Champagne Blu-ray Movie

Rating summary

Movie		3.5
Video		3.5
Audio		4.0
Extras		2.5
Overall		3.5

Champagne Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Jeffrey Kauffman January 13, 2025

Note: This version of this film is available as part of the Hitchcock: The Beginning set from Studio Canal.

1934 seems to be some kind of invisible dividing line between Alfred Hitchcock's more recognized output and some of his arguably lesser remembered earlier films. The first version of The Man Who Knew Too Much was released that year, and was followed in relatively short order by at least a couple of Hitch's best remembered British productions like The 39 Steps and The Lady Vanishes, but aside from those titles and maybe one or two others (i.e., The Lodger), even diehard film fans may be relatively unacquainted with other early (or at least earlier) films of one of the most celebrated directors in the annals of cinema. Studio Canal is helping to rectify that lack of renown with an appealing collection that aggregates ten early Hitchcock films, including one that has often been cited (rightly or wrongly) as the first British feature length sound production.

Betty Balfour may not exactly be what came to be known as a "Hitchcock blonde", but her assertive female character in Champagne, identified in the credits as The Girl but later eponymously called Betty, would have probably felt equally at home with any number of similarly strong willed females populating Hitchcock's later films. Here coming across as a kind of forerunner (in film release date if not in era being depicted) of Miss Fisher, Betty pilots her own seaplane and invites the umbrage of her wealthy father Mark (Gordon Harker) when she deigns to set her own romantic course with a character identified in the credits as The Boy (Jean Bradin). A more mysterious male the credits lists as The Man (Theo Van Alten) seems to have some nefarious intent.

What ensues is a typical parlor room and/or cruise ship dining room comedy of manners, as Mark's subterfuge in order to prove to Betty that The Boy wants her only for her money ends up cascading into near disaster before true love conquers all, or at least a disapproving father. This is another rather odd entry in Hitch's filmography as a whole, though it's at least somewhat similar in tone to some of his other early work involving star crossed romances and deconstructions of what might be called the patrician class (somewhat hilariously in that regard, as commentator Farran Smith Nehme points out, the cast listing is headed with a malaprop "Caste"). There are some rather interesting stylistic flourishes despite the admittedly pedestrian nature of the screenplay. Pay attention, for example, to the opening vignette which is shot through a giant champagne glass (see screenshot 9) or, later, to how Hitchcock stages a purse snatching.

Champagne Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Champagne is presented on Blu-ray courtesy of Studio Canal with an AVC encoded 1080p transfer in 1.33:1. While Studio Canal sent only check discs for purposes of this review, and so I'm not privy to any additional information that might be offered in an insert booklet, this bears a BFI masthead and assumedly was part of BFI's restoration project involving Hitchcock silents that were undertaken a few years ago. I did find the following information online, which may be from Studio Canal's booklet:

There is only one source for Champagne, an original negative from which all surviving prints have been made. It is thought that this was a '2nd Negative' made from alternative shots to the main negative as there are a number of editing idiosyncrasies. Nevertheless, some improvements were made to continuity, dissolves were re-made and full image repair and grading was completed.

A restoration by the BFI National Archive in association with Studio Canal. Principal restoration funding provided by The Eric Anker-Petersen Charity. Additional funding provided by Deluxe 142.

While there are some noticeable examples of flicker, along with the "usual" assortment of nicks and scratches, this is another generally very pleasing looking transfer. While some of Hitch's "artier" moments, like the opening shot through what was evidently a specially crafted huge champagne glass, can understandably offer less fulsome detail levels, on the whole things look nicely precise, including everything from patterns on pin striped suits to what looks like old style burled wood on some of the sets. Contrast is solid for the most part, and grain, while ebbing and flowing due to a number of opticals, is organic looking and encounters no major issues.

Champagne Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

Champagne offers solo piano scores from either Neil Brand or Ben Model, though perhaps unexpectedly the Brand is offered via LPCM Mono and the Model is delivered via an LPCM 2.0 track. Some may recognize Model's name from his own Undercrank Productions label, where he often contributes scores, and I'd argue his approach is probably a bit more idiomatic in terms of what might be called "old timey" silent film piano accompaniment. Brand's approach is a bit more contemporary, and he kind of cheekily kinda sorta quotes I Get a Kick Out of You, which Cole Porter enthusiasts will know had a lyric mentioning the titular drink. Optional German subtitles are available.

Champagne Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

• Hitch and Champagne: Neil Brand on Music for Silent Film (HD; 16:25) offers more musings from Brand on scoring silents, and at least in this case, unlike The Ring, this disc offers an example of Brand's own work.


• A Heady Cocktail: Charles Barr on Champagne (HD; 12:28) offers the author's thoughts on the film, which he terms a "Euro Pudding", and this era of Hitchcock in general.


• Hitchcock / Truffaut: Archival Audio Interview (HD; 5:40) plays to stills.


• Audio Commentary by film historian Farran Smith Nehme


• Introduction by Director / Film Historian Noël Simsolo (HD; 4:22) is subtitled in English.


• Stills Gallery (HD)

Champagne Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

Champagne may not have quite the fizz for contemporary audiences that it probably did in 1928, but it's a genial comedy of manners that includes some nascent Hitchcock stylistic flourishes. Technical merits are generally solid and the supplements are very appealing. Recommended.