Rating summary

Movie		3.5
Video		3.5
Audio		3.5
Extras		2.0
Overall		3.5

Desert Fury Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Dr. Svet Atanasov April 10, 2019

Lewis Allen's "Desert Fury" (1947) arrives on Blu-ray courtesy of Kino Lorber. The supplemental features on the disc include an audio commentary by film historian Imogen Sara Smith and a trailer reel. In English, with optional English SDH subttiles for the main feature. Region-A "locked".

Fritzy offered me a deal. You wanna hear it?

A film with this type of a dramatic score cannot disappoint. The music is so direct and intense that it simply cannot exist in a vacuum. The same type of energy has to be channeled through the acting, or the film would instantly begin disintegrating. The second clue that pops up during the opening credits is even more reassuring -- the score was composed by Miklos Rozsa, whose music graces such iconic classics as Ben-Hur and Quo Vadis.

On the outskirts of Chuckawalla, Nevada, Paula Heller (Lizabeth Scott) meets Eddie Bendix (John Hodiak) and his friend Johnny Ryan (Wendell Corey). Paula has quit school and is heading home to her mother Fritzy (Mary Astor), who owns and runs the area’s most popular casino. Eddie is back for the first time after his wife died in an accident and local folks began speculating that he might have had something to do with it. The three exchange a few random lines at the bridge where the accident occurred and then head in opposite directions.

In town Paula is greeted by her former boyfriend, Tom Hanson (Burt Lancaster), who still makes ends meet as a traffic cop. He buys her a cold Coke and they chat a bit, and then Eddie and his friend appear and spoil their mini-reunion.

At home Paula resumes her old and tired arguments with Fritzy and then makes her mother realize that she is interested in Eddie. Sensing plenty of trouble on the horizon, Fritzy summons Tom to her office and offers him a deal she is convinced he cannot possibly refuse -- if he marries Paula, she would secretly cut him a check to purchase the big ranch that he has been dreaming of and he would never ever have to put on a uniform again. But Tom rejects the lucrative deal, and then much to her horror describes it in its entirety to the stunned Paula. A chain reaction of uncontrollable events is set in motion when Paula runs into Eddie’s arms, Johnny attempts to drive a wedge between them, and Tom concludes that after all it is his duty to intervene and bring back his former girlfriend to her bossy mother.

Lewis Allen directed Desert Fury from a script supplied by Robert Rossen, who was nominated for Oscar Awards twice, once for The Hustler and then All the King's Men. The original material came from Ramona Stewart’s novel Desert Town, which was published in 1946.

The key ‘surprise’ that has earned Desert Fury something of a cult status among film noir aficionados is linked to the evolving nature of Eddie’s relationship with Johnny, though the only somewhat surprising aspect of it is the fact that it was actually left as transparent as it is. Indeed, the film never builds any sort of dramatic mystique around it and almost immediately after the two settle down in Chuckawalla the focus of attention shifts to a series of very predictable and quite melodramatic clashes. As a result, the potential for great character arcs that could have produced any legit surprises is effectively eliminated.

The film’s Achilles’ heel, however, is its inability to convince that Paula’s attraction to Eddie is in fact something more than a rebellious overreaction, which is precisely why the romantic angle that is attached to it and emphasized in the second half appears utterly unrealistic. It is clear that Paula is reacting to Fritzy’s authority, but Johnny somehow remains clueless and this turns out to be the crucial excuse to set up the dramatic climax. It just never looks legit.

A lot of the desert footage looks terrific, and it is the main reason why the film is worth tracking down. The lonely roads that Lancaster patrols and the giant rocks that pop up in the background create quite an atmosphere.

Desert Fury Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Presented in an aspect ratio of 1.36:1, encoded with MPEG-4 AVC and granted a 1080p transfer, Lewis Allen's Desert Fury arrives on Blu-ray courtesy of Kino Lorber.

I found the remaster that was used to source the release quite frustrating. Here's why:

There are plenty of close-ups with good density that hold up quite well on a big screen. If light is restricted, some can actually create the impression that the entire film has undergone a meticulous restoration and looks as good as it should (see screencapture #3). However, there are plenty of areas where density levels abruptly drop and some background details actually become smeary (see screencaptures #4 and 17). Also, during larger panoramic shots, where there is an abundance of light, often times the visuals can appear sharpened or contrast-boosted (screencapture #7). All of this impacts fluidity and as a result the film does not have the stable organic appearance that it needs. Additionally, there are plenty of small but noticeable halo effects that Technicolor registration issues produce which come and go at will. Color balance isn't very convincing either. The ranges of blues, in particular, do not have convincing saturation, while a rather strong yellow/green hue routinely impacts the overall color scheme. Image stability is good. Even some light background pulsations can be noticed. There are no large debris or cuts, but there are some tiny minor blemishes and specks. All in all, this is a decent technical presentation, but ideally this film could and should look every bit as striking as A Matter of Life and Death. My score is 3.25/5.00. (Note: This is a Region-A "locked" Blu-ray release. Therefore, you must have a native Region-A or Region-Free player in order to access its content).

Desert Fury Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

There is only one standard audio track on this Blu-ray release: English DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0. Optional English SDH subtitles are provided for the main feature.

Clarity and stability are good, so the dialog is always easy to follow. Miklós Rózsa's dramatic score also easily breathes throughout the entire film. However, if you turn up the volume a bit more, it is quite easy to hear various tiny pops and hiss. These are the type of minor imperfections that quite easily could have been removed with modern digital tools.

Desert Fury Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

• Commentary - film historian Imogen Sara Smith discusses the style and narrative construction of Desert Fury, as well as its cult status.

• Trailer Reel - a collection of trailers for other release of films starring Burt Lancaster from Kino Lorber's catalog.

Desert Fury Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

I find the blending of film noir and western qualities in Desert Fury very attractive, and on top of this Miklos Rozsa's score instantly adds a big dose of special energy that is absolutely perfect for the film. However, I also find its drama almost unbearably artificial. It is unfortunate because with a bit of mystique and darker ambience this film could have been quite the jewel. I still think that it is very much worth tracking down because some of its desert footage is magnificent, but I don't think that it is the major classic that many of its fans have argued it is. RECOMMENDED.