by Alexander Toluboff (The Adventurer, Stagecoach) gives the film a nice backdrop. The production is well constructed and showcases the settings with impeccable detail. The efforts help to enhance the filmmaking. Toluboff contributed some impressive stylistic flair.

The legend: Cary Grant.

Featuring a music score composed by Gerard Carbonara (The Big Wheel, The Kansan), Big Brown Eyes is enhanced through music. The score offers a nice back-drop to the action and suspense. When romantic elements are at play, the music fits the tone too. A nice effort by Carbonara.

The cinematography by George T. Clemens (The Twilight Zone, Hideaway Girl) is another strength of the production. The stunning black and white cinematography is a perfect match for the suspenseful undertones of the storyline. There are also plenty of fantastic visuals during the romantic scenes. Clemens is a strong cinematographer and the results can be seen on the screen. Fantastic.

The screenplay by Raoul Walsh and co-writer Bert Hanlon (Spendthrift, Sailor's Luck) is full of undeniable charm and wit from start to finish. The characters are written in a playful way which allows for the actors to delve in to the roles easily. The storyline blends together the mystery elements with the romantic. The end results are impressive.

Directed by Raoul Walsh (White Heat, The Roaring Twenties), Big Brown Eyes is a fun and engaging production. Walsh truly brings the best out of his cast. The production is elaborate and has fun with the concept. Along with editor Robert L. Simpson (Miracle on 34^th Street, The King and I), Walsh connects the pieces to form a well-paced and entertaining classic. Big Brown Eyes is a nice feature perfectly suited to a weekend matinee. Enjoy it.

Big Brown Eyes Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Arriving on Blu-ray from Kino Lorber, Big Brown Eyes is presented in 1080p MPEG-4 AVC encoded high definition in the theatrical aspect ratio of 1.37:1 full frame. The print quality on this film was somewhat inconsistent. The presentation is decent but it is far from a thorough restoration. The transfer showcases some thin scratches and there is some slight print damage (though nothing too major). Many scenes seem to have optically soft shots and the footage is not as sharp as one may expect. There also appears to be some stretching of the footage (as the video sometimes seem a bit unnatural). A watchable but somewhat underwhelming transfer.

Big Brown Eyes Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

The Blu-ray release features a lossless DTS HD Master Audio mono soundtrack. The audio quality on the presentation fares a little bit better than the video. The sound quality is more than adequate and sounds decent given the age of the elements. Dialogue is easy to understand. While it sounds a bit lackluster compared to a pristine audio mix, the track still gets the job done.

Optional English subtitles are provided.

Big Brown Eyes Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

Audio Commentary by Film Critic Nick Pinkerton

The release also includes a selection of trailers for other releases available from distributor Kino Lorber: The Bride Wore Boots (HD, 2:05) and The World In His Arms (SD, 1:49).

Big Brown Eyes Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

Big Brown Eyes has plenty to offer audiences. The storyline is fun and engaging. The performances by Cary Grant and Joan Bennett are dynamic. Fans of these actors would do well to check out this classic. Worth a watch. Recommended.