Rating summary

Movie		4.5
Video		5.0
Audio		5.0
Extras		2.5
Overall		4.5

I'm All Right Jack Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Dr. Svet Atanasov January 8, 2015

John Boulting's "I'm All Right Jack" (1959) arrives on Blu-ray courtesy of StudioCanal. The supplemental features on the disc include an original trailer for the film; new video interview with actress Liz Fraser; the short film "The Runnin, Jumping & Standing Still Film" (1959), and more. In English, with optional English SDH subtitles for the main feature. Region-B "locked".

The one that showed them how to do it

Oxford graduate Stanley Windrush (Ian Carmichael) wants to work hard and be successful. Unfortunately, he is a perfectionist who constantly sees flaws and demands that his prospective bosses address them – even when these flaws make them look terribly bad.

After a series of botched training sessions, Stanley’s wealthy uncle, Bertram Tracepurcel (Dennis Price), offers him a low-paying job at his missile factory. Convinced that later the experience will help him better understand and manage the men and women that will work for him, Stanley immediately accepts the position. However, his enthusiasm quickly proves problematic, and he is promptly confronted by the factory’s outspoken union leader, Fred Kite (Peter Sellers), who wants him fired because he suspects that Stanley, who isn’t a union member, has been sent by the management to secretly monitor the workers and their activities.

Meanwhile, a real informer (John Le Mesurier) is compromised and the factory’s chief supervisor, Major Hitchcock (Terry-Thomas), decides to replace him with Stanley. When Kite meets him and demands that Stanley is fired, Hitchcock “confesses” that there was a clerical error and that the young man should have never been sent amongst the workers. Assuming that this is the perfect opportunity to seriously embarrass the management, Kite changes his mind and instead insists that Stanley is allowed to continue working. After Hitchcock enthusiastically capitulates, Kite welcomes Stanley to his home and introduces him to his best friends, Marx and Lenin. Much to his disappointment, however, the young man becomes infatuated with his busty daughter (Liz Frazer).

Around the same time, Tracepurcel strikes a deal worth millions with a shady Arab envoy (Marne Maitland) and the owner (Richard Attenborough) of another factory. But for the deal to work, they need someone to instigate a big strike at Tracepurcel’s factory that would last a couple of day – someone as naïve as Stanley.

John Boulting’s I’m All Right Jack has a very dry, very British sense of humor and non-British viewers will likely need some time to get used to it, but it is precisely its different attitude that makes it so fascinating to behold. I personally found the enthusiasm with which it mocks the two opposing sides hugely entertaining.

It is really difficult to choose the stars. Carmichael is outstanding as the naïve outsider, but with only a couple of scenes Terry-Thomas also leaves a lasting impression. (His eccentric remarks are pure gold). Sellers is also incredible as the brainwashed Marxist union leader, but Frazer and Margaret Rutherford, as the ultra-conservative aunt Dolly, could not be any better.

Alan Hackney wrote the novel that inspired the film, and then collaborated with Frank Harvey to do the script for it. A number of the characters in it appear in Boulting’s Private’s Progress (1956) as well, which is also based on a story by Hackney, but prior knowledge of their affairs isn’t required to enjoy the film.

In 1960, I’m All Right Jack won BAFTA Awards for Best British Actor (Peter Sellers) and Best British Screenplay (Frank Harvey, John Boulting, Alan Hackney).

I'm All Right Jack Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Presented in an aspect ratio of 1.67:1, encoded with MPEG-4 AVC and granted a 1080p transfer, John Boulting's I'm All Right Jack arrives on Blu-ray courtesy of StudioCanal.

Recently restored by StudioCanal, this very witty and very entertaining British comedy looks simply wonderful in high-definition. Virtually all close-ups boast outstanding depth and clarity and one can easily see even exceptionally small details (see screencaptures #2 and 3). The few panoramic shots impress with excellent fluidity (see screencaptures #10 and 12). Contrast and sharpness levels remain stable throughout the entire film. There are no traces of problematic degraining or sharpening adjustments. Rather predictably, grain is beautifully resolved and evenly distributed, and from start to finish the film has a very pleasing organic appearance. (There is only one small sequence around the 01:20.13 mark where some minor density fluctuations are present, but it is clear that they are a byproduct of natural fading). Overall image stability is very good. Lastly, there are no large debris, cuts, damage marks, or stains to report in this review. All in all, this is a fantastic restoration of I'm All Right Jack which will unquestionably remain the definitive presentation of the film on the home video market. (Note: This is a Region-B "locked" Blu-ray release. Therefore, you must have a native Region-B or Region-Free PS3 or SA in order to access its content).

I'm All Right Jack Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

There is only one standard audio track on this Blu-ray release: English LPCM 2.0. For the record, StudioCanal have provided optional English SDH subtitles for the main feature.

It is very obvious that the audio has been fully restored as balance is excellent and there isn't even a whiff of background hiss. The dialog is exceptionally clean, stable, and easy to follow. Dynamic intensity is somewhat limited, but depth cannot possibly be better. For the record, there are absolutely no pops, cracks, audio dropouts, or digital distortions to report in this review.

I'm All Right Jack Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

• Interview with Liz Fraser - in this brand new video interview, actress Liz Fraser (Cynthia Kite) recalls how she won her part in I'm All Right Jack and explains how the film changed her career. In English, not subtitled. (10 min).

• The Runnin, Jumping & Standing Still Film (1959) - this hilarious short film, which is essentially a collection of wonderful gags, was directed by Richard Lester (A Hard Day's Night) and Peter Sellers. With music and sound effects. (12 min).

• Cinefile: Seller's Best! Extracts - this piece was commissioned by Channel 4 for original transmission in 1992. Included in it are clips from video interviews with director John Boulting, actor Ian Carmichael, and Richard Lester, amongst others. In English, not subtitled. (14 min).

• Trailer - original trailer for I'm All Right Jack. In English, not subtitled. (4 min).

I'm All Right Jack Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

I thoroughly enjoyed this classic British comedy from the Boulting brothers. It has a tremendous cast and very dry sense of humor that is just about perfect. The film has been recently restored by StudioCanal and looks fabulous on Blu-ray. Let's hope that StudioCanal will also consider bringing to Blu-ray the equally entertaining Private's Progress. VERY HIGHLY RECOMMENDED.