Rating summary

Movie		3.5
Video		3.5
Audio		3.5
Extras		2.0
Overall		3.5

Go West Young Man Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Jeffrey Kauffman February 16, 2022

Note: This version of this film is available on Blu-ray as part of Mae West in Hollywood.

For a star who was perceived to be such a voluptuous female sex symbol, Mae West had, well, swagger. Just look at the way she gallivants, even marauds, physically through her scenes, walking almost like a prize fighter observing some prey she's just devastated. She frequently has a masculine mien in her gait, hands on hips almost threateningly, and with a kind of pugnacious attitude that nonetheless never completely masks a rather unexpectedly sweet and kind aspect to many of her characters, even if those characters are just as apt to be tough as nails. Specifically in terms of West's memorable saunter, if none of her other unforgettable aspects, one of the commentaries included with this set calls West's distinctive stride a "shimmy" that West supposedly overtly stated was culled from watching black women, though some may jokingly wonder if West was also watching black men for a few pointers. What is kind of fascinating about West's ineluctable allure in terms of behaviors and mannerisms, though, is how she manages to be slyly seductive and ridiculously overheated almost simultaneously, but it's instructive to note that this layering of attitudes and demeanors, as well as "mere" physical presence, was part and parcel of West's own writing and character building acumen, since it seems only obvious that West was more than aware that she was putting on a show on any number of levels. West's proclivities as "another" kind of auteur, one who crafted a series of films that frequently were based on West's own ideas and/or writing, are rather prominently on display in this handsome new(ish) set from Powerhouse Films' Indicator imprint, which aggregates together ten features ranging from 1932 to 1943.

With a title like Go West Young Man, you might be forgiven if you just assumed this was going to be another Mae West effort taking place in the 19th century, a la Belle of the Nineties, Goin' to Town and/or Klondike Annie (among others). It's therefore perhaps a bit of a surprise to find out that Go West Young Man is a "contemporary" vehicle for West, with the emphasis on vehicle, since a malfunctioning Rolls Royce is the McGuffin which delivers movie queen Mavis Arden to a kind of rural backwater, in what might be seen as a presaging of later "city folks in the country" efforts like The Egg and I, Green Acres or even Schitt's Creek . There's some appealing romantic chemistry between West and co-star Randolph Scott, though contemporary sensibilities may chafe a bit at the supposed comedy offered by Nick Stewart, which may be deemed racially insensitive.

Go West Young Man Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Go West Young Man is presented on Blu-ray courtesy of Powerhouse Films' Indicator imprint with an AVC encoded 1080p transfer in 1.35:1. The back cover of this release touts "2021 restorations of Go West Young Man and Every Day's a Holiday from 4K scans" (both features share the same disc). This is another generally appealing looking transfer that nonetheless needs to be appreciated within the context of an archival element which still shows noticeable signs of age related wear and tear. Detail levels are generally decent if never overwhelmingly amazing, and while often soft, the overall appearance here is nicely organic and bolstered by secure contrast and good black levels. Grain is relatively thick throughout, but resolves naturally. It can tend to look just a little clumpy on occasion against lighter backgrounds in particular.

Go West Young Man Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

Go West Young Man features LPCM Mono audio. As the films in this set get into the mid-thirties, there's a slight but noticeable uptick in audio quality. Things can still sound pretty boxy and flat, without a ton of dynamic range, but there's a bit more vibrancy here than in some of the earlier films. Music sounds reasonably full bodied, and all dialogue is delivered cleanly and clearly. Optional English subtitles are available.

Go West Young Man Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

Powerhouse Films has packaged this release with both Go West Young Man and Every Day's a Holiday sharing a disc. The following is a complete listing of supplements on the disc:

• Go West Young Man Audio Commentary with Nora Fiore


• The Only Way is West (HD; 18:46) is an overview of West's work and persona by Christina Newland.


• Every Day's a Holiday Theatrical Trailer (HD; 2:26)


• Go West Young Man Image Gallery (HD)


• Every Day's a Holiday Image Gallery (HD)

Go West Young Man Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

After a run of films that saw West mostly in late 19th century settings, it's kind of fun to see her "updated" here, and it's especially fun to see her playing a slightly different version of her patented character. This has one of the more boisterous supporting casts in the films offered in this set, and both Randolph Scott and Lyle Talbot provide good opportunities for some of the famous West one liners and other bantering comments. Technical merits are generally pleasing with an understanding of some inherent limitations in the element utilized. Nora Fiore's commentary and the featurette by Christina Newland are both interesting and worthwhile. With caveats noted, Recommended.