Rating summary

Movie		3.5
Video		4.5
Audio		5.0
Extras		2.0
Overall		3.5

Nevada Smith Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Dr. Svet Atanasov August 10, 2023

Henry Hathaway's "Nevada Smith" (1966) arrives on Blu-ray courtesy of Kino Lorber. The supplemental features on the release include exclusive new audio commentary by author/screenwriter C. Courtney Joyner, producer Mark Jordan Legan, and film historian Henry Parke as well as vintage promotional materials for the film. In English, with optional Enlgish SDH subtitles for the main feature. Region-Free.

Nevada Smith could have been a much, much better film if Henry Hathaway had not produced it. He still could have directed it, but he would have had to do it differently. In its current form, Nevada Smith looks good but does not tell a convincing story because it assumes that the viewer is not going to notice its obvious flaws. One of these obvious flaws is the decision to cast Steve McQueen to play Max Sand a.k.a. Nevada Smith, who is supposed to be young enough to be addressed as “boy”. McQueen does not look like one. He is fit, but his face immediately reveals that he is approaching forty. In that sequence where McQueen meets Brian Keith’s traveling merchant and he offers to teach him how to use a gun and play cards, the pretending that it is not so is almost nauseating. McQueen and Keith are adult men who could be partners, but the screenplay severely downgrades the former’s IQ and personality to make him appear as if he could be the latter’s son. It is very, very odd.

The story goes through multiple cycles that should have had a lot more depth, too. In a remote corner of the Wild West, three cowboys approach Smith, ask him a few questions, and shortly after execute his Indian mother and white father. When Smith discovers their bodies, he burns down the family house and vows to avenge their death. The first cowboy, Jesse Coe (Martin Landau), is located in a nearby town, drinking and playing cards in the local saloon. To get to the second cowboy, Bill Bowdre (Arthur Kennedy), Smith breaks the law, gets arrested, and is then transported to a prison camp in a swampy area where only the strongest survive. With the help of a beautiful female prisoner (Suzanne Pleshette) from a nearby all-female camp, the two men figure out a way to sneak out, and at the right moment, having tricked his target into trusting him, Smith gets his revenge. The third cowboy, Tom Fitch (Karl Malden), proves to be Smith’s most difficult target, but not because he is invincible. After discovering where he has settled down, Smith meets a preacher (Raf Vallone) who forces him to reexamine his thirst for revenge and reconsider the final phase of his mission.

The opening credits insist that Nevada Smith is based on the character in The Carpetbaggers created by Harold Robbins, but the connection is virtually impossible to recognize. At best, one could successfully argue that since revenge is a major theme in The Carpetbaggers and fuels its drama Nevada Smith utilizes it as a catalyst for its drama as well. But the characters that these films introduce and their maturation are very different. In The Carpetbaggers, Alan Ladd’s character is a former cowboy who accidentally becomes a western star and then gradually comes to the realization that he is serving the same people he used to confront with his gun. But he is effectively overshadowed by George Peppard’s iconic character, who has a tremendous IQ and is always a few steps ahead of his opponents. This character’s philosophy of life, which is defined by unabashed cynicism and destructive optimism for the future, is at the center of The Carpetbaggers. In Nevada Smith, there is only one segment -- the one with the preacher -- where Smith’s philosophy of life becomes relevant.

The strength of Nevada Smith is in the quality of its visuals. As Smith begins tracking down his targets, Hathaway and cinematographer Lucien Ballard visit numerous outstanding locations that naturally create an excellent period environment. The best visuals emerge from a stunning desert area of the Olancha Dunes in Southern California.

A nice, very energetic soundtrack, created by Oscar-winning composer Alfred Newman, effectively complements the visuals as well.

Nevada Smith Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Presented in its original aspect ratio of 2.35:1, encoded with MPEG-4 AVC and granted a 1080p transfer, Nevada Smith arrives on Blu-ray courtesy of Kino Lorber.

The release is sourced from a new 4K master that was struck from the original camera negative. The overall quality of the visuals ranges from very good to outstanding. Delineation, clarity, and depth are always very pleasing. Density levels are also impressive, so if you view your films on a large screen, you will see tight, very attractive visuals with tremendous organic qualities. My only minor criticism pertains to the color grading job and specifically the management of primary blue. In a couple of areas, it is pushed toward light turquoise -- which is something that is now a common issue on many new 4K masters that are done on behalf of Paramount -- so the color temperature becomes cooler than it needs to be. You can see an example here. The footage where Steve McQueen is seen riding and then meeting Brian Keith is supposed to be taking place during a very hot period too, but it looks quite cool. See examples here, here, and here. However, overall I do not think that these are serious anomalies. There are no traces of problematic digital corrections. The entire film looks very healthy. (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).

Nevada Smith Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

There is only one standard audio track on this Blu-ray release: English DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0. Optional English SDH subtitles are provided for the main feature. When turned on, they appear inside the image frame.

I did not encounter any issues to report in our review. The audio was very clear and nicely balanced. If there were any age-related issues before the film was restored in 4K, it is impossible to tell now. All registers are very healthy and dynamic intensity and balance are as good as they should be. I was quite impressed.

Nevada Smith Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

• Trailer - presented here is a vintage U.S. theatrical teaser trailer for Nevada Smith. In English, not subtitled. (1 min).

• TV Spots - presented here are a couple of vintage U.S. TV spots for Nevada Smith. In English, not subtitled. (2 min).

• Radio Spot - presented here is a vintage U.S. radio spot for Nevada Smith. In English, not subtitled. (1 min).

• Commentary - this exclusive new audio commentary was recorded by author/screenwriter C. Courtney Joyner, producer Mark Jordan Legan, and film historian Henry Parke. Any commentary featuring Mr. Joyner is worth spending time with, including this one, but I must point out that when some of the obvious flaws of Nevada Smith are mentioned, they are instantly downplayed. The truth is that Nevada Smith did not turn out as well as it should have and many of the great character actors that were gathered for it were mismanaged. As usual, there is plenty of interesting information about the careers of these actors and the state of the film industry at the time when the film was made.

• Cover - a reversible cover with vintage poster art for Nevada Smith.

Nevada Smith Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

Nevada Smith is a mismanaged film with many flaws, some of which are quite bizarre. Steve McQueen is called "son" and "boy" by men that are not much older than him, while his Indian mother looks perplexingly young. The Carpetbaggers was supposedly a source of inspiration, but it is impossible to tell in what way. Several good character actors are wasted in underwhelming material, too. Yes, the bad characters are great and there are a lot of terrific visuals, but considering the enormous talent that was gathered the end product is impossible to praise. Kino Lorber's release is sourced from a strong new 4K master that was struck from the original camera negative. RECOMMENDED, but only to the fans.