Rating summary

Movie		4.0
Video		4.0
Audio		4.5
Extras		2.5
Overall		4.0

Framed Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Dr. Svet Atanasov January 26, 2021

Richard Wallace's "Framed" (1947) arrives on Blu-ray courtesy of Indicator/Powerhouse Films. The supplemental features on the disc include exclusive new audio commentary by critic Imogen Sara Smith; collection of archival production and promotional materials; and short films. In English, with optional English SDH subtitles for the main feature. Region-B "locked".

The loner

A few extra minutes of footage with Mike Lambert (Glenn Ford) struggling to control the big truck as he heads down the mountain road would have been enough to make me speculate that Henri-Georges Clouzot might have found his inspiration for The Wages of Fear in it. But Mike crashes the truck too quickly and by the time he orders his first drink in the lousy bar the intensity from his dangerous ride is virtually impossible to recall. The atmosphere is very different now. Instead of a veteran driver Mike looks like an authentic looser who is ready to give up on life, which is precisely why he attracts the attention of the unusually elegant waitress, Paula (Janis Carter), who exchanges a few quick pleasantries with him. He brushes her off, but when the cops pick him up for reckless driving and damaging another truck, the gal unexpectedly appears in court and pays his hefty fine. Without her money, Mike would be spending more than a week in jail.

At this point I already knew that a set-up was in progress, and that the clueless Mike would eventually get in some serious trouble. I just wasn’t sure precisely what role Paula would play. It was way too obvious that she wasn’t cut out to be a waitress.

Later on, in the same bar, Mike gets so drunk that eventually Paula drags him out and books a room for him in a nearby hotel. She pays his bill as well. Then she goes to work to ensure that he falls hard for her, while her real boyfriend, a married banker named Steve Price (Barry Sullivan), reveals the complete set-up. They will rearrange a deal that would allow them to steal a very large sum of money from the bank, kill Mike in a car ‘accident’, and frame him as the thief.

This very fine film noir directed by Richard Wallace somehow never popped up on my radar over the years, so needless to say I am glad to have finally discovered it. I would like to highlight a couple of things that made a big impression on me.

Its story is simple and free of wild twists and yet the suspense is great. The catalyst for it is actually the lack of timed misdirection plays, which allows the main characters to react exactly like normal people would. In other words, they are all ‘reading’ the same situations the audience does, so when the perfect set-up begins to fall apart they feel entirely organic.

Carter is a fantastic femme fatale, but not in that classic glamorous way Rita Hayworth and Lana Turner were. You see the transformation on the screen and it is spectacular yet very casual. There is a short sequence in which she fixes her hair before a big mirror and in a matter of seconds the ordinary waitress becomes an extraordinary lady. After that it is even easier to understand how Ford’s lonely driver keeps falling for her lies. Imagine being alone with such a beauty in the real world and hearing from her that she cares about you. Any guy with a proper head on his shoulders would instantly consider giving her multiple chances to prove that she is sincere, which is exactly what Ford’s character does -- he rolls the dice over and over again until he eventually figures out the truth. You can’t blame him. It makes perfect sense.

While not one of his greatest hits, this film is yet another reminder that Ford was a true star. Indeed, it never looks like he overshadows Carter and Sullivan, but his multiple transformations -- a jaded truck driver, drunkard, naïve bachelor, and man of reason -- make it impossible not to conclude that he is leading in a big way. It is just an all-around very solid performance that powers up the entire film.

Wallace was able to book cinematographer Burnett Guffey, whose credits include such hits as In a Lonely Place, From Here to Eternity, Bonnie and Clyde, and The Harder They Fall.

Framed Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Presented in an aspect ratio of 1.33:1, encoded with MPEG-4 AVC and granted a 1080p transfer, Framed arrives on Blu-ray courtesy of Indicator/Powerhouse Films.

We recently reviewed this release of Frame which was included in this four-disc box set from Australian label Via Vision Entertainment. This upcoming release is sourced from the same older master that Sony Pictures supplied for the Australian release.

While there are a few rough spots, I like this master a lot because it provides the film with a nice organic appearance. What are these rough spots? Basically, a couple of areas where density fluctuations impact negatively delineation and depth. Also, a few times fluidity isn't as solid as it should be, so on a larger screen when the camera moves quickly, you will be able to tell that the master isn't new. The rest ranges from good to very good. In a few darker areas shadow definition could be better, but there are no serious anomalies to report. Grain is manipulated and appears nicely exposed. On this release it is slightly tighter as well, though even here it is easy to tell that there is still room for some optimizations. The grading job is very nice. However, this is hardly surprising because even very old masters that emerge from Sony's vaults can look great. Image stability is good, but a few shaky frames can be spotted. Finally, a few tiny white flecks and blemishes that pop up here and there, but there are no distracting large debris, cuts, warped or torn frames to report. (Note: This is a Region-B "locked" Blu-ray release. Therefore, you must have a native Region-B or Region-Free player in order to access its content).

Framed 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.

I don't have anything to say about the lossless track that was prepared for this master. In our review of the Australian release of Framed, I mentioned that the lossless track is very solid and healthy. Perhaps a few areas can use a bit of cosmetic work to rebalance some exchanges, but I am not convinced that the majority of viewers will appreciate it. As it is the audio sounds really, really good.

Framed Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

• Audio Commentary - critic Imogen Sara Smith shares plenty of information about the production history of Framed, its stylistic appearance and tone, the work and careers of some of the key people that made the film as well as their association with Columbia, etc. It is an informative commentary, but I much prefer the one film noir expert Alan K. Rode recorded for the Australian release of Framed.

• Image Gallery - a collection of archival production and promotional materials for Framed.

• The Steps of Age (1950) - a short film about an aging woman. Presented by the Department of Mental Health, State of South Carolina, and sponsored by The National Association for Mental Health. Written and directed by Ben Maddow. In English, with optional English SDH subtitles. (25 min).

• Up in Daisy's Penthouse (1953) - a short film about the three stooges. Directed by Jules White, In English, with optional English SDH subtitles. (25 min).

• Book - limited edition exclusive 120-page book with new essays by Melanie Williams, Ellen Cheshire, Simon Abrams, Kulraj Phullar, Tara Judah, and David Thompson; extracts from interviews with director Phil Karlson, screenwriter Ben Maddow, and others; an extract from Vincent Sherman's autobiography; archival news articles, interviews, and reviews; new writing on the short films; and full film credits.

Framed Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

I discovered Framed just a couple of weeks ago when Australian label Via Vision Entertainment introduced it on Blu-ray and enjoyed it tremendously. I could tell exactly where it was heading and how it would get there and yet its suspense was terrific, plus a few aspects of the character transformations were actually a bit surprising. It is a small but very fine film. This upcoming release is sourced from an old but good organic master that was supplied by Sony Pictures. It is included in Indicator/Powerhouse Films' Columbia Noir #2 six-disc box set, which will be out in February. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED.