Rating summary

Movie		4.0
Video		4.0
Audio		3.5
Extras		0.0
Overall		3.5

My Favorite Brunette Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Brian Orndorf July 7, 2017

Bob Hope is generally known as a rascal, often employing a sardonic wit to best his challengers on television, film, and radio. Always armed with an ace one-liner and complete comfort with any situation, it’s somewhat bizarre to watch Hope in 1947’s “My Favorite Brunette,” which asks the comedy legend to play unhinged for 90 minutes, always stuck in losing situations, caught in the middle of complicated problems. While it’s far from fresh ground for the performer, it’s a nice change of pace, working to bend his big screen persona in unusual directions with “My Favorite Brunette,” which keeps him busy for nearly every frame of the feature.

A send-up of noir cinema, “My Favorite Brunette” stars Hope as Ronnie, a baby photographer (an instantly hilarious occupation) who dreams of a becoming a private eye, eventually falling into the line of work when Carlotta (frequent collaborator Dorothy Lamour), a woman in need of help, mistakenly comes to the timid man to help solve a possible kidnapping. Confusion, intimidation (from the likes of Peter Lorre), and mayhem ensues, and it’s fascinating to watch the screenplay take itself somewhat seriously, mounting a genuinely knotted misadventure for Hope to work with. “My Favorite Brunette” seems like it would rather be accepted more as a mystery than a comedy, but that doesn’t matter to Hope, who dances through the picture at top speed, playing all kinds of panic and bewilderment as an average man with bad judgment caught up in dangerous business.

My Favorite Brunette Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

"My Favorite Brunette" has apparently enjoyed a healthy life as a public domain title, released several times on VHS and DVD. For its Blu-ray debut, the AVC encoded image (1.35:1 aspect ratio) presentation manages to bring film to HD with reasonable clarity. Of course, glamour cinematography and age are present, but detail is passable, sharpening sets and the assembled talent, finding close-ups good with subtleties and broad reactions. Delineation is adequate, with some sequences inching toward solidification on costuming. Source is in reasonable shape, but speckling and minor scratching is present.

My Favorite Brunette Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

The 2.0 DTS-HD MA sound mix is basic for this type of entertainment, with primary focus on dialogue exchanges. Age robs performances of true clarity, but comedic speeds are understood, and suspense needs are met. Scoring is fairly unremarkable, providing only a basic understanding of instrumentation, with music often buried in the track to preserve the acting. Sound effects are a bit more pronounced. Hiss and pops are present throughout the listening event.

My Favorite Brunette Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

There is no supplementary material on this disc.

My Favorite Brunette Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

Hope being Hope, the fourth wall is broken multiple times, and celebrity cameos keep the production industry-minded instead of sincere. It's goofy at times, but always engaging, with Hope front and center directing traffic to the best of his ability, showing a modest amount of range, offering himself up as a submissive character for a change.