Step by Step Blu-ray Movie

Rating summary

Movie		3.5
Video		4.5
Audio		4.5
Extras		1.5
Overall		3.5

Step by Step Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Randy Miller III August 17, 2021

Not to be confused with two different stink-nuggets of early 1990s pop culture, Phil Rosen's Step by Step is a lean little noir thriller that packs an awful lot into just 62 minutes. Starring a very young Lawrence Tierney (Reservoir Dogs) and Anne Jeffreys (Tess Truehart in the original Dick Tracy) as two attractive twenty-somethings on the run from Nazi spies. How'd they get there? Well, almost entirely by chance -- something that Step by Step continuously depends on as it recklessly chugs toward an ending. It's a series of loose coincidences, happy accidents, and unlucky breaks that might make viewers think they're inside a pinball machine... but since I like pinball, it wasn't such a bad ride.

Deceit and double identities are the name of the game here, as secretary Evelyn Smith (Jeffreys) shows up to work for her new boss, Senator Remmy (Harry Harvey, Sr.) at his beach house, having lied to him about her employment history to land the job. Nonetheless, he depends on her help to transcribe an incoming phone call from investigator James Blackton (Addison Richards), who is being monitored and cuts the call short. Dealing with the matter privately, Senator Remmy asks Evelyn to relax on the beach where she's noticed by former Marine sergeant Johnny Christopher (Tierney), who hubba hubbas his way over to her side with faithful dog Bazooka in tow. She returns to Remmy's house soon enough and, when Johnny comes to the door asking to use the phone, he's greeted by another woman claiming to be Evelyn. Enlisting the help of a passing police officer, Johnny begins to dig for clues that lead to multiple impostors, at least two kidnapping victims, three international spies, and a hidden list of Nazi criminals that they're after. On the run, Johnny and Evelyn wind up at the Fisherman's Retreat Motel, owned and operated by Captain Caleb Simpson (George Cleveland), to ride out the storm... but it's not long before those spies come knocking at their door.

Reunited from their joint appearance in 1945's Dillinger (this time as the heroes, of course), Lawrence Tierney and Anne Jeffreys make for a likable on-screen couple, one that we actually want to see make it out unscathed. The main baddies, led by Von Dorn (Lowell Gilmore), stay one step ahead and always, always feel like a credible threat, and their capable performances sell every ounce of danger. (Poor Myrna Dell plays a henchwoman described as unattractive, yet she seemed much more appealing than Jeffreys.) But as Captain Caleb Simpson, George Cleveland almost walks off with the whole thing: he's an absolute hoot as the motel owner and a late-period ally for our couple on the run, a grizzled but immensely likable veteran who serves up no shortage of great one-liners and quick retorts. While some of its lesser characters don't leave as big an impression (at 62 minutes in total, they barely have time to), Step by Step's lead and key supporting cast is more than strong enough to carry the film's surprisingly dense weight.

Where Step by Step falters, however, is basic story construction. Danger is around every turn for Johnny and Evelyn, and they're able to deal with it thanks to a non-stop barrage of easy plot devices -- these are the real stars of the show, not our couple's resourcefulness. (Perhaps the film's dumbest moment arrives early on when Johnny, unable to enter his locked car, smashes the back window with a hammer stolen by his faithful dog minutes earlier.) Not all of Step by Step's segues are this bad, but it gives the film a nagging rush that continues all the way to its hasty coda, which wraps everything up in a light-hearted bow when most films are still winding down the second act. I'm all for low-fat storytelling and there's a part of me that sincerely misses thrillers that wrap up inside 90 minutes, but more breathing room would've elevated Step by Step from a breakneck curiosity into a more genuinely worthwhile production.

It's still lots of fun, though, and plays great on the small screen thanks to Warner Archive's dependably great Blu-ray presentation. Featuring a top-tier A/V treatment and even a few bonus features to help offset the short runtime, it's a great choice for those who enjoy RKO's output during this era... and, as far as I know, new to digital home video entirely. Perhaps this isn't the best noir in Warner Archive's library, but it'll do until a better one shows up.

Step by Step Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Step by Step marks another stunning 1080p transfer from Warner Archive, who may just have the most consistent track record for top-quality disc releases in the business. Sourced from a recent high-resolution scan of what looks like original nitrate source elements, this low-budget wonder has the spit and polish of a much more high-profile production thanks to Step by Step's great lighting, stunning location footage, and clean compositions. The highway beach scene is an early standout (represented in both screenshots above) with impeccable shadow detail, black levels, and a strong amount of film grain. As the story gradually shifts to night, black levels hold steady with no obvious signs of crush or unsightly compression artifacts, thanks to solid disc authoring and a consistently high bitrate despite being a rare-single-layer disc -- not a problem here, due to the film's alarmingly short running time. As usual, the studio's careful manual cleanup has resulted in a blemish-free image that nonetheless resembles actual film; no heavy noise reduction or smoothing means that its nitrate roots look as good as theatrical prints, and maybe even better.

Step by Step Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

Although less attention-grabbing by design -- and, of course, source limitations -- Step by Step nonetheless sounds about as great as it looks. The straight-ahead style of its mix touches all the fundamental bases cleanly: crisp dialogue, well-mixed background effects, supportive music cues, and other sonic elements are handled nicely on this one-channel track which, as usual, is split evenly to play back on a two-channel set-up. Those seeking a fully authentic experience, of course, can easily set their receivers to play it back true monoraul -- and while neither option will rival modern film audio recordings, what's here is an optimal presentation of what audiences originally heard back in 1946.

Optional English (SDH) subtitles are included during the main feature, but unfortunately not the extras.

Step by Step Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

This one-disc release ships in a standard keepcase with original one-sheet poster artwork and no inserts. The included bonus features are minimal -- and not film-specific, unfortunately -- but still very much appreciated.

• Warner Short Drama: "The Trans-Atlantic Mystery" (21:40) - This vintage black-and-white 1932 Vitaphone short, based on characters originally created by S.S. Van Dine, was adapted by Burnet Hershey and directed by Joseph Henabery with cinematography by E.B. DuPar. Much like the similar Van Dine Vitaphone short included on Warner Archive's recent Blu-ray release of I Wouldn't Be in Your Shoes, its plot kinda-sorta resembles the main feature: this one's a twisting little tale of criminal activity, double-crossing, and mistaken identity.

• Warner Cartoon: The Great Piggy Bank Robbery (7:33) - Who doesn't love more Merrie Melodies? This all-time classic 1946 Bob Clampett short (starring Daffy Duck... or is it Duck Twacy?) features an unforgettable dream sequence with some memorable send-ups of colorful Dick Tracy-esque villains including 88 Teeth, Pickle Puss, Bat Man and, of course, Neon Noodle. Neon Noodle?! Of course, this one's fully restored and looks more or less identical to the version found on the Looney Tunes Platinum Collection: Volume One.

Step by Step Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

Phil Rosen's short and mostly sweet Step by Step packs an awful lot into just 62 minutes: intriguing mystery, action, a cute dog, mistaken identity, and a little romance too. But it hinges all too often on convenient deus ex machinas and other easy outs to carry the narrative load, making for an entertaining ride that doesn't make all that much sense in hindsight. It's still lots of fun, though, thanks to most of the elements above, along with solid lead and supporting performances bolstered by its effective, workmanlike fundamentals. Warner Archive's Blu-ray follows suit with another highly polished and purist-friendly A/V presentation, along with a few appreciated bonus features to offset the film's short running time. Recommended, but even more so to established noir disciples and fans of the cast.