Ryan's Daughter 4K Blu-ray Movie

Rating summary

Movie		4.5
Video		5.0
Audio		5.0
Extras		4.5
Overall		5.0

Ryan's Daughter 4K Blu-ray Movie Review

Hot for teacher... until the honeymoon.

Reviewed by Randy Miller III October 16, 2026

Celebrated director David Lean only made 16 films during a career that lasted more than four decades, with his late-period epics The Bridge On the River Kwai, Lawrence of Arabia, Doctor Zhivago, and A Passage to India known as much for their formidable running times as their high artistic merits. You can add 1970's Ryan's Daughter to that list as well, a beautifully-shot film that went more than half a year behind schedule, was not well-received by critics, and almost made the director hang up his hat for good. It was the last of Lean's epics to reach DVD in the mid-2000s and didn't even earn a Blu-ray edition... but its luck has changed thanks to Warner Archive, who have outdone themselves with this sterling new 4K/Blu-ray combo pack that stands tall as one of the year's most definitive releases.

Our story traces the life of Rosy Ryan (Sarah Miles), spirited daughter of village publican Thomas Ryan (Leo McKern), who longs for a life outside the walls of her remote coastal hometown of Kirrary in southwest Ireland. Rosy has long admired her former teacher, widower Charles Shaughnessy (Robert Mitchum), who's twice her age and unsurprisingly gives in to her advances. A wide-eyed but sheltered young woman, Rosy consults with bullheaded priest Father Hugh Collins (Trevor Howard) about marrying Charles, naively thinking that tying the knot will bring her all the passion and excitement she longs for. Sadly, Charles’ reserved demeanor and lack of romantic spark leave poor Rosy increasingly dissatisfied... and that begins right on their wedding night, when the townsfolk have more fun outside their bedroom window than she does. Their relationship is further complicated by the village’s rigid social conventions and simmering political tensions between Irish nationalists and the British military, which are exacerbated even more after handsome new British commanding officer Major Randolph Doryan (Christopher Jones) arrives in town.

Rosy almost immediately falls for the decorated British officer, who's slowly recovering from shell shock as well as a debilitating leg injury. Drawn to his melancholy and intensity, she begins a passionate affair with Randolph, who also has a wife back home. Their secret meetings offer Rosy an escape from her monotonous existence... but small-town secrets can't be kept for long, and Charles almost immediately discovers the truth yet struggles to confront his wife’s infidelity. Father Collins observes the unfolding drama and often judges her as harshly as her neighbors; this mirrors their treatment of Michael (John Mills), the village’s simple-minded and mute outcast, who enters into the plot several times and is first to break the news to his fellow citizens, who brand Rosy with a scarlet letter.

But that's not all, since Ryan's Daughter isn't just about, well, Ryan's daughter. The story's initial B-plot concerns Irish revolutionary Tim O’Leary (Barry Foster) who, together with several others, attempts to retrieve a shipment of German weapons intended for the nationalist cause. Rosy's father Thomas is a secret informant and, during a fiercely turbulent storm in the film's second half, these conspirators enlist his assistance in recovering the arms. Thomas secretly phones the British authorities, leading to a confrontation that builds to arrests and violence... and a case of mistaken identity, which is exacerbated by Rosy's recent branding as an adulterer. These seemingly disparate elements come together in an organic way, but not so much as to distract from what Ryan's Daughter really is: a coming-of-age tale that sees its main character totally transform in just a matter of months, all set against an extremely memorable historic backdrop with high artistic values via Lean's direction and Freddie Young's immaculate 65mm cinematography, not to mention the sound design and mostly outstanding original score by composer Maurice Jarre.

Those newer to Lean's epics might balk at the film's imposing 206-minute running time (which was reportedly once over 220 minutes, but the cut footage no longer exists) or possibly the questionable presence of Michael, an element that clearly dates Ryan's Daughter but likely won't offend level-headed new viewers. Even after not having seen this film in decades, I found myself again totally tuned in to its stunning visuals and engaging sound, which are so evocate that I often felt I could smell what was on screen. I'll admit that the script could've used a bit of tightening around the edges and Christopher Jones is obviously the cast's weakest link -- and there's a lot more to that story -- but Ryan's Daughter casts such a unique and memorable spell that such minor complaints are relatively easy to dismiss. This is simply a great film made even better thanks to Warner Archive's superlative restoration efforts, which bring back its original luster to a level likely not seen since first-run theatrical showings at prestigious venues.

Ryan's Daughter 4K Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

NOTE: These screenshots are sourced from the included (restored) Blu-ray discs, only available in this set.

As these direct-from-disc screenshots all suggest, Warner Archive has knocked this restoration clear out of the park. Similar to their 4K restorations of Auntie Mame (shot in Technirama) as well as The Searchers and High Society (both VistaVision), the 65mm roots of Ryan's Daughter left considerable amounts of headroom for improvements over earlier home video releases, and I'm told that the last master was created more than 20 years ago. The boutique label's more recent access to original camera negatives means that this sparkling (and I mean sparkling) new 2160p/HDR10/Dolby Vision master was created from an 8K scan of that first-gen source, and of course their usual amount of careful manual cleanup has removed age-related damage while not affecting the film's ultra-fine grain structure. Simply put, fine detail is through the roof here with no shortage of picturesque landscapes and stunning close-ups, all of which look extremely smooth and film-like with flawless color reproduction and very judicious uses of HDR to support its particular palette from a purist's perspective. Even its most challenging visuals like the infamous storm sequence -- which was reportedly a composite of "greatest hits" weather events captured on-location over an extend period of time -- are rendered with precision and so evocative that this presentation can and will increase your enjoyment of Ryan's Daughter. Simply put, this is absolutely stunning work and one of the best-looking 4K discs I've seen to date.

Those here for the similarly restored Blu-rays -- which likewise divide this lengthy film into two parts with the original Overture, Intermission, and Entr'acte -- will be pleased to know that any visual sacrifices here are minimal. Fine detail and colors are again very well represented, totally convincing in a way that again pushes the boundaries of the format well beyond expectations. Certain lower-lit scenes, such as Rosy and Charles' barely-amorous wedding night and the endless overcast scenes, especially the arrival of Major Doryan, can't hope to achieve the same level of precision in regards to shadow detail and contrast, but they still get their point across. Again, this is flawless work.

On the encoding side, all four discs were again handled by the reliable authoring house Fidelity in Motion, who have made quite a name for themselves through work for WAC as well as other boutique labels like Second Sight and Arrow Films. Unsurprisingly, Ryan's Daughter runs at a very high bit rate on both formats, and the 4K discs peak well into triple-digit Mbps territory with no signs of posterization, macro blocking, or other eyesores.

Ryan's Daughter 4K Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

Similarly impressive are the audio options, which are offered in two flavors: a new DTS-HD 5.1 remix created for this release and a restored DTS-HD MA 5.0 track that replicates the original 1970 theatrical 70mm audio. (Note: the latter is presented in a 5.1 container.) Both are exemplary efforts, but the remix is an extremely tasteful effort that manages to add substantial amounts of natural weight -- especially in regards to the low end -- at key moments, from Maurice Jarre's more forceful sound cues to Major Doryan's combat flashbacks, and of course the raging storm sequence, which suitably enough sounds like a real force of nature. On both tracks, dialogue is nicely rendered and even Doryan's lines, which were infamously re-dubbed, blend in as seamlessly as possible. No matter which one you pick, you'll be treated to a largely front-forward but occasionally enveloping audio experience that brings the film's atmosphere to life.

Optional English (SDH) subtitles are included during the main feature only, not the bonus features listed below.

Ryan's Daughter 4K Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

This four-disc release (two 4Ks and two Blu-rays, both with identical contents) ships in a keepcase with vintage poster-themed cover artwork and two hinges with a disc on each hub. A slipcover with alternate poster art in included, as is a handsome glossy booklet that, like several other recent Warner Archive prestige releases, replicates the film's original pressbook. It's tucked inside the slipcover but can also be kept more tightly in the keepcase if you prefer.

As for the bonus features, they largely mimic the extensive supplements found on WB's well-received 2006 Special Edition DVD and include a number of items produced by the incomparable Laurent Bouzereau.

DISCS ONE AND THREE (4K and Blu-ray movie discs - Part One)

• Audio Commentary, Part One - Moderated by Laurent Bouzereau, this insightful DVD-era track begins after the Overture and is pieced together from a number of vintage interviews with such participants as director Hugh Hudson, actor Sarah Miles, assistant director Michael Stevenson, second unit director Roy Stevens, art director Roy Walker, assistant editor Tony Lawson, location manager Eddie Fowlie, stuntman Vic Armstrong, biographer Stephen M. Silverman, David Lean's widow Sandra, Robert Mitchum's daughter Petrine Day, and directors John Boorman, Hugh Hudson, and Richard Schickel. There's some dead space, but it's well worth a listen.

• Announcement Trailer (2:22) - This rare clip briefly summarizes David Lean's award-winning career through the then-upcoming release of Ryan's Daughter and lightly covers its plot and key cast members.

• Theatrical Trailer (2:56)

DISCS TWO AND FOUR (4K and Blu-ray movie discs - Part Two)

• Audio Commentary, Part Two - A continuation of the track listed above.

• Behind-the-Scenes Documentary - This hour-long retrospective piece was also created for the film's 35th anniversary on DVD; it's divided into three separate parts and each one features a number of interviews and archival materials including publicity stills. A broad number of participants are featured (many from the audio commentary above and yes, there's some repeated information) including Stephen M. Silverman, Sandra Miles, Sandra Lean, Michael Stevenson, Eddie Fowlie, Roy Walker, Roy Stevens, Petrine Day Mitchum, filmmaker Hugh Hudson, Tony Lawson, Vic Armstrong, John Boorman, Richard Schickel, actor John Mills, and composer Maurice Jarre. In addition, we get older clips from Mills, director David Lean, screenwriter Robert Bolt, director of photography Freddie Young, and actors Trevor Howard, Leo McKern and Robert Mitchum.

• Ryan's Daughter: Rising Storm (27:47)
• Ryan's Daughter: Storm Chaser (20:56)
• Ryan's Daughter: Eye of the Storm (14:12)

• We're the Last of the Traveling Circuses (20:03) - Another rare piece, this vintage BBC "Film Night Special" documentary features footage from the shoot including set construction as well as interviews with David Lean, Sandra Miles, Robert Mitchum, John Mills, Leo McKern, Michael Stevenson, and others.

• A Story of Love (6:16) - Essentially an extended version of the announcement trailer listed above, this EPK-style featurette includes on-set moments from the shoot as well as clips from the finished film.

Ryan's Daughter 4K Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

David Lean's penultimate widescreen epic Ryan's Daughter was decently successful at the 1970 box office and even recognized at the Academy Awards, but it was not generally well-received by critics; truly a rarity among films, and a fate that certainly wasn't deserved. A borderline masterpiece, this emotionally effective drama is beautifully shot and absolutely hypnotic in a way that will likely have new viewers thinking about it for days afterward. Needless to say, the 65mm cinematography and stunning sound design are served extremely well by Warner Archive on their very welcome new 4K/Blu-ray combo pack, marking the film's UHD and HD debut in grand style. Paired with terrific packaging and a fine assortment of bonus features, it's a must-have release and comes very Highly Recommended.