6.4 | / 10 |
Users | 0.0 | |
Reviewer | 3.5 | |
Overall | 3.5 |
A teenaged tomboy, tired of being bossed around by her strict guardian, impersonates a man so she can have more fun, but discovers that being the opposite sex isn't as easy as she had hoped.
Starring: Ossi Oswalda, Curt Goetz, Ferry Sikla, Margarete Kupfer, Victor JansonForeign | 100% |
Romance | 40% |
Comedy | Insignificant |
Video codec: MPEG-4 AVC
Video resolution: 1080p
Aspect ratio: 1.33:1
Original aspect ratio: 1.33:1
Music: LPCM 2.0
English
Blu-ray Disc
Single disc (1 BD)
Region B (A, C untested)
Movie | 3.5 | |
Video | 3.5 | |
Audio | 4.0 | |
Extras | 2.0 | |
Overall | 3.5 |
Note: This film is available as part of
Lubitsch in Berlin 1918-1921.
Ernst Lubitsch’s vaunted “touch” made him something of a rarity in Golden Age Hollywood, namely a star director in a town which more
typically tended to be all
about "real" stars (as in the kind up there on the silver screen). But what’s interesting about Lubitsch’s Hollywood career is that while it lasted
decades and
offered scores of films, when you get right down to it, the so-called “Lubitsch touch” might be best remembered for only a veritable handful of
outings
like Trouble in Paradise, Design for Living, Ninotchka, The Shop Around the
Corner and To Be or Not to Be. Now, it
perhaps goes without saying that with a handful like that, who really cares if not all of Lubitsch’s films have managed to penetrate into the
public consciousness, but for devoted cineastes with a taste in World Cinema, and in this case World Silent Cinema, this aggregation of
six silents Lubitsch made when he was still in Germany may be a bit revelatory, both in terms of subject matter but also in terms of what would
soon
enough become known as the “Lubitsch touch”.
Note: Eureka Entertainment provided check discs for the purposes of this review.
Ich möchte kein Mann sein is presented on Blu-ray courtesy of Eureka Entertainment's Masters of Cinema imprint with an AVC encoded 1080p
transfer in 1.33:1. Unlike some of the other presentations in this set, there's no introductory text offering information on the provenance of the
element or any restoration which may have been undertaken. Like all of the presentations in this set, though, Ich möchte kein Mann sein
shows pretty significant age related wear and tear throughout the presentation, with numerous scratches and nicks and noticeable other blemishes
showing up with fair regularity. There's considerable flicker on display, as well as some recurrent crush which is perhaps exacerbated at times with
some wonky contrast (other moments can show kind of blown on whites, on the opposite end of the "contrast" spectrum). All of this said, this is
certainly watchable and in the better looking moments offers very good detail levels.
All of the films in this set feature LPCM 2.0 renderings of original underscores. This film's score by Neil Brand sounds nicely full bodied, and I noticed no issues whatsoever with regard to any distortion, dropouts or other damage.
While there are no supplements tied to individual films included with this set, Disc Three offers the following comprehensive documentary, which does get into at least some of the films and this general era of Lubitsch's life:
It's probably completely understandable when Lubitsch's daughter Nicola mentions Ich möchte kein Mann sein and Victor/Victoria in the same breath in the documentary about her father included with this set, and it's not hard to imagine that Blake Edwards may have stumbled across this film at some point and gotten a little inspiration from it. Often surprisingly modern feeling, and just as often rather amusingly wry and funny, Ich möchte kein Mann sein proves that Lubitsch was developing themes and his style long before he arrived in Hollywood. Video has some age related obstacles, but audio is fine. Recommended.
(Still not reliable for this title)
The Oyster Princess / Masters of Cinema
1919
The Doll / Masters of Cinema
1919
Die Bergkatze / Masters of Cinema
1921
1929
Sommarnattens leende
1955
Los amantes pasajeros
2013
Masters of Cinema
1920
Faisons un rêve...
1936
1923
1965
Masters of Cinema
1920
Человек с киноаппаратом / Chelovek s kino-apparatom
1929
1942
Varjoja paratiisissa
1986
Die Büchse der Pandora / Masters of Cinema
1929
2005
För att inte tala om alla dessa kvinnor
1964
Play Time / Restored
1967
1993
The Big Day / The Jacques Tati Collection
1949