Green Dolphin Street Blu-ray Movie

Rating summary

Movie		3.5
Video		5.0
Audio		5.0
Extras		1.5
Overall		3.5

Green Dolphin Street Blu-ray Movie Review

Relationship status: "It's complicated."

Reviewed by Randy Miller III January 27, 2022

Love triangles are fertile ground for sweeping dramas, but in Victor Saville's Green Dolphin Street -- based on Elizabeth Goudge's novel of the same name -- love is just the tip of the triangular iceberg. This soapy historical drama / disaster film spans the better part of two decades in several locations around the globe and, at 142 minutes, can't help but go a little overboard with all the theatrics. But Green Dolphin Street is still a very enjoyable affair thanks to its solid cast, unpredictable twists and turns, and a pretty damn impressive earthquake scene that earned it an Academy Award for Best Visual Effects. Not bad for a film whose central plot is driven by a night of drunken letter writing.

Needless to say, there's a lot to unpack here but I'll try to keep things brief. Green Dolphin Street largely concerns the fate of the Patourel family (and their many admirers) on the island of Guernsey, circa 1840s. Matriarch Sophie (Gladys Cooper) has just received word that her former lover Dr. Edmond Ozanne (Frank Morgan) is returning to town... but he's unaware that, in the decades since their last meeting, she was arranged to marry Octavius (Edmund Gwenn) with whom she had two daughters, Marianne (Lana Turner) and Marguerite (Donna Reed). Not surprisingly, their reunion of sorts is awkward but polite and, although both daughters quickly take a liking to Edmond's handsome son William (Richard Hart), he seems to favor the latter -- AKA "the nice one". Betty over Veronica, all day every day.

The other arc introduces Captain O'Hara (Reginald Owen), captain of the docked clipper ship Green Dolphin; having just caught stowaway Timothy Haslam (Van Heflin), they're en route to the newly-discovered colony of New Zealand where Timothy eventually sets up shop in the lumber business. William, now a naval officer and currently in China, misses his boat and is labeled a deserter. When he finds the Green Dolphin in a nearby port, O'Hara takes the young man under his wing and, after a failed stint as a schoolteacher, William joins Timothy's trade. So, what drives the plot from here? After finally proposing to Marguerite in a hastily-written letter, drunk William mistakenly writes the wrong sister's name. Marianne sails to New Zealand, and the couple lives happily never after: their marriage is anything but idyllic (not for her lack of trying), disaster strikes the island, war breaks out... and meanwhile, poor Marguerite figures that losing her crush -- not no mention a few other people close to her -- is good enough reason to join a friggin' convent.

This all sounds pretty ridiculous on paper (as it did in Goudge's original book), and it honestly doesn't seem any less ridiculous on screen... but for what it's worth, Green Dolphin Street is still a well-acted and impeccably produced film that swings for the fences with pure, soapy drama on a grand scale. Gone With the Wind it ain't, but Victor Saville's film borders on spectacle at times and this is never more true than a third-act disaster sequence that holds up impossibly well, even by today's standards: from falling trees to a rushing wall of water that capsizes Timothy's humble river-bound boat, it puts an absolute exclamation point on a film that otherwise uses more base-level personal drama as its narrative bread and butter. Bonus points for the cast too: although the one-sheet poster gives de facto star Lana Turner top billing (her name is almost larger than the title), this is a solid ensemble of talent that brings what they can to characters who would've been forgettable in the wrong hands... and still kind of are, in some respects.

While Green Dolphin Street will never be mistaken for an unheralded achievement in level-headed storytelling, it's certainly entertaining fare and will appeal to fans of the cast. What's more is that Warner Archive's Blu-ray edition is absolute perfection from a technical standpoint, standing as one of the best-looking (and sounding!) catalog releases from this era I've seen to date. Even if your brain isn't happy with this one, your eyes and ears will be.

Green Dolphin Street Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

For those following my coverage of Warner Archive releases (or hell, just the boutique label's output in general), you should be familiar with their nearly unbroken track record of perfect and near-perfect video scores. Whether it's a vintage black-and-white nitrate film, a lavish Technicolor production, or even something from the last 30 years, Warner Archive's unyielding commitment to producing high quality, purist-friendly restorations puts them above most other studios regardless of size. So when I say that Green Dolphin Street offers one of their very best 1080p transfers to date, hopefully that means something. Sourced from a recent 4K scan of the original nitrate camera negative -- and, of course, treated to their usual round of careful cleanup -- the result is an impeccable presentation that likely surpasses all previous showings of the film, including original theatrical showings. This is just a superbly lit and filmed production that looks entirely flawless from start to finish; brightly lit exteriors are obviously impressive... but even dark interiors, such as the touching final scene with Marguerite and both parents together, are equally stunning in their overall levels of shadow detail, solid blacks, and smooth gradients that show no signs of banding or posterization. Film grain, as expected, preserves fine detail and textures while not being intrusive, which again adds to Green Dolphin Street's perfectly authentic appearance. Without question, an absolutely five-star presentation all the way.

Green Dolphin Street Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

It's rare that I'd award a 75 year-old mono track the full five stars... but, like its video presentation, the sonic detail on display during Green Dolphin Street is just too good to ignore. Dialogue and background effects are crystal clear with outstanding placement, whether set against a cozy interior or more expansive outdoor location, and the original score by Bronislaw Kaper (Mutiny on the Bounty, Gaslight) sounds full and dynamic. What bumps this score up to the next level, however, is Green Dolphin Street's famous earthquake sequence which features a surprisingly deep amount of low frequency weight that, while obviously not comparable to modern productions, is proportionately intense and only adds to the disaster scene's already-high level of effectiveness. Another well-deserved perfect score.

Optional English (SDH) subtitles are offered during the main feature only.

Green Dolphin Street Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

This release arrives in a standard keepcase with poster-themed cover art and two era-specific extras.

• Lux Radio Theater Broadcast (60:21) - This program was originally broadcast on September 19, 1949; it features Lana Turner and Van Heflin reprising their film roles, along with Peter Lawford filling in for Richard Hart. It's a slightly longer version than many found on public domain sharing sites and worth a listen for fans.

• Theatrical Trailer (3:36) - This vintage promotional piece can also be seen here.

Green Dolphin Street Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

Unless you're going in fully prepared for a capital "S" soap opera, Victor Saville's Green Dolphin Street will catch you by surprise... and it still might, as this sprawling historical disaster drama features a solid cast and amazing visual effects that won it a well-deserved Academy Award. The script and characters hold this one back, though, as several left-field decisions -- or worse yet, a few ridiculous plot conveniences -- threaten to completely derail what should have been a more level-headed affair. It's still plenty entertaining, though, and Warner Archive's Blu-ray absolutely pulls out all the stops from a technical perspective: this may be one of the very best looking (and sounding!) catalog titles I've seen from the boutique label, and that's saying something. Recommended, but more for established fans.