Midnight Blu-ray Movie

Rating summary

Movie		4.0
Video		4.5
Audio		5.0
Extras		2.5
Overall		4.0

Midnight Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Dr. Svet Atanasov June 16, 2025

Mitchell Leisen's "Midnight" (1939) arrives on Blu-ray courtesy of Criterion. The supplemental features on the release include archival program with Mitchell Leisen; new audio commentary by author and writer Michael Koresky; vintage radio adaptation; and trailer. In English, with optional English SDH subtitles for the main feature. Region-A "locked".

The girl who came from Monaco

After declaring that Paris looks a lot like Kokomo, Indiana, showgirl Eve Peabody (Claudette Colbert) gets off the night train and, shortly after, befriends bored taxi driver Tibor Czerny (Don Ameche). Even though she is penniless, Czerny agrees to drive her around until she finds a job, plus double fare and a big tip, both taken from her first paycheck. However, a few hours later, after she is repeatedly turned down by the owners of the city’s most popular nightclubs, the two end up in a cheap bistro. Following a decent meal, Peabody reveals to Czerny that she has gambled and lost all of her money in a casino in Monte Carlo, but when he invites her to spend the night at his place, she ditches him at a busy gas station. Moments later, while heavy rain threatens to flood the city, Peabody sneaks into a lavish party, where she instantly attracts the attention of Georges Flammarion (John Barrymore), an aging, very wealthy aristocrat. Flammarion realizes that Peabody does not belong there, but when the concerned host begins searching for a bold impostor who has tricked the security, he helps her avoid serious trouble. Forced to continue improvising, Peabody then becomes Baroness Czerny and discovers she is staying at the legendary Ritz hotel. The following morning, while trying to rationalize everything that has happened since getting off the train and why her luck has changed so dramatically, Peabody is paid a visit by Flammarion and offered a job. But not as a performer in one of the city’s most popular nightclubs. Flammarion is ready to pay her a substantial amount to help him reclaim his younger wife (Mary Astor), whose affair with a handsome gigolo (Francis Lederer) threatens to ruin their marriage. The job is too good to turn down, so a deal is quickly struck. However, while the suddenly very popular Baroness Czerny begins working on the gigolo’s heart and helps him compromise himself before Flammarion’s wife, the city’s hardworking taxi drivers start looking for her, and when one of them tracks her down, her notoriously jealous husband, Lord Czerny, unexpectedly appears.

While it is tempting to describe Midnight as a contemporary variation of the famous story about Cinderella, it is painfully obvious that it was conceived and shot with the same blueprint that a few years earlier produced My Man Godfrey. Indeed, the only meaningful difference between these lovely screwball comedies is that the latter is loaded with significantly more satire, most of which remains relevant today.

Mitchell Leisen directs the stars with admirable confidence, which ensures Midnight maintains that crucial fast pace all great screwballs have. The screenplay, penned by Charles Bracket and Billy Wilder, is good, too. However, it must be acknowledged that the great screwballs of the same period were all done with some absolutely brilliant screenplays.

Colbert shines in a most predictable fashion. However, she is not surrounded by supporting actors who spend virtually all of their time helping her look as good as possible before the camera. Barrymore, Ameche, Lederer, Astor, and several others are equally impressive.

Apparently, Colbert was not the first choice for her part. Initially, her part was offered to Barbara Stanwyck, who could not commit to it because she was booked to do another film.

Midnight Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Presented in an aspect ratio of 1.35:1, encoded with MPEG-4 AVC and granted a 1080p transfer, Midnight arrives on Blu-ray courtesy of Criterion.

The following text appears inside the leaflet included with this Blu-ray release:

"This new 4K restoration was undertaken by Universal Pictures and created from a 35mm nitrate composite fine-gran. The original monaural soundtrack was also remastered from the 35mm nitrate composite fine-grain.

Image and audio restoration: NBCUniversal StudioPost."

I liked everything that I saw on my system. The entire film looked immaculate, and its visuals consistently revealed very impressive density levels. Delineation, clarity, and depth were routinely excellent as well. In fact, many darker sequences, which I expected to be a bit shaky, often looked better than the well-lit footage. The outstanding grayscale helps a lot, but the darker sequences are just very, very healthy. There are no traces of any problematic digital corrections. Unsurprisingly, natural, healthy, very evenly exposed grain is present throughout the entire film. Even transitions, where typically there are noticeable fluctuations, look very good. Image stability is excellent. Is there any room for improvement(s)? Not for meaningful ones. I felt that in a few areas contrast and possibly the dynamic range of the visuals can be slightly better, but the overall quality of the presentation is fantastic. My score is 4.75/5.00. (Note: This is a Region-A "locked" Blu-ray release. Therefore, you must have a native Region-A or Region-Free player in order to access its content).

Midnight Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

There is only one standard audio track on this Blu-ray release: English LPCM 1.0. Optional English SDH subtitles are provided for the main feature.

The lossless Mono track is excellent. While viewing the film, I had the volume of my system turned up quite a lot and did not notice any age-related anomalies to report. I thought that the audio had a very attractive fullness and roundness, which are often rare on soundtracks of films from the 1930s. Dynamic intensity, even during the mass sequences, like the big party, is predictably underwhelming.

Midnight Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

• Mitchell Leisen - presented here are audio excerpts from an interview with Mitchell Leisen, conducted on December 9, 1969, by Leisen biographer David Chierichetti for the American Film Institute's oral-history collection. Midnight is addressed in them. In English, with optional English SDH subtitles. (15 min).

• Lux Radio Theatre - this Lux Radio Theatre adaptation of Midnight features Claudette Colbert and Don Ameche reprising their roles. It aired on May 20, 1940. In English, with optional English SDH subtitles. (56 min).

• Trailer - presented here is a remastered vintage trailer for Midnight. In English, with optional English SDH subtitles. (2 min).

• Commentary - this exclusive new audio commentary was recorded by author and writer Michael Koresky in 2025.

• Leaflet - an illustrated leaflet featuring critic David Cairns' essay "The Game of Love" and technical credits.

Midnight Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

Screwball comedies are one of old Hollywood's greatest gifts to film lovers. Sometimes, I like them even more than the many iconic and influential film noirs because the best among them are even more relevant today. Midnight is a wonderful addition to the Criterion Collection. It has a great cast that does everything right before the camera, so viewing it is a predictably enjoyable experience. Recently restored in 4K at Universal, Midnight looks terrific on Blu-ray, too. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED.