Rating summary

Movie		4.5
Video		4.0
Audio		4.5
Extras		5.0
Overall		4.5

Bullfighter and the Lady Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Dr. Svet Atanasov September 26, 2022

Budd Boetticher's "Bullfighter and the Lady" (1951) arrives on Blu-ray courtesy of Indicator/Powerhouse Films. The supplemental features on the release include exclusive new program with Mary Boetticher; archival program with Budd Boetticher; archival documentaries; vintage promotional materials for the film; and more. In English, with optional English SDH subtitles for the main feature. Region-B "locked".

El Toro

It is not a bad idea to spend ninety minutes with An Evening with Budd Boetticher before you view Bullfighter and the Lady. In this audio program from 2001, you will hear Boetticher discussing a wide range of different topics with an incredible sense of humor, including the conception and production of Bullfighter and the Lady, which is arguably his most personal film. As a young man, Boetticher was a lot like the character Robert Stack plays, Johnny Regan, and spent plenty of time in Mexico learning to be a bullfighter, chasing the senoritas, and getting in trouble with the law. In Mexico, Boetticher even met the legendary Spaniard Manolete, who had come to participate in a couple of highly-publicized corridas.

The most important reason to go straight to An Evening with Budd Boetticher, however, is the director’s candid explanation of why for a very, very long time Bullfighter and the Lady was possible to see only in a heavily edited version, which was not the version of the film he loved and was proud of. Boetticher reveals that the theatrical version of Bullfighter and the Lady was essentially John Ford’s version of the film because he was given a green light by producer John Wayne to shorten the film and make it more attractive to various industry hotshots. After Ford cut Bullfighter and the Lady, for decades it was believed that the trims were either destroyed or lost, meaning that the original version of the film had permanently disappeared as well. However, a little over two decades ago, thanks to the efforts (and brilliant instincts) of Robert Gitt from UCLA Film & Television Archive, suitable elements for proper reconstruction of Bullfighter and the Lady were discovered and Boetticher’s original longer version was revived. Boetticher and Gitt identify some of the exact material that was recovered and then the latter explains why it looks as it does and how it was reinserted.

Boetticher’s original version of Bullfighter and the Lady is a little over two hours long and is in fact a very different film. It quickly creates the impression that it would be an exotic romantic drama about a young American man (Stack) trying to win the heart of a beautiful Mexican girl (Joy Page) and then abruptly evolves into what is essentially a poetic documentary about bullfighting and its timeless allure. In Ford’s edited version, over forty minutes of the bullfighting footage is removed and the new film that emerges is a very uneven B picture.

In the original version, there is a greater emphasis on the American’s relationship with a veteran Mexican bullfighter (Gilbert Roland) that takes him under his wing as well. In fact, this relationship effectively overshadows the American’s obsession with the Mexican girl, and in the second half virtually all bullfighting footage channels important themes that are initiated by it and are at the center of the drama. Unsurprisingly, without the complete bullfighting footage, Ford’s edited version can not manage the drama as Boetticher envisioned it. (In the audio program, Boetticher speculates that under slightly different circumstances Roland would have won an Oscar statuette for his performance. He is probably right).

The quality of bullfighting footage is outstanding and easily comparable to the one that is seen in Francesco Rosi’s classic The Moment of Truth (Il Momento della Verita). The training sessions and the actual bullfights are absolutely one hundred percent real and as dangerous as they appear. When the giant bulls charge toward the camera, it is stunning to watch. Sadly, during the filming of Bullfighter and the Lady, a Mexican stuntman was crushed by a giant angry bull and shortly after passed away.

Bullfighter and the Lady Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Presented in its original aspect ratio of 1.37:1, encoded with MPEG-4 AVC and granted a 1080p transfer, Bullfighter and the Lady arrives on Blu-ray courtesy of Indicator/Powerhouse Films.

The release offers two versions of Bullfighter and the Lady: the original unedited version, which is approximately 124 minutes long, and the edited theatrical version, which is approximately 87 minutes long. The former was first released on Blu-ray in the United States by Olive Films in 2013. (You can see our listing of this release here). I viewed the original unedited version of the film, which is a big reconstruction project that was finalized by Robert Gitt from UCLA Film & Television Archive. However, I have the Olive Films release in my library, so this wasn't my first viewing of it.

There are a few rough spots on this version, but I like the presentation quite a lot. Why? Because the entire version of the film, not just parts of it, has a very solid organic appearance. Even the reconstructed material, which reveals small density fluctuations that affect delineation and clarity, actually looks very good. Yes, there are some tiny nicks and blemishes as well as minor scratches and other similar surface imperfections that occasionally pop up here and there that could have been removed with modern digital tools, but they don't bother me. What is important to underscore here is that the reconstruction does not reveal any traces of compromising digital work. Also, the master that was prepared for it has a very fine grayscale that handles daylight and nighttime/indoor footage very well. Image stability is good too, though a few shaky spots and transitions can be observed. This is it. I don't see any serious issues with the technical presentation. There is room for some cosmetic improvements, but given the nature of reconstruction, the visuals already look as good as they should. (Note: This is a Region-B "locked" Blu-ray release. Therefore, you must have a native Region-B or Region-Free player in order to access its content).

Bullfighter and the Lady Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

There is only one standard audio track on this Blu-ray release: English LPCM 1.0. Optional English subtitles are provided for the main feature.

The dialog is clear and easy to follow. The upper register is healthy too, though there are a few areas where some extremely light background hiss tries to sneak in. Balance is good. However, occasionally you will notice small unevenness. Interestingly, the transitions between the previously available footage and the newly incorporated footage are very smooth. Unlike the Olive Films release, this release has optional English SDH subtitles for folks that need them.

Bullfighter and the Lady Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

• An Evening with Budd Boetticher (2001) - this audio program was recorded at the Pacific Film Archive Theater where Budd Boetticher answered questions after a screening of his recently reconstructed original version of Bullfighter and the Lady. Also present is Robert Gitt, who was in charge of the reconstruction, from UCLA Film & Television Archive. This really is a tremendous program because Boetticher discusses Old Hollywood with a superb sense of humor and then shares plenty of invaluable stories about some of its greatest icons and the production of Bullfighter and the Lady. This audio program alone makes Indicator/Powerhouse Films' release unmissable. In English, not subtitled. (89 min).

• My Kingdom For... (1995) - this was the final documentary that Budd Boetticher produced. It is narrated by Boetticher and uses a visit by Robert Stack and his wife Rosemarie to the director's horse ranch in Mexico as a pretext to provide a good summation of his career and work on Bullfighter and the Lady. In English, with optional English SDH subtitles. (89 min).

• Mary Boetticher: A Rollercoaster and a Merry-Go-Round (2022) - in this new program, Mary Boetticher discussion her late husband's love for horses as well as their marriage. Also, there are some pretty interesting comments about Budd Boetticher's early days in the film business and his creative ideas as well as the mishandling of Two Mules for Sister Sara and how the director's crew eventually became Sam Peckinpah's crew. The restoration and reconstruction of Bullfighter and the Lady is addressed, too. Fantastic program. In English, not subtitled. (36 min).

• Budd Boetticher: One on One (1991) - this archival program takes a closer look at the life and illustrious career of Budd Boetticher. A very large portion of the program is structured as an interview with Boetticher, who discusses his affection for bullfighting as well. The program is hosted by Tony Thomas. In English, not subtitled. (58 min).

• Theatrical Trailer - presented here is a vintage theatrical trailer for Bullfighter and the Lady. In English, not subtitled. (3 min).

• Image Gallery - a large collection of vintage promotional materials for Bullfighter and the Lady.

• Commentary - this exclusive new audio commentary was recorded by critics Glenn Kenny and Farran Smith Nehme.

• Cover - reversible cover with vintage poster art for Bullfighter and the Lady.

• Booklet - 36-page illustrated booklet featuring a new essay by Matthew Thrift, an archival letter from Budd Boetticher discussing his love of bullfighting, archival profiles of Katy Jurado, an overview of contemporary critical responses, new writing on My Kingdom For…, and technical credits.

Bullfighter and the Lady Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

Mary Boetticher is right. Bullfighter and the Lady is the story of her late husband, the great director Budd Boetticher, which is why it was so important to revive the original longer version of the film. I picked it up some years ago, when Olive Films first made it available on Blu-ray, and thought that it was a minor masterpiece. Robert Stack is excellent as the ambitious American Johnny Regan who becomes obsessed with a Mexican beauty and undergoes a tremendous transformation to earn her heart. However, this film has an outstanding supporting cast, too. The late director was probably right to state that Gilbert Roland should have earned an Oscar statuette. This recent release of Bullfighter and the Lady has a fantastic selection of exclusive new and archival bonus features, one of which is an unmissable audio program with the late director. VERY HIGHLY RECOMMENDED.