Rating summary

Movie		3.5
Video		4.5
Audio		4.5
Extras		2.0
Overall		3.5

Sweet Bird of Youth Blu-ray Movie Review

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Reviewed by Randy Miller III April 27, 2020

Based of Tennessee Williams' rough and ribald Broadway production, Richard Brooks' Sweet Bird of Youth reunites main players Paul Newman and Geraldine Page for this toned-down -- but still plenty provocative -- Southern-fried drama about faded dreams and the loss of youthful luster. Failed Hollywood hopeful Chance Wayne (Newman) returns to his hometown of St. Cloud, Florida with strung-out starlet Alexandra Del Lago (Page) passed out in the backseat. They're just in time for the big Easter Sunday re-election rally of corrupt politician Tom "Boss" Finley (Ed Begley, in an Oscar-winning role), who might only be outdone by his awful son Tom Jr. (Rip Torn). But it's Big Tom's beautiful daughter Heavenly (Shirley Knight) who's the real narrative linchpin: Chance left town years ago, just before she could tell him about her pregnancy...and the subsequent abortion. Understandably, dear ol' Dad resents the reuinion.

That's just the tip of the dramatic iceberg in this shockingly frank -- and definitely adults-only -- adaptation of a play that went even further into pitch-black territory. It's an admirable adaptation for a major studio production released in 1962, and the film's infamously tart promotion did the trick: Sweet Bird of Youth was a solid hit in its day, later earning a spot on Roger Ebert's top films of the decade. Yet it's easier to appreciate than to actually enjoy, as the majority of its characters are thoroughly unlikable and many of them seem content to wallow in their own awfulness. But that's almost expected given the source material; Sweet Bird of Youth can't help but be off-putting by design.

Technically speaking, it stands on more stable ground. Richard Brooks' direction is strong and steady while the visuals are capably staged during most of this production. Only a handful of shots look poorly framed -- a third-act graveside meeting is particularly bad, with one of the speaking characters' heads lopped completely off. Still, for the most part the extra width of Cinemascope framing seems like a reasonably good fit, especially during densely crowded scenes, while several effective post-production techniques (split screens, partial dissolves, etc.) add an extra layer of visual weight to several narrative moments that the stage version couldn't provide. For an almost completely dialogue-driven production, Sweet Bird of Youth stands out as a surprisingly ambitious visual experience at times.

Although perhaps a more faithful adaption of Tennessee Williams' work than, say, Cat on a Hot Tin Roof (also featuring Paul Newman and directed by Richard Brooks), Sweet Bird of Youth still can't help but feel uneven at times. But the film still plays well enough for fans of the cast and, if nothing else, raises a satisfying middle finger at The Hays Code, which would be over and done with by the end of the decade. Warner Archive Collection's new Blu-ray is a well-rounded tribute, even throwing in a few DVD-era bonus features to go with the outstanding new A/V presentation.

Sweet Bird of Youth Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Advertised as a "brand-new master" (despite Warner Archive releasing a DVD edition less than three years ago), Sweet Bird of Youth obviously benefits from the studio's careful attention to detail. Although not specified, this 1080p transfer has an appearance that would suggest a 2K scan of the interpositive with additional cleanup: crisp details and textures, even saturation, and no signs of excessive noise reduction or other tinkering. The film's generally muted Metrocolor hues appear accurate and favor earth tones -- especially during many of the dominant interior scenes -- with stray exceptions such as lush green lawns and foliage, a few more extravagant costumes, and of course the bold red, white, and blue decorations for "Boss" Finley's big Easter Sunday re-election rally. Black levels are deep without succumbing to crush, while the only apparent blooming (white or light clothes positioned very close to the camera) is likely baked into the source material. Overall, another fantastic effort that die-hard fans and purists will appreciate.

Sweet Bird of Youth Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

This DTS-HD 2.0 Master Audio mix is a fine replication of one-channel source material with very good dynamic range, no obvious defects, and good use of space that helps organize widely-dispersed characters during crowded scenes. Bonus points are awarded for the low and plaintive foghorn heard pervasively in the distance -- it's subtly buried in the mix but can easily be picked out, and anyone who lively in a noisy neighborhood might even mistake it for mysterious background noise. The only hiccup in this mix occurs during an argument between "Boss" Finley and Tom Jr. around the 34-minute mark, where the phrase "son of a bitch" is abruptly halted (but not in the subtitles, amusingly enough) and the next line or two are obviously re-recorded. I'm guessing this might have been cut for content early on, but I don't have enough working knowledge of the film's history to offer any insight...or if an uncut version exists.

Optional English (SDH) subtitles are included; these are formatted perfectly and fit within the 2.35:1 frame.

Sweet Bird of Youth Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

This one-disc release is packaged in a standard keepcase with colorful, poster-themed cover artwork and no inserts. The included bonus features have all been ported over from Warner Bros.' 2006 DVD with nothing lost.

• Sweet Bird of Youth: Chasing Time (11:44) - A 2006 behind-the-scenes featurette that covers, among other topics, Tennessee Williams' original stage version and this somewhat sanitized film adaptation.

• Rip Torn and Geraldine Page Screen Test (2:56) - This raw footage, in which Rip Torn portrays Chance Wayne and Geraldine Page shows why she reprised her Broadway role, is presented in 2.35:1 format and suffers from heavy aliasing and lots of print damage. It's still nice to have for posterity for two reasons: (1) the much more graphic stage dialogue is used, and (2) Torn and Page got hitched soon after the movie's release.

• Theatrical Trailer (2:54) - This rip-roaring piece of vintage marketing does a great job of selling this piece of "provocative, adult entertainment". Watch it here, plus an HD clip of the opening scene while you're at it.

Sweet Bird of Youth Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

Richard Brooks' Sweet Bird of Youth remains an uneven but admirable adaptation of Tennessee Williams' provocative stage play; very well-acted (by many of the original players, including Paul Newman and Geraldine Paige) and smartly staged, this Southern-fried soap opera still has the capacity to surprise and shock unsuspecting newcomers. Warner Archive's Blu-ray edition is up to their usual standards, serving up a top-notch A/V presentation and a few DVD-era bonus features to boot. An easy recommendation for die-hard fans, but others should proceed with caution.