Rating summary

Movie		3.5
Video		3.5
Audio		3.5
Extras		3.0
Overall		3.5

Love Before Breakfast Blu-ray Movie Review

A classic directed by Walter Lang (The King and I).

Love Before Breakfast is a worthwhile romantic-comedy classic. Based on the novel by Faith Baldwin, Love Before Breakfast features a strong leading performance by the great Carole Lombard. Produced by Edmund Grainger (Steel Against the Sky, Flying Hostess), fans of Lombard won't want to miss out on her exceptional lead role.

Preston Foster (Scott Miller) is a wealthy businessman who falls madly in love with the drop-dead-gorgeous Kay Colby (Carole Lombard). The proposition of marriage comes to the forefront – and Preston is determined to make Kay his wife. Yet Kay is engaged to marry Bill Wadsworth (Cesar Romero), a man in the oil industry, whom she confesses to loving. Kay admits she is only even considering marrying Preston for his wealth. Upset at the revelation, Preston decides to break off the engagement and let Kay decide between the two men. Who will Kay choose to be with?

Carole Lombard is an entertaining actress with a unique charm that radiates throughout her career. The actress has a wonderful knack for comedy and romance. The role was a perfect fit for her. Lombard showcases her unique acting chops and star-power throughout the production.

Love Before Breakfast features strong costumes by Travis Banton (Canyon Passage, This Love of Ours) and gowns by Brymer (The Invisible Ray, Sutter's Gold). The costumes are first-rate and showcase the beauty of Lombard throughout the production. The supporting actors are given effective costumes as well.

An exceptional role for Carole Lombard.

The cinematography by Ted Tetzlaff (Son of Sinbad, The Talk of the Town) is one of the best elements of Love Before Breakfast. The visuals certainly help to enhance the filmmaking. The black-and-white style of cinematography is well-suited to the production and there is a lot to appreciate here. A solid effort.

The music score composed by Franz Waxman (The Bride of Frankenstein, Suspicion) adds to the film merits as well. The score contributes to the experience and provides an adequate background to the filmmaking. Waxman was a Hollywood legend for a reason: the results are clearly in the pudding.

The screenplay by Herbert Fields (50 Million Frenchmen, Joy of Living) is entertaining. The script features additional dialogue penned by Gertrude Purcell (Follow the Leader, In Old California). The story is a bit silly at times but the execution is generally solid. There are a lot of fun scenes that showcase the comedic chops of Lombard.

Walter Lang (The King and I, The Little Princess) directs. Love Before Breakfast is a well-paced creation that has plenty of style. With editing by Maurice Wright (Soldiers of the Storm, Legion of Lost Flyers), the film has a nice rhythm too. Love Before Breakfast finds a solid balance of comedy and drama while showcasing the star-power of Carole Lombard at every turn of the film. Fans of the actress should consider the film well worth seeing.

Love Before Breakfast Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Arriving on Blu-ray from Kino Lorber, Love Before Breakfast is presented in 1080p MPEG-4 AVC encoded high definition in the original theatrical aspect ratio of 1.37:1 full frame. The print quality impresses with a generally exceptional scan – one that showcases a superb level of detail in the presentation. The picture-quality is sharp and clean. The black and white cinematography shines. Despite black levels being modest (and not inky black), the cinematographic effect is still pleasing overall. There are some occasional blemishes to the print (and thin scratches) but the scan generally impresses and never suffers from any egregious compression woes.

Love Before Breakfast Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

The release is presented in DTS-HD Master Audio mono. The audio track is proficient throughout. Dialogue is crisp, clear, and easy to understand. There are no egregious issues to report in regards to hiss, crackle, warps, pops, and clicks throughout the presentation. The track seems to have a somewhat limited fidelity-range compared to modern productions but the audio elements sound impressive given the age of the production.

Optional English subtitles are provided.

Love Before Breakfast Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

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

Love Before Breakfast Theatrical Trailer (HD, 1:28)

Supernatural Theatrical Trailer (SD, 2:04)

Bluebeard's Eighth Wife Theatrical Trailer (SD, 3:08)

Love Before Breakfast Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

Love Before Breakfast is an excellent showcase for Carole Lombard. The actress showcases her comedic talents and her natural charisma. The film is well-directed by Walter Lang (The King and I, The Little Princess). The Kino Lorber Blu-ray release is well worth checking out. Recommended.