Indiscretion of an American Wife Blu-ray Movie

Rating summary

Movie		4.0
Video		3.5
Audio		3.5
Extras		3.5
Overall		3.5

Indiscretion of an American Wife Blu-ray Movie Review

A must-see feature-film by the great Italian director Vittorio De Sica (Bicycle Thieves)

Indiscretion of an American Wife is a compelling collaboration between legendary executive producer David O. Selznick (Gone with the Wind, Rebecca) and beloved filmmaker Vittorio De Sica (Bicycle Thieves, Marriage Italian Style). The production was a troubled one behind-the-scenes (even as the magic is on the screen). The original cut by De Sica (under the title of Terminal Station) screened to mixed results and was re-cut by Selznick (with the re-title and a shortened run-time). Regardless, Indiscretion of an American Wife is essential viewing: a must-see classic.

Beginning with a special music short (only present in the Indiscretion of an American Wife cut), the film features a remarkable musical performance of “Autumn in Rome” (a hypnotic performance which starts everything off on a fantastic note). The music short was directed by William Cameron Menzies with cinematography by James Wong Howe. Stunning.

As the story of Indiscretion of an American Wife dramatically unfolds, audiences are introduced to the characters at the core. Mary (Jennifer Jones) is an American housewife who started a short lived affair with an Italian, Giovanni (Montgomery Clift). The pair have undeniable chemistry with one another. Yet the housewife, Mary, is determined to end their affair once and for all. Going to the Terminal Station in Rome, Mary is determined to bid farewell to Giovanni. Is it the end of their romance?

The filmmaking is exquisite. The music score composed by Alessandro Cicognini (The Window to Luna Park, It Started in Naples) is one of the best aspects of the film. The score manages to bring romantic and dramatic undercurrents to the filmmaking. There is a special aura to the music that enhances the melodramatic tones of the story.

"Can I get a better restoration of Terminal Station? Stat."

Indiscretion of an American Wife is a visual showcase. The vividly realized cinematography by G.R. Aldo (Heaven Over the Marshes, Senso) is worth the price of admission all on its own. The visually stunning black and white photography brings one in to the world of the story. The film is bold and stylish from start to finish.

The art direction by Virgilio Marchi (Queen of the Scala, An Adventure of Salvator Rosa) enhances the experience. The production merits are top-notch. The train scenes are especially nice: enhancing the story with a great location for the backdrop. A superb effort by Marchi.

One of the more controversial elements of the production is the editing of the film. Given that there are two cuts which exist, there are going to be mixed opinions about the end results from the editing room. The producers cut was edited by Jean Barker (Subway in the Sky, Too Young to Love) while Eraldo Da Roma (Bicycle Thieves, L'Avventura) was the original editor (on the longer cut, Terminal Station). Regardless of which version is seen, the feature remains (largely) the same. However, there are differences which are still stark and will make some feel frustrated by the shorter version.

Based on the story Terminal Station by Cesare Zavattini (Bicycle Thieves, Umberto D.), Zavattini wrote the screenplay alongside Luigi Chiarini (La locandiera, Via delle cinque lune), and Giorgio Prosperi (The Old Testament, The Naked Maja), Indiscretion of an American Wife features a high quality screenplay. The screenplay even features dialogue written by the great Truman Capote (In Cold Blood, Breakfast at Tiffany's). The story is simple but the dramatic tension between the two characters is dynamic and compelling. The dialogue exchanges between the two characters are exquisite.

Vittorio De Sica is one of my favorite Italian filmmakers. The sense of style on display in the film is downright breathtaking. The production is ambitious to behold. The performances are stellar. The vision of this iconic filmmaker can be seen (in either cut of the film). De Sica is one of the best filmmakers the world has ever seen and this gem of a film is essential. Don't miss out on seeing Indiscretion of an American Wife (or Terminal Station).

Indiscretion of an American Wife Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Arriving on Blu-ray from Kino Lorber, Indiscretion of an American Wife (Terminal Station) is presented in 1080p MPEG-4 AVC encoded high definition in the original theatrical aspect ratio of 1.37:1 full frame. The release includes two cuts of the feature-film: the original version and the David O. Selznick producer version. There are some differences between the two video presentations (and for more information on each transfer, keep reading).

Indiscretion of an American Wife looks remarkable. There is something magical about the stunning black and white cinematography and the restoration effort undertaken for the release. The film was fully restored in 4K. The print is in exceptional quality and shows no signs of major print damage or debris whatsoever. The scan is crisp and clear from beginning to end. There is a good sense of depth to the image. The print is remarkably stable (with no telecine wobble) and the restoration efforts are clear: this is an amazing presentation. Fans will not be disappointed.

On a less positive note, Terminal Station (which is the longer cut of the film) did not have elements that were as pristine. The restoration is therefore far less impressive. The scan was mastered at 2K for this cut. The best surviving elements were used. By comparison, it is like "night and day" to watch these alternate cuts. Terminal Station looks morose by comparison: clarity is not as sharp, detail is not as robust, and there are plenty of scratches on the print. Some print damage can also be seen from time to time. While it is far from being unwatchable, it is a far cry from the stunning 4K restoration the David O. Selznick version received. Perhaps (if Vittorio De Sica fans are lucky) some better quality source materials will eventually materialize and be restored to their full glory.

Please Note: Screenshots #1-10 are the 4K scan of Indiscretion of an American Wife. Screenshots #11-20 are of the 2K scan (from the best available elements) of Terminal Station. I have taken several screenshots from similar frames/scenes so that readers can compare and contrast the two scans.

Indiscretion of an American Wife Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

The release is presented with a DTS-HD Master Audio mono soundtrack. The lossless audio is a bit of a mixed bag. The David O. Selznick producer version has solid sound quality. Dialogue is crisp, clear, and easy to understand. The track never sounds muffled or thin. The track is enormously pleasing on the ears and manages to reproduce the sound-stage appropriately. This is what a quality track sounds like for a classic film.

Unfortunately, Terminal Station does not fare as well. Just as the video-presentation of the longer cut is sadly in poor shape comparatively, the same can be said about the accompanying audio track on the Blu-ray release. The audio sound thin, slightly muffled, and mundane by comparison. The audio is a underwhelming mess on this cut: a far cry from the crisp clarity present on the David O. Selznick version. I wish the sound-stage was much better on this cut of the film. Instead, the harshness of the sound is a bit of a let-down and makes the inclusion of the second cut feel supplemental (rather than as a main attraction).

Indiscretion of an American Wife Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

The cover-art features reversible art-work on the inside. This would have been a good opportunity for a alternate art for the inclusion of Terminal Station (yet it's actually for Indiscretion of an American Wife as well). A missed opportunity.

The main attraction of the supplements is the longer cut of the feature-film (though I wish it was treated more as a main-feature presentation as the quality of the video-audio leaves too much to be desired). It might be listed right alongside Indiscretion of an American Wife on the main menu but it feels entirely supplemental in inclusion.

Terminal Station (HD, 1:28:42) is the original version of the film. The release is presented from a scan of the best elements available. In English and Italian.

Indiscretion of an American Wife Theatrical Trailer (HD, 2:16)

The release also includes a selection of trailers promoting other releases available from distributor Kino Lorber: Duel in the Sun (SD, 2:16), Portrait of Jennie (HD, 1:43), Ruby Gentry (HD, 2:00), A Farewell to Arms (SD, 2:38), Judgment at Nuremberg (SD, 3:02), Yesterday, Today, and Tomorrow (HD, 4:13), Marriage Italian Style (HD, 1:51), After the Fox (SD, 2:50), and Sunflower (HD, 4:00).

Indiscretion of an American Wife Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

Indiscretion of an American Wife is a fantastic film. Director Vittorio De Sica (Yesterday, Today, and Tomorrow) is a true auteur. The film is impressive in either of the two versions included on the disc. Unfortunately, the Blu-ray is a bit of a mixed bag: the David O. Selznick cut has received a 4K scan (which is breathtaking) while the original cut is only presented from the best available elements (and certainly isn't as visually impressive as a result). One can only hope that better sources are eventually discovered for a fully restored version of the original Terminal Station to be released on its own. Until then, the Kino disc will hopefully suffice. The film is tremendous in either cut and is well worth seeing. Highly recommended.