Rating summary

Movie		3.0
Video		5.0
Audio		4.5
Extras		2.0
Overall		3.5

Christopher Strong Blu-ray Movie Review

As above, so below.

Reviewed by Randy Miller III October 15, 2023

Best known these days for Katharine Hepburn's first starring performance, Dorothy Arzner's Christopher Strong is a pre-Code melodrama based on the eponymous novel released one year earlier. Though not without a few interesting twists, turns, and supporting performances, the story mostly sputters behind due to an abundance of plot crammed into just 78 minutes. Nonetheless, fans of the future Hollywood legend should consider it essential viewing from a historical perspective; her presence absolutely carries what's otherwise a fairly lukewarm endeavor.

Christopher Strong was released at an exciting time in the studio's history: only a few weeks after the tremendously successful King Kong and just two years since the arrival of producer David O. Selznick, whose cost-cutting measures and keen eye for talent helped RKO recover from a turbulent early start. One of Selznick's "acquisitions" was up-and-coming director George Cukor, who started with Paramount in 1930 and moved to RKO only two years later. His second directorial effort for the studio would be 1932's A Bill of Divorcement which gave newcomer Katharine Hepburn her first silver-screen role under John Barrymore and Billie Burke, the latter of whom would support her in Christopher Strong. Though not exactly a "changing of the guard", Hepburn's quick rise to prominence was somewhat rare at the time and her career-defining turns in Bringing Up Baby and The Philadelphia Story were only a few short years away.

Christopher Strong's "Lady Cynthia Darrington" is a role more or less tailor made for Hepburn, from her character's confident, strong-willed independence to a few potentially semi-autobiographical details. Here, she's a famous aviatrix -- occasionally amusingly referred to as the less flattering "girl flier" -- who gradually develops feelings for the titular character (Colin Clive), who's married to Lady Elaine Strong (Billie Burke) and mother to alcoholic, weak-willed Monica (Helen Chandler). Their first shared encounter is at a well-to-do party hosted by by Monica's aunt, Carrie Valentine (Irene Browne), where guests are sent on a scavenger hunt to find, among other things, a long-married man who's still faithful to his wife and a woman over the age 20 who has never had a love affair. Christopher and Cynthia fit the bill, and it's not long before her vested experience in flying piques his interest and she takes him for a spin.

Their relationship is platonic at first, and one that Christopher's wife accepts since Cynthia might prove to be a good influence on their struggling daughter... but Monica's relationship with married Harry Rawlinson (Ralph Forbes) is, in more ways than one, "on the rocks". All the while, Cynthia's flying career presents its own challenges and culminates in a daring attempt to break the world altitude record of 33,000 feet, a feat she may not walk away from.

The soapy plot of this pre-Code melodrama suggests a guilty pleasure, but Christopher Strong's excess of emotional detours stand in the way of a satisfying story. It's actually fairly dull during long stretches, and when a few sharp turns arrive they don't always feel particularly well-earned. Its ending doesn't help matters either -- it's memorable for sure, but likewise feels more audacious than realistic. Yet as a one-woman affair, those just in it for Hepburn's performance will get their money's worth. The supporting performances are good enough and Helen Chandler is a particular standout (if not spoiled by a bittersweet aftertaste, given her personal demons), but the star of this show isn't up for discussion. It's one more reason why Christopher Strong probably should've been titled Lady Cynthia Darrington... but regardless of the name, it'll likely play more smoothly for die-hard fans of the actress than curious outsiders.

Those seeking to (re)discover this curiosity should enjoy Warner Archive's new Blu-ray and its reliably outstanding attention to detail, which includes another top-tier A/V restoration and a trio of pre-show comedy shorts.

Christopher Strong Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Advertised as being sourced from a brand-new 4K scan of the original nitrate camera negative, Christopher Strong lives up to its title with a sturdy and immaculate 1080p transfer from Warner Archive. Their typical process of careful manual cleanup yields predictably outstanding results, as the picture's striking level of fine detail and visible textures pair nicely with robust film grain that looks true to the source. Black levels, shadow detail, and depth are all up to par in favorable lighting conditions, and even the darkest scenes don't fall victim to posterization or black crush. Likewise, the boutique label's expert encoding sees the show running at a supportive bit rate and ensures other compression artifacts aren't visible either, such as macro blocking or excess noise. This is yet another polished and purist-friendly effort that truly pushes the boundaries of Blu-ray, justifying the price of admission with its inarguable strengths alone.

Christopher Strong Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

Almost as impressive is its straightforward DTS-HD 2.0 Master Audio track, a split one-channel mix that displays a surprising amount of warmth and fidelity during critical moments. Dialogue and background effects are crisp and well-balanced, as is the score by RKO house composer Roy Webb. Faint levels of hiss can be heard at higher volumes, but absolutely nothing outside of expected boundaries for this era of sound recording. A fine effort, without question.

Optional English (SDH) subtitles are offered during the main feature only -- not the bonus features below.

Christopher Strong Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

This one-disc release ships in a keepcase with attractive vintage poster artwork and no inserts. On-board extras are limited to pre-show entertainment but, given some of the names involved, they're all worth a look.

• Plane Nuts (19:42) - This amusing 1933 piece is the fourth of five MGM comedy shorts starring Ted Healy and His Stooges -- yes, those Stooges, as in Larry, Moe, and Curly -- with Bonnie Bonnell as Healy's love interest. It's a fun and mildly risqué Vaudeville-style show with several musical numbers and obviously worth a look for fans of this particular era of comedy, especially given the Stooges' exponential growth that decade.

• Tomalio (21:37) - Much like the main feature, this 1933 comedy short is worth watching more for its historical importance than actual entertainment value; it marked the final performance of actor-comedian Roscoe 'Fatty' Arbuckle, who tragically died several months before its release at the age of 46.

• Buddy's Beer Garden (7:11) - Directed by Earl Duvall, this early Looney Tunes short features Buddy (the lesser-known second character in the series, after Bosko) in only his second big-screen adventure. It's not a particularly strong cartoon save for its crisp black-and-white visuals, now lovingly restored in HD.

Christopher Strong Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

Dorothy Arzner's 1933 melodrama Christopher Strong is no hidden masterpiece, but it's a workable melodrama whose most notable element is the first starring performance by future Hollywood legend Katharine Hepburn. Otherwise, it's a bit overstuffed with plot twists that often don't have enough time to develop given the film's 78-minute running time. Still, it has its moments and a few solid supporting performances too, and die-hard Hepburn fans will enjoy it for her commanding presence alone. Warner Archive's Blu-ray adds a crisp layer of support with another outstanding A/V restoration and a trio of pre-show comedy shorts to lighten the mood. Recommended to the right crowd.