Internes Can't Take Money Blu-ray Movie

Rating summary

Movie		3.0
Video		4.0
Audio		4.0
Extras		3.0
Overall		3.5

Internes Can't Take Money Blu-ray Movie Review

A decent comedy highlighted by a strong performance by star Barbara Stanwyck

A sly gem, Internes Can't Take Money is an entertaining classic featuring a strong leading performance by leading actress Barbara Stanwyck. Produced by Benjamin Glazer (Paris Calling, Strange Cargo), the film is the most charming of the three films included in the Kino Lorber Barbara Stanwyck collection. It's not as dramatic and the script is light and airy by comparison, but it does have a abundance of charm. One of several collaborations between Stanwyck and McCrea, the film is a testament to the cast's skills. Internes Can't Take Money is worth a watch.

The story has some surprising twists and turns for a dramedy. James Kildare (Joel McCrea) is an intern at a medical clinic. Working with his patient, Janet Haley (Barbara Stanwyck), the intern quickly finds himself becoming infatuated with Janet's beauty and wants to be with her romantically. Yet Janet holds a shocking secret: her ex-lover was a notorious bank robber and their romantic affair spun rapidly out of control and she is now looking for her lost child. Will the gangsters at large prevent her from the reunion Janet so desperately wants with her child or will she find happiness once more?

Stanwyck and McCrea deliver impressive performances that manage to give some added depth to the characters. Though the film impressed me most for its surprising comedic moments, Stanwyck especially finds moments to make things more dramatic when she can (and the conclusion demonstrates the superb range of her acting chops). Each actor seems to bounce their performance off of one another and bring forth the best out of each other. The end result is a film that feels more cohesive and enjoyable.

The cinematography by Theodor Sparkuhl (13 Hours by Air, No More Women) is often unique and striking visually. While the style and sensibility of the visuals isn't quite on par with the other films included in the Barbara Stanwyck Kino set, the effort on Internes Can't Take Money is nonetheless compelling. The film looks more unique than its somewhat standard plot-line might suggest.

Hats off to you, Barbara Stanwyck.

The film manages to feel entirely competent throughout without necessarily hitting every note with total pitch-perfect precision: the costumes by Travis Banton (Shanghai Express, Secret Beyond the Door) match characters well but are not as flashy or impressive as other Barbara Stanwyck films (though some of the gowns are still impressive). The music score composed by Gregory Stone (Her Jungle Love, In Old Mexico), Friedrich Hollaender (A Dangerous Profession, Adventure in Baltimore), and Bernhard Kaun (The Fugitive, For Better or Worse) is one such area where the film was not nearly as impressive as one would hope for: the music doesn't seem as memorable as in other Stanwyck films.

One area in which the film excels tremendously is the production art direction by Roland Anderson (White Christmas, Breakfast at Tiffany's) and Hans Dreier (Double Indemnity, Sunset Boulevard). I found the aesthetics of the film to be reasonably impressive and to be suitable for both the comedic sensibilities of the story and the darker undertones. The film has nice set designs and looks artistic throughout.

Perhaps the most disappointing aspect of Internes Can't Take Money is the storytelling itself. The story by Max Brand (Uncertain Glory, The Champion of Lost Causes) is somewhat by-the-numbers and feels similar to too many other productions from the same time period. The screenplay by Rian James (Gift of Gab, Best of Enemies) and Theodore Reeves (She Asked for It, Night Plane from Chungking) seems to be going through the motions at times. The characters as-written are somewhat frustratingly paper-thin and are only given depth by the performers themselves.

Despite some shortcomings to work with in production, director Alfred Santell (That Brennan Girl, The Little Shepherd of Kingdom Come) makes the most of the silly concept while demonstrating the sheer star power of Barbara Stanwyck. Fans of the actress will wish to see the film and compare it to her other works. There certainly is enough good in the film to make it worth checking out – even if Internes Can't Take Money is ultimately the weakest link in the Barbara Stanwyck Kino collection.

Internes Can't Take Money Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Arriving on Blu-ray from distributor Kino Lorber, Internes Can't Take Money is presented in 1080p MPEG-4 AVC encoded high definition in the original theatrical aspect ratio of 1.37:1 full frame. A pleasing presentation, the transfer looks nicely filmic and retains film grain throughout. The scan occasionally demonstrates thin scratches and specks of dirt but there is nothing too egregious or disappointing about the presentation.

The print is crisp and looks robust with a healthy bit-rate encoding. Black levels aren't perfect but are still reasonably engaging and I was pleased with the presentation quality. While perhaps not a total slam-dunk, Internes Can't Take Money looks solid overall: perhaps not quite as impressive as The Bride Wore Boots but enough so to still earn a strong recommendation.

Internes Can't Take Money Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

The release is presented with a quality DTS-HD Master Audio mono track. The lossless audio track sounds excellent overall and makes a solid impression. Dialogue remains crisp, clear, and easy to understand throughout the entire film presentation. The music score also sounds clean and has a worthwhile level of high fidelity given the age of the source material. While not as crisp as modern productions can sound, the track suits the material well and is sufficiently presented here.

Optional English subtitles are provided.

Internes Can't Take Money Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

Audio Commentary by film historian Dr. Eloise Ross

Witness to Murder Trailer (SD, 2:09)

The Gunfight at Dodge City Trailer (HD, 2:16)

Internes Can't Take Money Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

While Internes Can't Take Money wasn't as exciting as I had hoped it to be, the film still showcases both the talent and beauty of Barbara Stanwyck in spades. The storytelling on display is a bit average but the direction is engaging enough to make this an entertaining watch. The Kino Blu-ray release has a solid presentation and is worth checking out. Recommended.