Children of Divorce Blu-ray Movie

Rating summary

Movie		4.5
Video		4.5
Audio		4.5
Extras		3.5
Overall		4.5

Children of Divorce Blu-ray Movie Review

A must-see silent era masterpiece.

Children of Divorce is an exceptional silent-era production starring Gary Cooper, Esther Ralston, and Clara Bow. The film is based on the novel by Owen Johnson and features a adapted story by Adela Rogers St. Johns (A Free Soul, Pretty Ladies). Produced by E. Lloyd Sheldon (Beyond the Blue Horizon, International Lady) and associate producer B.P. Schulberg (Wings, The Adventures of Martin Eden), Children of Divorce is an underrated silent classic with great performances and an excellent story.

The story begins with three young children spending time together at a “divorce colony” in Paris (where parents would leave their children for months during divorce). Ted, Jean, and Kitty become close friends as children. Ted and Jean vow to one day become married when they are older and to not become divorced – like their parents were.

Edward D. 'Ted' Larrabee (Gary Cooper) is now a wealthy socialite. Ted again re-encounters his young love, Jean Waddington (Esther Ralston). Determined to marry her and start a family, he soon reminds her of their youthful marriage promise to each other. Jean reminds him that marriage is something that shouldn't be rushed in to – and says she will think on the marriage proposal.

Yet after a drunk night out, Ted finds himself married to Kitty Flanders (Clara Bow), who only wants to be with him for his wealth. Will Ted and Jean be able to over-come the one-night marriage or would it mean they too would raise their own 'children of divorce'?

The performances in the film are top-notch. Gary Cooper is impressive in the lead male role and gives the performance a sense of vitality that is genuine throughout the production. Esther Ralston is a perfect co-star to Cooper and provides the film with a sense of romance that is heartfelt. Then there's Clara Bow: the bad-girl vixen who steals the show. Bow provided the film with a seductive undercurrent which enhances the storytelling through to the end.

A stunning 4K restoration.

The production has a number of compelling elements. One of the best aspects of the production is the stunning costumes designed by Travis Banton (Shanghai Express, The Paradine Case). The costumes and gowns for Esther Ralston and Clara Bow are both stunning to behold. The dressed-up attire for Cooper is also effective and works well for the part. A quality effort from Banton.

The cinematography by Norbert Brodine (Merrily We Live, The Frogmen) and Victor Milner (The General Died at Dawn, Reap the Wild Wind) is a sight to behold: the visuals are outstanding and enhance the storytelling. The evocative black-and-white cinematographic style is perfect for the narrative and fits the tone of the script. There are many exceptional sequences which are brought vividly to life through the exceptional lensing of Brodine.

The editing by E. Lloyd Sheldon (The Woman from Moscow, Loves of an Actress) is another excellent component of the film. Children of Divorce is a perfectly cut film. There are no excess sequences to detract from the viewing experience. The film has an entertaining pace and keeps a quality rhythm (enhancing the entire effort). Sheldon delivers a great edit that showcases the performances and filmmaking in wondrous ways.

The screenplay penned by Hope Loring (The Blue Fox, Wings) and Louis D. Lighton (Wings, Captain Courageous) is enormously entertaining. The storyline was fun and well-told. The script is exceptional and has a lot of great inter-titles with well-written lines. The story is sometimes a bit melodramatic but in the best way possible: effectively pulling at the heart strings in a genuine way. The romantic element of the story is enhanced by the script.

Directed by Frank Lloyd (Mutiny on the Bounty, The Divine Lady), Children of Divorce is a under-the-radar masterpiece of silent-era filmmaking. The performances are exceptional. The direction by Lloyd is so well handled: bringing out the best of the actors as well as the screenplay. The film has a perfect-pace and is well-edited. Lloyd has many creative visual cues which enhance the experience. For any lovers of classic cinema, Children of Divorce is a must-see. Don't miss it.

Children of Divorce Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Arriving on Blu-ray from Flicker Alley, Children of Divorce is presented in 1080p MPEG-4 AVC encoded high definition in the original theatrical aspect ratio of 1.37:1 full frame. The release features a brand new 4K remaster. The stunning restoration of the film comes from a print preserved by the Library of Congress. The source used the original nitrate print. A fine grain master was also used to complete the restoration.

Children of Divorce has outstanding picture-quality for a silent classic. The film only has sporadic moments of print wear. There are occasionally some thin scratches. There are also a few scenes that display minor splotches and more noticeable print damage (particularly around the hour mark in one notable scene) yet these elements are relatively minor nit-picks. The scan is largely astonishing. The visuals are breathtaking and the 4K restoration helps the cinematography shine throughout.

Please Note:

Flicker Alley presents Children of Divorce in a "MOD" (made on demand) edition. Unlike several companies producing MOD editions with smaller print runs of a few thousand on pressed discs, Children of Divorce has been released on a BD-R. Though this isn't quite as nice as a pressed Blu-ray disc, the quality of the Flicker Alley release remains impressive. Please see below for additional notes on the feature-film presentation.

Children of Divorce Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

The release is presented in uncompressed PCM 2.0 stereo. The lossless audio quality on the release is top-notch and satisfies throughout the presentation. The audio clarity is stunning and showcases the score in all of its radiant glory. The music helps enhance the tone (and style) of the film is good measure. A quality lossless encode.

Children of Divorce Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

Clara Bow: Discovering the 'It' Girl (1999) (SD, 1:02:06) is a special produced with the involvement of Turner Classic Movies. Featuring narration by Courtney Love.

Image Gallery – Slideshow Presentation showcases a variety of still images from the promotion and release of Children of Divorce. Featuring 11 high-quality photographs, the click-through slides are impressive and showcase well-preserved images from the behind-the-scenes and poster art-work.

Children of Divorce Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

Children of Divorce is an exceptional silent-era classic. The production is enhanced with great performances by Gary Cooper, Esther Ralston, and Clara Bow. The filmmaking has stunning cinematography by Norbert Brodine (Merrily We Live) and top-notch direction by Frank Lloyd (Mutiny on the Bounty).

The Blu-ray release from Flicker Alley features a stunning 4K restoration and a high quality lossless audio presentation. The release also includes a feature-length documentary exploring the legacy of actress Clara Bow. Fans of the film are strongly encouraged to pick up the release. Highly recommended.