6.8 | / 10 |
Users | 0.0 | |
Reviewer | 3.5 | |
Overall | 3.5 |
Vern Haskell, a nice rancher, seeks out to avenge his fiancé's death when she is killed during a robbery. His revenge leads him to Chuck-a-luck, Altar Keane's ranch set up to hide criminals, and he finds more than he bargains for.
Starring: Marlene Dietrich, Arthur Kennedy, Mel Ferrer, Gloria Henry, William FrawleyWestern | 100% |
Drama | Insignificant |
Video codec: MPEG-4 AVC
Video resolution: 1080p
Aspect ratio: 1.37:1
Original aspect ratio: 1.37:1
English: DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0 Mono (48kHz, 24-bit)
English SDH
Blu-ray Disc
Single disc (1 BD)
Region A, B (C untested)
Movie | 3.0 | |
Video | 5.0 | |
Audio | 4.5 | |
Extras | 0.0 | |
Overall | 3.5 |
Is it possible to enjoy Fritz Lang's Rancho Notorious if you're not a fan of Marlene Dietrich? Sure, if you squint hard enough. The celebrated German Expressionist director, known for such classics as Metropolis, M, and Dr. Mabuse the Gambler, takes a rare late-career trip to the Wild West -- and in full Technicolor to boot! -- with a story that would be borrowed and bettered with The Big Heat, released just one year later. This tale of hate, murder, and revenge rarely gets above a low simmer but still has its moments, including a solid supporting cast and reliably great cinematography by Oscar winner Hal Mohr, whose long résumé includes The Jazz Singer and 1943's Phantom of the Opera.
Rancho Notorious has almost all of the ingredients for a watchable and engaging Western and, in some respects, it is. But the mystery often feels more forced and convenient than organic, with multiple convenient events that all but point Vern in the right direction almost every step of the way. The existence of several genre clichés make key moments feel all too familiar, and the intermittent presence of William Lee's singing narration (with music and lyrics by Ken Darby) redundantly spoon-feeds us a reminder of those three red words in the opening paragraph above. Then there's Marlene Dietrich, who's by no means bad but certainly distracting in her top-billed role, with that unavoidably husky German accent and overdone, modern-style makeup that all but make her character stand out like a sore thumb. She at least has solid chemistry with Arthur Kennedy, which makes their handful of scenes together a joy to watch.
The supporting cast is another highlight, with more than a few noted character actors filling in the blanks and solid mid-tier performances by the
likes of Mel Ferrer, William Frawley, Frank Ferguson, and even George Reeves himself during the Superman years. Hal Mohr's
Technicolor cinematography is great too, even if it lacks the grandeur of CinemaScope widescreen that began just one year later with The Robe. And Fritz Lang's familiar style
can be seen as well, although anyone unfamiliar with this film and its history might not be able to pinpoint those directorial roots at first glance. It
all adds up to a slightly uneven and fairly campy but still enjoyable cinematic experience, even if Rancho Notorious isn't exactly a genuine
career highlight for anyone involved. Nonetheless, its solid name value and general rarity make this a film worth seeking out; Warner Archive is
happy to oblige with another top-tier home video presentation that places A/V quality over everything else, and for good reason. This isn't a great
movie, but it's a great Blu-ray.
Rancho Notorious' sparkling visuals shine like new thanks to Warner Archive's reliably great restoration efforts -- it almost goes without saying that the film never looked this good, maybe not even in theaters. This Blu-ray's pristine 1080p transfer stems from a recent 4K scan of the original three-strip Technicolor camera negatives, with additional manual cleanup to remove any and all stray signs of damage include dirt, debris, and other age-related wear-and-tear. This is a formula that has served countless Warner Archive Blu-rays in the past, most of which have receive perfect or near-perfect ratings for a purist-friendly appearance that preserves the original film texture while still looking clean as a whistle. All the boxes are checked here: image detail, depth, density, contrast levels and, of course, color saturation, which absolutely shines from start to finish while retaining its original palette. No hasty re-coloring to mimic modern styles: a 35mm dye transfer print was referenced during the restoration process, which again adds to the overwhelming sense of authenticity here. Aside from a few very brief moments of slight color shifting, it's as flawless a presentation as fans could hope for and, under the circumstances, yet another five-star effort from Warner Archive.
The Blu-ray's DTS-HD 2.0 Master Audio track was also carefully restored from Rancho Notorious' original optical track negative, which likewise yields pristine results. There's virtually no straining at the high end and on-screen dialogue is extremely crisp, with excellent placement that's light on depth but nonetheless enjoys a strong, centered presence from start to finish. William Lee's singing narration sounds incredibly robust when it perpetually takes center stage, for better or for worse. Overall this is a capably solid track and, though it doesn't quite achieve the natural heights of the visuals (sometimes unavoidably so), I'd imagine most die-hard fans will be thrilled with how it sounds here.
Optional English (SDH) subtitles are offered during the main feature.
This one-disc release ships in a keepcase with poster-themed cover art and no inserts. Sadly, no bonus features are on board -- not even a trailer, even though Warner Archive posted it to their own Facebook page back in 2018.
Fritz Lang's Rancho Notorious is a Technicolor Western by the celebrated German Expressionist director, which is more than enough reason to pique the interest of outsiders. But while this revenge-fueled drama has its moments, as well as a solid cast and great cinematography, it only intermittently rises above average territory for the well-traveled genre. Established fans will absolutely love Warner Archive's new Blu-ray, though, which features another top-tier restoration that greatly improves upon earlier releases and likely even exceeds original theatrical showings. Shame about the lack of extras... but if it's the film you're after, this one won't disappoint. Recommended to the right crowd.
1950
Warner Archive Collection
1956
1954
Warner Archive Collection
1951
1971
1962
Fox Studio Classics
1939
Warner Archive Collection
1950
1946
2018
2007
1973
2014
Warner Archive Collection
1951
I Became a Criminal / Kino Classics Presents
1947
1949
Warner Archive Collection
1959
1961
2019
1947