Rating summary

Movie		3.0
Video		5.0
Audio		4.5
Extras		0.0
Overall		3.5

Rancho Notorious Blu-ray Movie Review

West, Germany.

Reviewed by Randy Miller III January 18, 2023

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.

Our story primarily follows Wyoming rancher Vern Haskell (Arthur Kennedy), who's feverishly hunting down the person responsible for raping and murdering his beautiful fiancée Beth Forbes (Gloria Henry). His initial search for two thieves leads to one of them: a long-haired man, shot in the back by his former partner, who utters the words "Chuck-a-Luck" before dying in Vern's arms. The mysterious -- and unintentionally hilarious -- phrase turns out to be a secret gambling establishment buried deep in a valley and, as the stew thickens, another name is added to Vern's ever-growing list of associated suspects. Rancho Notorious shrewdly attempts to balance out its primary "woman in the fridge" plot with the introduction of this person: lovely Altar Keane (Marlene Dietrich, in her second-to-last starring role), a saloon singer and reluctant den mother for the merciless gang of Chuck-a-Luck thieves that Vern eventually infiltrates.

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 Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

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.

Rancho Notorious Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

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.

Rancho Notorious Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

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.

Rancho Notorious Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

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.