The Belle Starr Story Blu-ray Movie

Rating summary

Movie		3.5
Video		3.0
Audio		4.5
Extras		2.0
Overall		3.0

The Belle Starr Story Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Dr. Svet Atanasov April 8, 2023

Pierro Cristofani and Lina Wertmuller's "The Belle Starr Story" (1968) arrives on Blu-ray courtesy of Raro Video. The supplemental features on the release include exclusive new audio commentary by critic Samm Deighan as well as an unrestored U.S. version of the film. In Italian, with optional English subtitles for the main feature. Region-Free.

Somewhere in the West, in a popular saloon famous for its high-stakes poker games, a stunning beauty (Elsa Martinelli) is challenged by a handsome stranger (George Eastman) insisting that he can end her winning streak. The beauty accepts the challenge but a few hours later loses all of her hard-earned dollars. In what appears to be a desperate move, the beauty then agrees to play one final game of poker by betting her body against the stranger’s large stack of dollars -- and loses again. Later, while in bed, the two players learn about each other.

The winner, whose name is Larry Blackie, learns that the loser is known as Belle Starr. Some years ago, Belle Starr, whose real name is different, escaped from her very wealthy and abusive uncle (Vladimir Medar) after he secretly arranged to have her marry a business partner who was older than him. While in the open and trying to make ends meet, Belle Starr then encountered Cole Harvey (Robert Woods), a gunslinger who did not mind breaking the law, and the two became friends. It was Cole Harvey that gave her the name Belle Starr because he thought that it was reflective of her beauty and anticipated her glamorous future. However, while trying to save her former maid's life Belle Starr killed a sheriff and became a fugitive, proving that Cole Harvey had guessed her future wrong.

Despite planning to immediately part ways, Belle Starr and Larry Blackie begin a relationship, but not too long after that a large load of diamonds worth over a million dollars again transforms them into fierce competitors. However, this time, while working with some of the scariest characters in the West, Belle Starr and Larry Blackie gamble with their lives.

Directed by Lina Wertmuller -- who replaced Pierro Cristofani shortly after production was initiated -- in 1968, The Belle Starr Story is not a historically accurate film about the famous American outlaw. It tells a fictional story about a beautiful young woman that decides to choose her own path in life while openly confronting the bad and occasionally enjoying the good that defines it. Despite its mostly decent production values, it is impossible to place near the big spaghetti westerns the likes of Sergio Leone, Sergio Corbucci, and Gianfranco Parolini directed at the same time.

The Belle Starr Story has two large acts that merge several uneven episodes. In the first act, these episodes are structured as flashbacks that reveal important bits from Belle Starr’s past and overlap with the present where her relationship with Larry Blackie quickly evolves. While the chronology of the events is easy to follow, the decision to fracture the narrative does not in any way help the film. On the contrary, it makes certain parts of it look oddly edited and perhaps even incomplete.

The best material is in the second act where plans are made to steal the diamonds and the two rival crews go to work. However, it must be underscored that Wertmuller routinely places greater emphasis on Martinelli’s appearance before the camera and creates the impression that the action and drama around her are necessary embellishments. It is not at all difficult to understand why Wertmuller does it. Martinelli looks terrific while she is out in the open, playing cards, or clashing with various shady characters and the camera takes full advantage of her beauty. But in many areas where this preference is so obvious large chunks of footage begin to look like something that a big Italian fashion company would have commissioned, before deciding on which product to promote with Martinelli’s endorsement.

*Raro Video's recent Blu-ray release of The Belle Starr Story features two versions of the film, Italian and U.S. Unfortunately, only the Italian version, which can be seen only with an Italian audio track, is remastered. The U.S. version, which features the original English audio track, is sourced from a very old VHS tape. The English audio track should be considered the original audio track because all of the leads utter their lines in English.

The Belle Starr Story Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Presented in its original aspect ratio of 1.85:1, encoded with MPEG-4 AVC and granted a 1080p transfer, The Belle Starr Story arrives on Blu-ray courtesy of Raro Video.

The Blu-ray release presents two versions of the film, Italian and U.S. Unfortunately, only the Italian version, which can be seen only with an Italian audio track, is remastered. The U.S. version, which features the original English audio track, is sourced from a very old VHS tape. The English audio track should be considered the original audio track because all of the leads utter their lines in English.

Small portions of the Italian version can look rather good. However, in these portions it is usually the close-ups that produce pleasing delineation and clarity (see screencaptures #5, 12, 17, 18, and 19). Everywhere else there are small but noticeable traces of filtering adjustments that produce flatness and even light smearing. The wider panoramic shots that feature plenty of natural light and where depth, delineaiton, and clarity should be very strong are usually the most problematic (see screencaptures #8 and 13). Image stability is very good. Color balance is not as convincing as it could have been. Several areas reveal that very familiar light green tint that is often present on restorations of older films that are completed in Italy. In darker areas, some darker nuances struggle mightily as well. However, it has to be said that the filtering adjustments contribute to the awkward balance as well. The visuals look healthy. (Note: This is a Region-Free Blu-ray release. Therefore, you will be able to play it on your player regardless of your geographical location).

The Belle Starr Story Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

The remastered Italian version can be seen only with an Italian DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0. track. Optional English subtitles are provided for the main feature.

The lossless Italian track is very healthy. However, the leads utter their lines in English and all of them are overdubbed in Italian. Needless to say, the overdubbing has all of the familiar limitations that these types of tracks are known for -- it is a bit uneven at times, transitions could quite obvious, and dynamic intensity during heated discussions is far from impressive. As far as I am concerned, the film must be seen with the English audio track, but the U.S. version of it is sourced from a VHS.

The Belle Starr Story Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

• U.S. Version - presented here is the U.S. version of The Belle Starr Story, which has been sourced from a VHS. In English, not subtitled. (101 min).

• Commentary - this exclusive new audio commentary was recorded by critic Samm Deighan.

The Belle Starr Story Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

Many parts of The Belle Starr Story have footage looking like material that a big Italian fashion company would have commissioned to promote an unknown product with Elsa Martinelli's endorsement. This footage undoubtedly hurts The Belle Starr Story because it is not right for a conventional spaghetti western. However, as odd as it may sound, the same footage is what makes The Belle Starr Story worth seeing because Martinelli looks sensational and the camera never misses a perfect opportunity to emphasize her beauty. Unfortunately, Raro Video's Blu-ray release has only a remastered Italian version of the film, which could have looked better as well. If you decide to pick up this very rare film for your library, you should do it when you can find the release heavily discounted.