Rating summary

Movie		5.0
Video		4.5
Audio		4.5
Extras		4.0
Overall		4.5

Mr. Smith Goes to Washington 4K Blu-ray Movie Review

Sony has released Director Frank Capra's 1939 classic 'Mr. Smith Goes to Washington' to the UHD format. The 4K presentation is currently exclusive to the studio's prestigious Columbia Classics Collection boxed set. New specifications include 2160p/HDR video and two-channel lossless mono audio. No new supplements are included but the bundled Blu-ray disc is identical to that which Sony originally released in 2014 and brings with it a nice assortment of bonus content.

Mr. Smith Goes to Washington 4K Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

The included screenshots are sourced from a 1080p Blu-ray disc.

Talk about aging gracefully. Mr. Smith Goes to Washington is now over eighty years old but for its 4K/HDR UHD release, it may as well have been made in the past few years. The picture quality is simply astounding and looks about as good as it possibly could and certainly outpaces even some movies of more recent vintage on the format. The picture does show its age with a few tell-tale signs, including the black-and-white photography and Academy aspect ratio (not that a movie couldn't be made under these parameters today). But judging strictly on its picture quality merits, it's breathtaking. Grain is certainly in evidence and present in density in every shot, but it's an essential component in capturing the picture's heritage and holding it firm to its best qualities. Textures within are razor-sharp, showcasing resplendently defined details both in close-up and in medium distance. Facial textures are beyond exquisite for natural complexity and clarity while period attire is revealed in all its density and detail, far beyond the Blu-ray's limited constraints and comparatively flat and smooth picture, which is also unable to replicate the UHD's firmer, denser grain structure. It's a revelatory boost to both components that give the picture improved depth, definition, and clarity.

HDR further transforms the picture, boosting contrast and not just better defining the grayscale but seeing it increase in intensity and distinction by leaps and bounds. Where the Blu-ray looks fairly creamy with little stark definition between the available tones, the UHD leaps off the screen with a remarkable balance between impressively intense, crisp, and luminous whites and dense and deep blacks. The area in between is greatly enhanced, too, offering striking scaling and precision that shows just how far HDR can amplify and re-energize even aged black-and-white material. It's a remarkable transformation. Add that the picture is practically free of source blemish and encode issue and it's a new reference presentation for the film and for the format. What a gem!

Mr. Smith Goes to Washington 4K Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

Sony has not radically altered the audio presentation for Mr. Smith Goes to Washington but the track is a bit different compared to the original Blu-ray. That disc included a true 1.0 mono track; this one presents in a 2.0 mono configuration, utilizing the front left and right speakers rather than the center channel. The result is certainly no major audio reworking but it is a little fuller sounding in total, with music finding more room to engage and light atmospherics afforded a little more spacial awareness and breathing room, too. Dialogue is the primary sound element here. Clarity and prioritization are just fine and imaging to the front-center is completely seamless. There is some very light underlying hissing at times and there are some mild inconsistencies in tone even in the same shot (20:34) when a character speaks off-screen. It sounds just fine altogether, though, and kudos to Sony for not re-engineering the track when it didn't need to be just to fit it into one encode or another. It suits the movie just fine and matches up well with the striking UHD visuals.

Mr. Smith Goes to Washington 4K Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

Sony hasn't elected to bring any new supplements to this UHD release of Mr. Smith Goes to Washington, but the bundled Blu-ray contains the following. Please click here for full coverage. As it is included in the Columbia Classics Collection, this release ships with a Movies Anywhere digital copy code and a non-embossed slipcover. Of Course, this release is absent the printed DigiBook content found on the previous release.

• Audio Commentary: Frank Capra, Jr.
• Frank Capra Jr. Remembers..."Mr. Smith Goes to Washington"
• Conversations with Frank Capra Jr.: The Golden Years
• Frank Capra: Collaboration
• Conversations with Frank Capra Jr.: A Family History
• The Frank Capra I Knew
• Frank Capra's American Dream
• Mr. Smith Goes to Washington Theatrical Trailer
• Mr. Smith Goes to Washington International Trailer

Mr. Smith Goes to Washington 4K Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

An indelible classic, Mr. Smith Goes to Washington is a film that is a must-have for every serious home video library. Sony's UHD, which is at time of writing exclusive to the Columbia Classics Collection boxed set, is the best way to watch the film, ever. It's doubtful it looked anywhere near this true to its source when it premiered in theaters in 1939 and it certainly has never looked so fine for home consumption. The audio track is fine and the included legacy extras are insightful and thorough. Very highly recommended.