Rating summary

Movie		5.0
Video		4.0
Audio		4.5
Extras		5.0
Overall		4.5

My Darling Clementine Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Dr. Svet Atanasov August 28, 2015

John Ford's "My Darling Clementine" (1946) arrives on Blu-ray courtesy of British distributors Arrow Video. The supplemental features on the disc include the Prerelease Version of the film; Allan Dwan's film "Frontier Marshal" (1939); video essay by film scholar Tad Gallagher; audio commentary by Scott Eyman and Earp's grandson, Wyatt Earp III; two radio adaptations; stills galleries; and more. The release also arrives with a 40-page booklet containing new writing on My Darling Clementine by Kim Newman and on Frontier Marshal by Glenn Kenny, plus an extensive archive interview with screenwriter Winston Miller, illustrated with original archive stills and posters. In English, with optional English SDH subtitles. Region-B "locked".

The sheriff

Wyatt Earp (Henry Fonda, 12 Angry Men) and his three brothers, Morgan (Ward Bond, The Searchers), Virgil (Tim Holt, The Treasure of the Sierra Madre) and James (Don Garner, Flat Top), are on their way to California where they plan to sell their cattle. But on the outskirts of Tombstone James is killed and the cattle stolen. Shortly after, Wyatt becomes sheriff of Tombstone, appoints Morgan and Virgil deputies, and vows to find and punish the killers of his brother.

In the local saloon, Wyatt meets and befriends Doc Holliday (Victor Mature, Violent Saturday), a former surgeon turned gunslinger who has abandoned his practice and moved West after contracting tuberculosis. Wyatt also runs into the members of the brutal Clanton clan, one of whom is secretly seeing Doc’s girlfriend, the luscious singer Chihuahua (Linda Darnell, A Letter to Three Wives).

Wyatt’s relationship with Doc becomes complicated when his former girlfriend, Clementine Carter (Cathy Downs, The Flaming Urge), arrives in Tombstone. When Doc tells her to leave town, she warms up to Wyatt and he quickly falls in love with her. Around the same time, Wyatt also accidentally discovers that Chihuahua has his dead brother’s amulet. When she reveals the name of the man who gave it to her, all hell breaks loose.

Arrow Video's upcoming Blu-ray release of this monumental western directed by the great John Ford features two versions of the film: the Prerelease Version, which runs at approximately 103 minutes, and the recently restored Theatrical Version, which runs at approximately 97 minutes. There are substantial differences between the two. The Theatrical Version, which was re-edited by producer Darryl F. Zanuck, actually contains unique close-ups and even entire sequences that were not shot by Ford, as well as a different soundtrack. Unsurprisingly, it was not Ford’s preferred version of the film.

Both versions are not historically accurate, though key events in them, such as the OK Corral shootout, were apparently recreated as they were described to Ford by the legendary sheriff of Tombstone. (The two met long before My Darling Clementine was completed). There are also character identities that were invented by Ford. For example, the Earp brothers were not cattle ranchers, and Wyatt actually arrived in Tombstone as a professional gambler. The real Doc also survived the shootout at OK Corral and much later on died of tuberculosis.

Despite the historical inaccuracies Ford’s My Darling Clementine remains the best film about Wyatt’s legacy. Indeed, the chemistry between the outstanding cast and Ford’s impressive eye for detail remain unmatched. (Though both John Sturges’ Gunfight at the O.K. Corral and George P. Cosmatos’ Tombstone are very good films, the tone, atmosphere and visual characteristics of these films are drastically different).

Ford shot My Darling Clementine with cinematographer Joseph MacDonald (Elia Kazan’s Viva Zapata!, Nicholas Ray’s Bigger Than Life). The film’s dramatic score was created by Cyril J. Mockridge (Ford’s The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance, Joseph L. Mankiewicz’s Guys and Dolls).

My Darling Clementine Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Presented in an aspect ratio of 1.33:1, encoded with MPEG-4 AVC and granted a 1080p transfer, John Ford's My Darling Clementine arrives on Blu-ray courtesy of British distributors Arrow Video.

Please note that the screencaptures included with our review appear in the following order:

1. Screencaptures #1-14 are from the 4K restoration of the Theatrical Version.
2. Screencaptures #17-25 are from the Prerelease Version.
3. Screencaptures #26-36 are from Frontier Marshall.

Theatrical Version: The basic characteristics of the presentation are identical to those of Criterion's presentation, but this is hardly surprising as the two releases use the same 4K restoration as a foundation. Generally speaking, depth and clarity are pleasing, with the daylight footage in particular often looking very good. However, the same traces of grain management are present here. The majority of them are easy to see during the nighttime footage where the image could be somewhat flat at times. On the other hand, it is easy to tell that there are various source limitations which have contributed to the fluctuations as well. There are no serious stability issues. Debris, scratches, damage marks, and splices have been removed as best possible. All in all, I do believe that some of the grain adjustments could have been more delicate, but the film does have a pleasing organic appearance.

Prerelease Version: This version of the film is placed on a separate disc and it is presented in 1080p. Once again, I do not see any notable discrepancies to mention in our review. Obviously, the same scratches and debris are visible here (however, some minor flecks are now removed). The light halo effects during the daylight footage are present as well. Detail and clarity fluctuate, but this is hardly surprising considering the fact that this version was copied from a 1946 nitrate preview print.

Frontier Marshall: The overall quality of the transfer is quite good. When there is an abundance of natural light detail and clarity are lovely. Some of the nighttime footage, however, could be a bit too dark. The best news here is that there are no traces of compromising digital corrections. Stability is good.

(Note: This is a Region-B "locked" Blu-ray release. Therefore, you must have a native Region-B or Region-Free player in order to access its content).

My Darling Clementine Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

The two versions of My Darling Clementine arrive with English LPCM 1.0 tracks. Frontier Marshall also arrives with an English LPCM 1.0 track. Optional English SDH subtitles are provided for all three.

On the Theatrical Version depth and clarity are very good. Some minor fluctuations remain, but the background hiss that is present on the old R1 DVD release is eliminated and this makes quite a difference. Dynamic intensity is decent.

On the Prerelease Version there is a different soundtrack (it is not identical to the one used for the Theatrical Version). Arrow Video have included a lossless track, but there isn't a substantial gap in quality. Generally speaking, clarity and depth are very good, but the same light background hiss occasionally sneaks in. Unlike Criterion's presentation, however, here there are optional English SDH subtitles.

Frontier Marshall: Depth and the high-frequencies are very good. The music is also well rounded. Some extremely light background hiss is felt from time to time, but it never becomes distracting. There are no audio dropouts or distortions. Optional English SDH subtitles are provided.

My Darling Clementine Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

Blu-ray Disc One

• Theatrical Trailer - original theatrical trailer for John Ford's My Darling Clementine. In English, not subtitled. (3 min).

• Audio Commentary - this audio commentary features author Scott Eyman and Earp's grandson, Wyatt Earp III. The two gentleman discuss John Ford's life and legacy, the evolution of his style, the unusual production history of My Darling Clementine, the structure of its narrative and its key themes, the various locations where different parts of the film were shot, etc.

• John Ford and Monument Valley - this documentary takes a closer look at the special relationship between John Ford and Monument Vallery, where the director shot many of his greatest westerns. Included in it are archival interviews with author and film scholar Peter Cowie, John Wayne, Martin Scorsese, Jimmy Stewart, and Henry Fonda. The documentary was produced in 2013. In English, not subtitled. (57 min).

• Movie Masterclass - presented here is an archival episode of the Channel Four series in which director Lindsay Anderson (If...., This Sporting Life) deconstructs John Ford's My Darling Clementine. The episode was broadcast in 1988. In English, not subtitled. (64 min).

• Lost and Gone Forever - in this video essay, film scholar Tad Gallagher focuses on some of the unique themes and key relationships between the main characters in My Darling Clementine, as well as some of the most common themes in John Ford's body of work. Also included with it are archival production stills. The essay was produced exclusively for Criterion in 2014. In English, not subtitled. (18 min).

• Stills Gallery - a gallery of stills from My Darling Clementine.

Blu-ray Disc Two

• What is the Prerelease Version? - this video piece highlights the key differences between the July 1946 Prerelease Version of My Darling Clementine and the film's final October 1946 Theatrical Version. It was produced in 2004 by preservationist Robert Gitt of the UCLA Film & Television Archive. In English, not subtitled. (42 min).

• Lux Radio Theater: My Darling Clementine - presented here is a radio adaptation of My Darling Clementine which was originally broadcast on April 28, 1947. Henry Fonda (Wyatt Earp) and Cathy Downs (Clementine) reprise their roles, With a guest appearance by Richard Conte (Doc Holliday). In English, not subtitled. (59 min, 1080p).

• Hallmark Playhouse: Wyatt Earp - presented here is a 1948 Hallmark Playhouse radio adaptation of My Darling Clementine with Richard Conte, Gerald Mohr, and Lurene Tuttle. In English, not subtitled. (26 min).

• Frontier Marshal Stills Gallery - a collection of stills from Frontier Marshal.

• Frontier Marshal Trailer - original trailer for Frontier Marshal. In English, not subtitled. (3 min).

• Frontier Marshal (1939) - presented here is Allan Dwan's film Frontier Marshal, starring Randolph Scott, Nancy Kelly, Cesar Romero, Binnie Barnes, John Carradine, Ward Bond, and Lon Chaney Jr. In English, with optional English SDH subtitles. (LPCM 1.0/1080P/71 min).

• 40-PAGE BOOKLET [LIMITED EDITION EXCLUSIVE] - booklet containing new writing on My Darling Clementine by Kim Newman (author of Wild West Movies) and on Frontier Marshal by Glenn Kenny, plus an extensive archive interview with screenwriter Winston Miller, illustrated with original archive stills and posters.

My Darling Clementine Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

Though not historically accurate, John Ford's My Darling Clementine remains the best film about Wyatt Earp's legacy. Arrow Video's new Blu-ray release features two versions of the film: the Theatrical Version, which has been recently restored in 4K, and the longer Prerelease Version. Also included on this release is Allan Dwan's film Frontier Marshal. If you reside in a Region-B country, the release is a wonderful alternative to the Region-A release which Criterion produced n 2014. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED.