Rating summary

Movie		4.5
Video		4.0
Audio		4.5
Extras		3.0
Overall		4.5

His Girl Friday 4K Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Kenneth Brown February 15, 2024

The Columbia Classics Collection: Volume 4 box set includes award winners, critical darlings and fan favorites alike: His Girl Friday (1940), a sharply scripted and surprisingly timely commentary on the "dark ages of the newspaper game"; Guess Who's Coming to Dinner (1967), a brilliantly awkward clash-of-cultures influence on so many films that represents one of the finest unpacking of everyday race relations in 1960s cinema; Kramer vs. Kramer (1979), a heartbreaking dramatization of the impact and collateral damage of divorce and custody battles; Starman (1984), an oft-forgotten gem of a romantic sci-fi adventure that puts a spin on E.T.; Sleepless in Seattle (1993), which needs no introduction to anyone who was coming of age or searching for love in the '90s; and Punch-Drunk Love (2002), simultaneously one of Paul Thomas Anderson and Adam Sandler's best, forcing mental health, romance and social anxiety to collide in a dramedy for the ages.

When hard-charging New York newspaper editor Walter Burns discovers that his ex-wife, investigative reporter Hildy Johnson, has gotten engaged to milquetoast insurance agent Bruce Baldwin, he unsuccessfully tries to lure her away from tame domestic life with a story about the impending execution of convicted murderer Earl Williams. But when Hildy discovers Williams may be innocent, her reporter instincts take over.

Click here to read Dr. Svet Atanasov's 2017 review of the film, which he calls "a very good remake" that is both "very charming and at times irresistibly funny" and "socially aware [enough to] quite accurately dissect the reality in which their characters exist."

His Girl Friday 4K Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

His Girl Friday features a slightly darker image to my eye than most catalog black and white presentations, but it's nevertheless a lovely, exceedingly filmic 1.37:1 presentation that registers more convincingly than those that are brighter. Black levels are rich and satisfying, crisp whites pop, and gradients of gray aren't hindered by noise or banding. Grain has been naturally preserved and is consistent throughout, while detail is more revealing than it's ever been. A quick comparison to the previously released 2017 Criterion edition makes it obvious that there are a number of improvements, chief among them the clarity of fine textures and the overall precision of the transfer. Edges are crisp and clean, subtle touches like fabrics and textiles are more exacting, and contrast, while very similar, is a touch more nuanced here. The differences are largely minimal -- a better resolved grain field being the most noticeable upgrade -- but it's no less appreciated. Moreover, artifacting and other anomalies are nowhere to be found, easily making Sony's 4K presentation the top dog in His Girl Friday video transfers.

His Girl Friday 4K Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

His Girl Friday's DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0 mono track is more akin to its Criterion counterpart but that's by no means a disappointment. Dialogue is intelligible and neatly prioritized in the soundscape, though the tried-and-true catalog tinniness that accompanies the films of yesteryear has not mysteriously been "fixed". Nor should it be. Part of the charm of such sound designs is the era in which they were made, and Sony retains a faithfulness to the original tone of the movie while still ensuring hiss, pop and other wear and tear to the elements has been painstakingly adjusted to provide a clear, wholly pleasing mix.

His Girl Friday 4K Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

• Screwball Style (HD, 17 minutes) - All of His Girl Friday's special features can be found on the 2-disc set's standard Blu- ray disc, beginning with this featurette that takes a look at the design, creation and implementation of the iconic costumes of Robert Kalloch.

• Audio Commentary - Odd as it is, the film's audio commentary (with film critic and author Todd McCarthy) is only included on the 1080p Blu-ray disc. No matter, it's still full of insight into the production, the film's strides and innovations, its legacy and more.

• Breaking the Speed Barrier (HD, 13 minutes) - The rat-a-tat dialogue of the film.

• Lighting Up with Hildy Johnson (HD, 25 minutes) - A video essay with film scholar David Bordwell focusing on Howard Hawkes' films and the unique, often groundbreaking contributions His Girl Friday made to cinema.

• Ben Hecht (HD, 26 minutes) - A deep dive into the prolific writer's career with expert David Brendel.

• On Assignment (SD, 9 minutes) - A talking-heads archive featurette on the film.

• Carry Grant: Making Headlines (SD, 5 minutes) - A much too short look at the actor's career.

• Rosalind Russell: The Inside Scoop (SD, 3 minutes) - Likewise for Russell.

• Howard Hawkes: Reporter's Notebook (SD, 3 minutes) - And again for Hawkes.

• The Funny Pages (SD, 3 minutes) - One last DVD-era featurette.

• Vintage Advertising

• Original Theatrical Trailer

• Re-Release Trailer

His Girl Friday 4K Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

Sharp, light on its feet and surprisingly quick-witted, His Girl Friday is the timely catalog classic you didn't know you needed. Not only is the film a blast, Sony's video presentation is terrific, its DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0 mono mix is faithful to a T, and it extras are, for the most part, quite good. Enjoy discovering His Girl Friday and wondering how you've never seen it before now. (Unless you've been in the know for some time!)