Rating summary

Movie		3.0
Video		4.5
Audio		4.5
Extras		3.0
Overall		3.0

Dishonored Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Dr. Svet Atanasov December 22, 2019

Josef von Sternberg's "Dishonored" (1931) arrives on Blu-ray courtesy of Criterion. The supplemental features on the disc include vintage documentary by Harry Kümel; featurette by critic Tag Gallagher; introduction by Nicholas von Sternberg; and production stills. In English, with optional English SDH subtitles for the main feature. Region-B "locked".

There is no doubt that Dishonored is the most absurd film that Marlene Dietrich and Josef von Sternberg made together. It is as unrealistic as a James Bond thriller and loaded with so many clichés that even a seasoned Dietrich fan could get a serious headache while trying to endure it.

Dietrich plays a widow who makes ends meet as a prostitute on the gloomy streets of Vienna during WWI. On a cold and rainy night she attracts the attention of a middle-aged gentleman (Gustav von Seyffertitz) who hires her for a bit of fun but later on actually tests her loyalty to her country. After he concludes that she can be trusted, the client reveals that he is the head of the Austrian Secret Service and invites her to join his team of spies. Shortly after, the prostitute becomes agent X-27.

Her first target is a high-ranking military official (Warner Oland) who is suspected of selling government secrets to the Russians. During a masked ball, X-27 approaches him and later that night the two arrive at his place. After X-27 discovers evidence that her admirer is a traitor, he commits suicide. X-27 is then ordered to track down his trusted associate, agent H-14 (Victor McLaglen), who turns out to be an even better and more attractive chameleon. The brilliant recruit is eventually sent on a dangerous mission near the Polish border where she must obtain crucial documents about the enemy’s strategic military plans. Here she meets H-14 again and the two begin a dangerous affair that presents her with a difficult dilemma that threatens to collapse her mission.

The film was apparently inspired by Mata Hari’s legacy, but Daniel Rubin and von Sternberg’s script is essentially a collection of short stories about a striking seductress that freely adopts different identities and then has some colorful adventures across war-torn Europe. It is absolutely impossible to take seriously. Sadly, the film is also virtually impossible to enjoy as a spy spoof. Parts of it mix silly humor and old-fashioned action but they are routinely countered with odd patriotic material which demands that the drama that agent X-27 is involved with is taken seriously. So the light tone that a good spy spoof usually needs is never fully established.

The characterizations are also paper-thin and on top of this their evolutions occur with rushed transformations that actually affect the rhythm of the film. Instead of being introduced by meaningful events the majority of them are revealed when it is clear that von Sternberg is simply ready to shift the film in a new direction.

What partially redeems the film is the outstanding attention to detail and von Sternberg’s ability to make Dietrich look beautiful regardless of the setting in which her character is placed. Of course this should not be at all surprising as it is a key quality of all of the films that von Sternberg and Dietrich collaborated on.

*This home video release of Dishonored is sourced from a brand new 4K master that was struck from 35mm nitrate prints held by the UCLA Film & Television Archive.

Dishonored Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Presented in an aspect ratio of 1.19:1, encoded with MPEG-4 AVC and granted a 1080p transfer, Josef von Sternberg's Dishonored arrives on Blu-ray courtesy of Indicator/Powerhouse Films.

The release is sourced from a 4K remaster that was struck from 35mm nitrate prints held by the UCLA Film & Television Archive. It is the same remaster that Criterion utilized for the North American release of Dishonored.

The basic qualities of the technical presentation are very solid. There are a few transitions where grain fluctuations produce minor unevenness -- undoubtedly inherited from the elements that were used to produced the remaster -- but the overall consistency of the visuals is still very good. The grading is convincing as well. The blacks are lush and stable, while the whites and grays appear nicely balanced. A few very minor scratches and blemishes remain, but all noticeable age-related imperfections have been carefully removed. (Note: This is a Region-B "locked" Blu-ray release. Therefore, you must have a native Region-A or Region-Free player in order to access its content).

Dishonored Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

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

There is some sporadic thinness that occasionally affects the dialog, and if the volume is tuned up a bit in the background extremely light hiss can be recognized. However, clarity and stability remain excellent. There are no audio dropouts, pops, or distortions.

Dishonored Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

• Introduction by Nicholas con Sternberg - a new video introduction to the film by Nicholas von Sternberg. In English, not subtitled. (12 min).

• Josef von Sternberg: A Retrospective - this archival documentary from Belgian director Harry Kümel explores the evolution of Josef von Sternberg's cinematic work as well as his relationship with Marlene Dietrich. With optional subtitles where necessary. (78 min).

• I Did What He Told Me to Do - this featurette examines the artistic image that Josef von Sternberg sculpted for Marlene Dietrich in the different films they made together. The featurette was created and is narrated by critic Tag Gallagher. In English, not subtitled. (17 min).

• Gallery - a collection of production stills.

Dishonored Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

Dishonored is the most underwhelming film that Marlene Dietrich and Josef von Sternberg made together. It is an odd spy thriller that struggles to balance the comedy and drama from Daniel Rubin and von Sternberg's script and ends up relying exclusively on the beauty and charm of its star to engage. There are bits of it that look good, but the rest is instantly forgettable. This release is sourced from a recent 4K remaster that was also used to produce the North American release of the film. It comes with an interesting vintage documentary produced by Belgian director Harry Kümel.