7.8 | / 10 |
Users | 0.0 | |
Reviewer | 3.5 | |
Overall | 3.5 |
In Vienna, about 1900, a dashing man arrives at his flat, instructing his manservant that he will leave before morning: the man is Stefan Brand, formerly a concert pianist, planning to leave Vienna to avoid a duel. His servant gives him a letter from an unknown woman, which he reads. In flashbacks we see the lifelong passion of Lisa Berndle for him: first as a girl who was his neighbor; next as a young woman who, in secret, has his child; then as a mature woman who meets him again and abandons husband and son to be with him. Each time he does not remember who she is or that they have ever met. By morning, he has finished the letter, and her husband awaits satisfaction.
Starring: Joan Fontaine, Louis Jourdan, Mady Christians, Erskine Sanford, Marcel JournetDrama | 100% |
Romance | 54% |
Period | Insignificant |
Video codec: MPEG-4 AVC
Video resolution: 1080p
Aspect ratio: 1.33:1
Original aspect ratio: 1.37:1
English: DTS-HD Master Audio Mono
None
25GB Blu-ray Disc
Single disc (1 BD)
Region free
Movie | 3.5 | |
Video | 4.0 | |
Audio | 3.5 | |
Extras | 0.0 | |
Overall | 3.5 |
The American film industry saw an incredible influx of émigrés from the early thirties through the mid to late forties, as the twin evils of Nazism and fascism took hold of Europe. Many top flight directors actually wandered their way through Europe for years before finally matriculating to the United States, and that was the case with Max Ophüls, one of the most technically demanding and innovative directors of his era, one whose commanding crane and dolly shots have entered the lexicon of classic film moments, but who is nonetheless still strangely underappreciated and even unknown by people who otherwise consider themselves well versed in classic film. Ophüls' quartet of best remembered films, La Ronde, Le Plaisir, The Earrings of Madame de. . . and his brilliant masterwork Lola Montès all came from the final few years of Ophüls’ life, after he had returned to France, but his Hollywood career is really no less lustrous, even if it was distressingly brief. Probably the best of his Hollywood outings is the fascinating Letter From an Unknown Woman, a film which skirts with several shocking elements, including the infatuation of a minor for an older man and, later, of the seduction and resultant pregnancy of that same girl once she's at least a little older, but which retains a high gloss factor that places it firmly in the “women’s picture” genre that was all the rage in the post-War era (rather strangely, the same time that saw the rise of macho noir fare). Once again Joan Fontaine’s inherently innocent qualities are put to excellent use as she depicts a character who grows from young teen to womanhood, burning with an unrequited love for a wastrel who basically uses her and discards her, only to reconnect with her (twice, in fact) years later, not even remembering the earlier encounters he had had with her years before.
Letter from an Unknown Woman is presented on Blu-ray courtesy of Olive Films with an AVC encoded 1080p in 1.33:1. Franz Planer's lustrous black and white cinematography is very well served by this often resplendent high definition presentation. Planer and Ophüls play with light and shadow throughout the film, and the wonderful chiaroscuro ambience looks really nicely sharp and well detailed throughout this presentation. The elements here are in very good shape, much better than some other recent catalog releases of the same general vintage we've seen from Olive. Contrast is strong and consistent and as with most Olive releases, no digital tweaking of any kind has affected the film's natural grain structure.
Letter from an Unknown Woman features a lossless DTS-HD Master Audio Mono mix that nicely reproduces Daniele Amfitheatrof gorgeous Romantic score which includes a lot of piano cues (it must be stated that Louis Jourdan is perhaps the worst "finger syncher" of all time as he pretends to play the piano in several scenes). Dialogue is very clean and precise sounding, with Fontaine's omnipresent narration sounding great. The track has a certain age related boxiness but generally sounds quite spry considering its vintage.
No supplements of any kind are included on this Blu-ray disc.
Letter from an Unknown Woman is an unabashed melodrama and it may bother some contemporary types who may find the film's presentation of a "helpless" female hopelessly in love with a man who can't even remember her patently objectionable. But if you put the film in its historical context and simply enjoy it for the glossy entertainment it undeniably is, there's a lot to like about it, not the least of which is Fontaine's beauty and grace and Ophüls' commanding technique. This is the sort of film they don't (and probably couldn't) make anymore, a big, romantic tragedy that probably left its female audience in abject tears when it was first released. Current day cynics may not be especially moved by something as glossy as Letter from an Unknown Woman is, but they still should be able to admire its impeccable craft. This Blu-ray looks great and sounds fine. Recommended.
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