Sabrina 4K Blu-ray Movie

Rating summary

Movie		3.5
Video		4.5
Audio		5.0
Extras		4.0
Overall		4.0

Sabrina 4K Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Dr. Svet Atanasov June 25, 2025

Billy Wilder's "Sabrina" (1954) arrives on 4K Blu-ray courtesy of Kino Lorber. The supplemental features on the release include new audio commentary by author Joseph McBride; new audio commentary by critics Julie Kirgo and Peter Hankoff; several archival programs; and vintage trailer. In English, with optional English SDH subtitles for the main feature. Region-Free.

The chauffeur's daughter

If it is indeed true that Cary Grant was Billy Wilder’s first choice to play Linus Larrabee, not Humphrey Bogart, then one must wonder just how much better Sabrina could have been. Or how different. Bogart is predictably good, especially in the second half, where he undergoes a sizable transformation, but he impresses in a way Grant could not have. For example, there is a crucial sequence where Bogart realizes that he is truly being loved, and that his plan to do what he thinks is the right thing, which is not the right thing, if executed, will forever scar his life. In just a few seconds, as the camera refuses to move away from him, Bogart ages ten years, possibly even more, because he realizes that he has truly fallen in love, too. Grant could not have done this sequence even remotely similarly, and there are many more like it throughout Sabrina.

The chemistry between Grant and Audrey Hepburn would have been different, too. In 1954, Grant was just a few years younger than Bogart, but it is undeniable that, at the time, he looked quite a bit younger. Before Hepburn is sent to a culinary school in Paris to forget William Holden’s playboy, Bogart accidentally saves her life, and while he carries her back to her room, it looks like he is taking care of his daughter. Here, Grant’s presence and interaction with Hepburn would have been very different, more than likely suggesting that a future romantic relationship is inevitable.

Of course, Wilder’s direction of Grant would have altered Sabrina in unpredictable ways, too. As shot, Sabrina mixes uneven parts of romance, comedy, and drama, and with Grant present, the current formula would not have been right. Indeed, Bogart does a lot to give Sabrina an adult quality and make it look as realistic as possible. However, Sabrina is not a realistic film. Very large parts of it are directed (and acted) in a way that makes them look like they have been extracted from a contemporary cinematic fairy tale. Grant would have transformed Sabrina into an even less realistic film, probably giving Wilder enough reasons to transform Hepburn into a classic contemporary Cinderella.

Or maybe not. It is possible that Grant, while still quite a bit older than Hepburn, would have brought balance to their romantic relationship and made Sabrina a much, much more realistic film. Hepburn would have still dominated because her transformation is a lot bigger and more consequential, but after her return, which happens fairly early, her new interactions with Grant would have substantially changed Sabrina.

Holden is good at playing a character that is awfully difficult to like. However, Hepburn loves him, and the more time the two spend together, the more difficult it becomes to understand why. Initially, he is just a naïve young girl’s romantic obsession, but later, after Hepburn returns home, he is just another rich playboy. At this point, Hepburn is no longer naïve, and she sees what everyone else does.

The star power is enough to enthusiastically recommend Sabrina. However, while enjoyable, Sabrina is clearly miscast, struggling to produce convincing characters whose relationships evolve in believable ways. It is why the magic that is supposed to materialize in it remains elusive, too.

Sabrina 4K Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

StudioCanal's release of Sabrina is a 4K Blu-ray/Blu-ray combo pack. The 4K Blu-ray is Region-Free. However, the Blu-ray disc is Region-A "locked".

Please note that some of the screencaptures included with this article are taken from the 4K Blu-ray and downscaled to 1080p. Therefore, they do not accurately reflect the quality of the 4K content on the 4K Blu-ray disc, including the actual color values of this content.

Screencaptures #1-26 are from the Blu-ray.
Screencaptures #29-39 are from the 4K Blu-ray.

The combo pack introduces a new 4K restoration from the original camera negative, completed at Paramount. In native 4K, the 4K restoration can be viewed with Dolby Vision and HDR grades. I chose to view it with HDR. Later, I spent time with the 1080p presentation of it on the Blu-ray.

The 4K restoration is wonderful, and its presentation, in native 4K and 1080p, very convincing. In native 4K, all visuals boast a rich, very attractive appearance. Delineation, clarity, and depth are pretty impressive, too. However, I have to immediately state that there are areas with obvious fluctuations, some of which produce momentary softness. It is very easy to tell that these fluctuations are not caused by digital corrections. They are inherited. I suspect that virtually all are introduced by the original cinematography, and a few most likely by some type of aging, which is very small. The grayscale is fantastic. Blacks are very rich but not boosted, while the different ranges of grays and whites are beautifully balanced. (In the areas where softness emerges, some unevenness in the grayscale is present as well). The HDR grade is good. However, I prefer how most of the film looks without it. The softer darker spots, in particular, looked noticeably better on my system. Image stability is very good. The entire film looks spotless as well.

Sabrina 4K Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

There is only one standard audio track on this release: English DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0. Optional English SDH subtitles are provided for the main feature.

The lossless track is very healthy. Even if the volume is turned up quite a bit, the audio remains thick and nicely rounded, appropriately sharp. Dynamic intensity is good, but even in areas where there is some investing dynamic activity, memorable contrasts are missing. It is just how the original soundtrack was finalized, which should not be surprising considering that Sabrina was completed in 1954. I did not encounter any encoding anomalies to report in our review.

Sabrina 4K Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

4K BLU-RAY DISC

• Commentary One - this exclusive new audio commentary was recorded by Joseph McBride, author of Billy Wilder: Dancing on the Edge. McBride has recorded commentaries for several releases of Wilder films, and they are also very informative. This commentary continues the trend. McBride shares a lot of information about the conception and production of Sabrina, Cary Grant's relationship with it, the blending of comedy and melodrama, the use of music (including during Audrey Hepburn's lonely dance), etc. McBride also comments on Sydney Pollack's remake and why it struggles to transfer some of the comedy/melodrama from the original film into a modern context.

• Commentary Two - this exclusive new audio commentary was recorded by writer and critic Julie Kirgo and writer and filmmaker Peter Hankoff.

BLU-RAY DISC

• Commentary One - this exclusive new audio commentary was recorded by Joseph McBride, author of Billy Wilder: Dancing on the Edge. McBride has recorded commentaries for several releases of Wilder films, and they are also very informative. This commentary continues the trend. McBride shares a lot of information about the conception and production of Sabrina, Cary Grant's relationship with it, the blending of comedy and melodrama, the use of music (including during Audrey Hepburn's lonely dance), etc. McBride also comments on Sydney Pollack's remake and why it struggles to transfer some of the comedy/melodrama from the original film into a modern context.

• Commentary Two - this exclusive new audio commentary was recorded by writer and critic Julie Kirgo and writer and filmmaker Peter Hankoff.

• Audrey Hepburn: Fashion Icon - this archival program takes a closer look at Audrey Hepburn's fashion style. Included in it are clips from interviews with fashion designers Isaac Mizrahi, Cynthia Rowley, and Eduardo Lucero, amongst others. In English, not subtitled. (18 min).

• Sabrina's World - this archival program visits and discusses the history of the wealthy area in Long Island where virtually all of Sabrina is set. In English, not subtitled. (12 min).

• Supporting Sabrina - this archival program highlights some of the great supporting actors in Sabrina. In English, not subtitled. (17 min).

• William Holden: The Paramount Years - this archival program takes a closer look at William Holden's film career and relationship with Paramount. Included in it are clips from interviews with Stefanie Powers, Pat Crowley, and producer A.C. Lyles, amongst others. In English, not subtitled. (30 min).

• Behind the Gates - Camera - this archival program quickly examines the history of the different film cameras that were used at Paramount to shoot many great films, including Sabrina. There are some particularly interesting comments about the VistaVision camera. In English, not subtitled. (6 min).

• Paramount in the '50s: Retrospective - this short archival program highlights some of the legendary films Paramount produced during the 1950s, including Sabrina. In English, not subtitled. (10 min).

• Sabrina Documentary - a short archival program about the production and critical success of Sabrina. In English, not subtitled. (12 min).

• Trailer - presented here is a vintage trailer for Sabrina. In English, not subtitled. (3 min).

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

Sabrina 4K Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

Sabrina is an unmissable film because its star power is enormously impressive, but only on paper. Humphrey Bogart is too old for his part, while William Holden simply never looks like a man who could have unknowingly stolen Audrey Hepburn's heart. Had it not been for Hepburn, who dominates while looking effortlessly gorgeous before the camera, Sabrina would have been a very easy film to ignore. Kino Lorber's combo pack introduces a solid 4K restoration of Sabrina sourced from the original camera negative, recently prepared at Paramount. RECOMMENDED.