Jenny Blu-ray Movie

Rating summary

Movie		3.5
Video		4.0
Audio		4.0
Extras		3.0
Overall		4.0

Jenny Blu-ray Movie Review

A compelling drama with exceptional performances by Alan Alda and Marlo Thomas

Jenny (1970) is a romantic-drama which brings audiences into the world of the time-period. The film explores the unexpected romance which brews between two vastly different people: the sweet but pregnant (and un-wed) Jenny (Marlo Thomas) and the filmmaker rebel, Delano (Alan Alda), who constantly has a camera in hand. As circumstance brings the pair together their lives become intertwined as if in a sequence of events determined by fate. Produced by Edgar J. Scherick (The Taking of Pelham One Two Three, The King of Comedy), Jenny is a compelling drama that is most notable for its excellent performances by Marlo Thomas and Alan Alda.

As the storyline unfolds, the drama similarly bursts forth at the seams. Jenny is in a troubled state of mind as she hopes to find a father to help raise her unborn child. The relationship begins without the romance one would usually find and the question of true lust and love lingers only beneath the surface. Yet as the story progresses, the characters become closer to each other and their connection only grows. Delano is interested in finding a way to avoid going to war and the circumstances of Jenny lead to the pair becoming much closer than at first glance. Despite their unique differences, a romance begins to brew that is more than the duo initially bargained for.

The exceptional performances in the film are at the forefront the success of Jenny. Marlo Thomas gives a layered and nuanced performance as the leading lady of the story. Thomas creates a portrait of a very fragile woman who has suffered from her past relationships and needs to find a new beacon of light in her life. Seeking to find that light in the young-at-heart Delano leads to complications for her character and ponderous moments which could not have expected at first glance. Alda is similarly compelling as a rebellious goofball who is in over his head and lacks the kind of smarts to handle the situation with a adult-mind. The character gets into trouble and makes the turn of events all the more interesting (with Alda delivering a true-to-form performance).

There are a number of impressive production elements that meshed together cohesively to form an entertaining film. The enjoyable music score composed by Michael Small (Marathon Man, The Stepford Wives) gives the film a sense of whimsy which helps to work well with the actors core performances. The way in which music is used in the film (both score and song selections) is an interesting element of the filmmaking. The music gives added character and depth to the storytelling.

An unexpected romance.

The cinematography by David L. Quaid (American Playhouse, Santa Claus Conquers the Martians) is similarly striking and makes an impression with a melancholic visual aesthetic which fits the tone of the film and the time-period to a tee. The visuals are organic and help to paint a portrait of characters which feel as though they could be representative of real people from the period. These elements are sometimes haunting and always vivid.

The costumes also help paint a portrait of the time-period with Ann Roth (The English Patient, Cold Mountain) designing impressive and well-matched costumes for each of the two leading actors. Roth is one of the best in the business and her contributions to Jenny actually help to elevate the film. With art direction by Trevor Williams (The 300 Year Weekend, The Duchess and the Dirtwater Fox) adding to the style as well, the costumes make an even bigger impression.

Edited by Kent McKinney (Gimme Shelter, The Wild Party), Jenny is never dull or without some interesting facet to the production. The pacing seems to be on-key and appropriate for the story. The film doesn't manage to overstay its welcome and it reaches its destination with a sense of confidence. There is a real sense of skill to be felt behind-the-scenes of the production.

George Bloomfield (To Kill a Clown, North of 60) directed the film and co-wrote the screenplay with co-screenwriters Diana Gould (Dynasty, I Love You... Good-bye) and Martin Lavut (Remembering Arthur, After Darwin). The story is never one to take audiences on a trip filled with surprises. However, the storyline of Jenny is realistically told and engaging. The characters are the focal point of both the script and the direction. Gould wants to let the actors shine and do their best work by simply letting these performers do their part in collaboration. It was a wise decision. Jenny is a film that is all the better for it as Alda and Thomas make magic together.

Jenny Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Arriving on Blu-ray from distributor Kino Lorber, Jenny has received a 1080p MPEG-4 AVC encoded high definition presentation in the original aspect ratio of 1.85:1 widescreen. The film looks far more robust on the format than one might be expecting. The film had a 35mm negative and color for the production was completed with Metrocolor. The print is astonishing. The level of detail on display dramatically enhanced my experience with the film. Fine film grain was left intact and looked quite naturalistic throughout the entire presentation.

There were no egregious signs of print damage or specks to be found on the print. There were only a handful of scenes which showed minor degradation to the print and these moments were fleeting. The overwhelming majority of the presentation looks pristine. The laid-back color tones and atmospheric nature of the visuals are enjoyable and add up to a good experience. An impressive effort by Kino.

Jenny Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

The release is presented with a DTS-HD Master Audio mono audio soundtrack. The lossless audio on the release is quite impressive and sounds extremely naturalistic and laid-back. There are no serious problematic scenes in the film with regards to audio fidelity. The track is smooth and pleasing. The soundtrack is similarly crisp (with the songs in the film making a nice impression on the tone of the filmmaking). Dialogue is consistently clear and easy to understand. An excellent audio track by Kino.

Optional English subtitles are provided.

Jenny Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

Audio Commentary featuring film historians Lee Gambin and Jarret Gahan

The release also includes a selection of trailers promoting other releases available from distributor Kino Lorber: The Landlord (HD, 2:33), The Group (HD, 3:48), Buona Sera, Mrs. Campbell (HD, 2:58), Betsy's Wedding (SD, 2:17), and The Mephisto Waltz (SD, 2:27).

Jenny Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

Jenny is a surprisingly enjoyable experience and one that is heightened by two worthwhile leading actors: Marlo Thomas and Alan Alda both deliver note worthy performances which manage to be cohesive and compelling as the storyline unfolds. The film is reminiscent of the time-period and manages to evoke a sense of wonder while the drama plays out on screen. The music also makes the experience all the more worthwhile. The Blu-ray release from Kino Lorber features a naturally filmic presentation of the film. The release comes recommended for fans.