Rating summary

Movie		4.5
Video		5.0
Audio		4.0
Extras		3.5
Overall		4.5

Gold Diggers of 1933 Blu-ray Movie Review

Get down girls, go 'head get down.

After the success of 42nd Street in March of 1933, Warner Bros. fast-tracked a string of musicals that again featured the extravagant choreography of Busby Berkeley. Released just three months later, the crowd-pleasing Gold Diggers of 1933 adapted a Broadway hit by Avery Hopwood that had already been made into two separate films during the 1920s. But third time's the charm, as this pre-Code stunner pulls out all the stops to creative a comical, captivating production that holds up better than most films approaching their 90th birthday. While I'm still partial to Footlight Parade (the third Berkeley musical of 1933), that's like preferring steak to a great burger: there's room for both, people.

It's hard not to compare all three 1933 musicals, and especially the last two: despite the different subject matter, their similar atmospheres and ensemble casts create a dizzying, anything-goes atmosphere that ends with a bang. Footlight Parade's throwback meta-story focuses on the transition from live stage productions to "talkies", but here we're treated to an in-the-moment tale of Depression-era woes. We also get four heroines for the price of one: Polly (Ruby Keeler), Carol (Joan Blondell), Trixie (Aline MacMahon), and Fay (Ginger Rogers), a group of showgirls whose careers have been crippled by theater closures. Their producer Barney Hopkins (Ned Sparks) perpetually pines for "the next big hit", but doesn't have the money to do it. That's where neighbor Brad Roberts (Dick Powell) comes in: he's not only a talented songwriter but offers to put up $15,000 of his own money for the show. (It also helps that he has the hots for Polly.) They're skeptical of Brad's ability to pay up -- and then there's the question of how he got the money -- but he comes through. Brad even joins the cast, albeit reluctantly at first. Turns out he's no bank robber keeping a low profile... he's actually part of a rich family that resents his theatrical ambitions. What better way to get revenge?

Although the first half of Gold Diggers is slightly hampered by lightweight red herrings like "is Brad a criminal?" (which applies to a second-act mix-up where his visiting brother mistakes Carol for Polly), it's so well-acted and entertaining that any such speed bumps are almost trivial. The eventual twist is that said brother, J. Lawrence Bradford (Warren William), and his lawyer Faneuil H. Peabody (Guy Kibbee), who are outraged at his participation in the show -- not to mention his attraction to a lowly showgirl -- end up falling for the ladies' considerable charms. These screwball stylings eventually pave the way for Gold Diggers' real focus: the big show at hand, which predictably shoots for the moon on the strength of catchy songs and Busby Berkeley's jaw- dropping choreography. It even closes on a surprisingly serious note, criticizing the government's treatment of protesting WWI veterans (nicknamed The Bonus Army) during the final song "Remember My Forgotten Man". This scathing indictment of government activity, combined with its representation of Depression-era life, make Gold Diggers of 1933 a rare jewel of big-budget Hollywood filmmaking.

This is a supremely well made production, especially considering its lightning-quick turnaround time after 42nd Street. 1933 was truly lightning in a bottle for Warner Bros.' musicals and their success would continue into the decade with Dames and Gold Diggers of 1935, which is best-known for its movie-in-a-movie musical number, "Lullaby of Broadway". Warner Archive resurrects the film on Blu-ray with their usual careful touch, pairing a top-tier restoration with several DVD-era bonus features ported over from their parent company's excellent Busby Berkeley Collection.

Gold Diggers of 1933 Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Gold Diggers of 1933 may be one of the oldest titles in Warner Archive's ever-growing catalog, but that doesn't mean it shines any less brightly. It's advertised as being sourced from a new scan of best-available preservation elements, and the resulting image is a minor miracle in comparison to previous home video releases. The film's sparkling nitrate roots reveal a lustrous level of fine detail and texture, showcasing the excellent production design and costumes on display in those memorable dance sequences, while even mundane interior shots look terrific in their own right. It's disarming in its level of quality, easily meeting or beating past Warner Archive releases from this era and, aside from unavoidable issues like stray damaged or warped frames and a few visible seams during the transition between source materials, it's a consistently rock-solid presentation that shines like new. As usual, film grain is intact with no egregious distractions such as noise reduction or sharpening, while the show runs at a suitably high bit rate and has obviously been encoded with skill. In short, it's another five-star effort from the boutique label and worth the price of admission alone.

Gold Diggers of 1933 Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

Though limited by age and source material, the DTS-HD 2.0 Master Audio wrings a respectable amount of sonic detail from its restored source material with almost no unavoidable defects along the way. Conversations and monologues alike sound clean and bright; perfectly intelligible, even though mild hissing rears its head on many occasions. Depth is occasionally achieved in more expansive settings (stages, auditoriums, etc.), but the bulk of Gold Diggers takes place in apartment interiors, so adjust your expectations accordingly. Busby Berkeley's musical numbers sound great with a solid dynamic range and very little clipping at the high end. Without question, it's a solid effort that sounds about as good as possible for a film older than magnetic recording and easily surpasses previous home video mixes.

Optional English (SDH) subtitles are included during the main feature only, but not the extras. This is pretty annoying since the DVD collection that most of them were sourced from did in fact have optional subtitles available. It's perhaps my only ongoing hang-up regarding Warner Archive releases, and one that I hope is addressed at some point.

Gold Diggers of 1933 Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

This one-disc release ships in a standard keepcase with original one- sheet poster artwork and no inserts. Several extras are ported over from The Busby Berkeley Collection, as well as the usual option to select songs from the film.

• FDR's New Deal...Broadway Bound (15:36) - This 2006 piece, first created for Warner Bros.' DVD edition, features a few contemporary admirers of the film -- including directors John Landis and John Waters, as well as film historian John Kenrick and a few people not named John -- as they discuss the film's pre-Code material, valuable contributions by Busby Berkeley, and its representation of Depression-era culture.

• Warner Bros. Cartoons - Three rare Merrie Melodies shorts, originally released in 1933-1934 and presented in their original black and white, whose plots revolve very loosely around the lyrics of popular songs from the film. There are quite a few clever visual gags on display here, but the lyrics are obviously a bit watered down. Warner Archive's quality control sure isn't, though: all three cartoons have been nicely restored and are in their original, uncut form.

• We're in the Money (6:46)
• Pettin' in the Park (7:00)
• I've Got to Sing a Torch Song (6:43)

• Warner Bros Shorts - Another trio of vintage musical-themed entertainments, these era-specific shorts served as pre-show entertainment for Warner Bros. films. The best is The 42nd Street Special, which briefly documents WB's cross-country promotional tour for 42nd Street that ended at FDR's inauguration in Washington, DC.

• Rambling 'Round Radio Row #2 (9:11)
• The 42nd Street Special (5:45)
• Seasoned Greetings (19:47)

• Theatrical Trailer (2:41) - This classic promotional piece can also be seen here.

• Song Selection - Instant access to the film's 10 main musical numbers, listed below.

• Main Title
• Gold Diggers Song (We're in the Money)
• Shadow Waltz (Vocal/Piano)
• I've Got to Sing a Torch Song
• Pettin' in the Park (First Rehearsal)
• Pettin' in the Park (Second Rehearsal)
• Pettin' in the Park (Stage Version)
• Shadow Waltz (Stage Version)
• Remember My Forgotten Man
• End Title

Gold Diggers of 1933 Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

Mervyn LeRoy's excellent Gold Diggers of 1933 continues the unrivaled string of Busby Berkeley-supported musicals that began with 42nd Street, released only three months earlier, and would continue with Footlight Parade later that year. Featuring a terrific (and familiar) cast and crew along with sharp dialogue, solid gags, and several show- stopping dance numbers, it's still fantastically entertaining almost 90 years after its debut. Warner Archive's Blu-ray is... well, a Warner Archive Blu-ray, which basically guarantees a top-tier A/V presentation and several DVD-era bonus features. A very Highly Recommended release, Gold Diggers of 1933 will likely make my Top 10 list at year's end.