Klondike Annie Blu-ray Movie

Rating summary

Movie		3.5
Video		3.5
Audio		3.5
Extras		3.0
Overall		3.5

Klondike Annie Blu-ray Movie Review

Fans of classic musical comedies should take note.

Klondike Annie is a musical comedy with plenty of unexpected charm. Based on the play by Mae West (with story by Marion Morgan and George B. Dowell), Klondike Annie is a tale of transformation and the pursuits of the human spirit (told in an unexpected fashion). Produced by William LeBaron (The General Died at Dawn, It's the Old Army Game), its an entertaining classic audiences won't want to miss.

Rose Carlton (Mae West) seeks freedom from her possessive companion, Chan Lo (Harold Huber), and flees to Alaska during the Gold Rush of the 1890s after murdering Chan Lo. Seeking a new life, Rose traverses across the sea and meets ship captain Bull Brackett (Victor McLaglen). Bull falls hard for Rose and wants to ignite a relationship with the “Frisco Doll.”

However, a new and unexpected friendship blooms while on the ship as Rose spends time alongside the kind Sister Annie Alden (Helen Jerome Eddy). After Sister Annie passes on from illness, Rose assumes her identity, and begins to continue her mission of transformation. With a new passion, Rose aims to help transform the spirits of others around her. Has Rose found her calling in life?

At the forefront of the picture is the performance by Mae West. With her undeniable charm and clear confidence, West is a triumphant performer who has a complete understanding of her craft. West is a constant champion: showcasing her talents throughout the production. The role was a complex one for her and she shines.

A first-rate performance by Mae West.

The art direction by Hans Dreier (The Lost Weekend, Double Indemnity) and Bernard Herzbrun (Creature from the Black Lagoon, Alexander's Ragtime Band) makes a big impression on the filmmaking. Throughout the production, the sets and production merits help the storytelling. Collaborating well, Herzbrun and Dreier help the effort rise to the occasion.

The music score composed by John Leipold (The Big Wheel), Tom Satterfield (The Gilded Lily), and Victor Young (The Quiet Man) is another entertaining component. The music is a nice backdrop to listen to and the score helps to highlight the characters and the storytelling progressions. A superb musical landscape by Leipold, Satterfield, and Young.

The cinematography by George T. Clemens (The Twilight Zone, Big Brown Eyes) provides Klondike Annie with stunning black-and-white cinematography. Clemens imbues each frame with a stylistic flourish well-suited to the material. One can't help but become lost in the filmmaking and the rich visuals.

The screenplay by Mae West (Goin' to Town, She Done Him Wrong) is a testament to how the multi-talented West is a Hollywood legend. West is a great writer and she provides the film with excellent dialogue that carries the material. The story is entertaining and takes some unexpected turns that are engaging to watch unfold.

Directed by Raoul Walsh (The Roaring Twenties, The Thief of Bagdad), Klondike Annie is a classic which cineastes won't want to miss. The edit by Stuart Heisler (The Glass Key, Island of Desire) is paced well and the filmmaking never runs out of steam. Klondike Annie is an entertaining gem of classic comedies. Don't miss it.

Klondike Annie Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Arriving on Blu-ray from Kino Lorber, Klondike Annie is 1080p MPEG-4 AVC encoded high definition in the original theatrical aspect ratio of 1.37:1 full frame. There were some minor specks and scratches during the scan but the print was still in generally good shape. The release has decent black levels as well. There were no significant encoding issues to report, either.

Klondike Annie Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

The release is presented in DTS-HD Master Audio mono. The audio on the release sounded reasonably impressive. The audio track was nice and crisp given the age of the audio elements. No egregious hiss or crackle could be heard during the presentation. Dialogue was clear and easy to understand. The music soundtrack was well reproduced as well.

Optional English subtitles are provided.

Klondike Annie Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

Audio Commentary by Film Historians Alexandra Heller-Nicholas and Josh Nelson

The release also includes a selection of trailers promoting other releases available from distributor Kino Lorber: Night After Night (SD, 2:39), I'm No Angel (SD, 1:58), Belle of the Nineties (HD, 1:54), Goin' to Town (SD, 1:42), Every Day's a Holiday (HD, 2:27), and My Little Chickadee (SD, 1:36).

Klondike Annie Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

Klondike Annie is an entertaining gem. The production is impressive and there are a number of quality components to the film. Mae West steals the show and delights in her leading role. Fans of classic Mae West comedies won't want to overlook Klondike Annie. The Blu- ray release has a worthwhile video and audio presentation. Recommended.