| Users | 0.0 | |
| Reviewer | 4.0 | |
| Overall | 4.0 |
Terence Rattigan’s powerful play “The Browning Version” about an unpopular schoolmaster who snatches a last shred of dignity from the collapse of his career and his marriage was critically applauded on its initial release in 1948. Time has only embellished its themes of loss, redemption, dignity, and the value of a life’s work which resonates today. Here presented for the first time in HD are both moving film adaptations.
| Drama | 100% |
Video codec: MPEG-4 AVC
Video resolution: 1080p
Aspect ratio: 1.31:1
Original aspect ratio: 1.37:1
See individual releases
English SDH
Blu-ray Disc
Two-disc set (2 BDs)
Region B, A (C untested)
| Movie | 4.0 | |
| Video | 4.0 | |
| Audio | 4.0 | |
| Extras | 4.5 | |
| Overall | 4.0 |
Films about teachers and school life have been around since the dawn of the celluloid age, but films dealing with British school life often seem to have their own rather distinctive character. As some of the supplements included in this set from Imprint get into, in that regard it's easy to define at least a few way markers, including the beloved 1939 version of Goodbye, Mr. Chips (rather oddly still unavailable on Blu-ray as of the writing of this review) and Lindsay Anderson's devastating 1968 opus If..... More or less in the middle of that 29 year span the first big screen adaptation of Terrence Rattigan's 1948 one act play The Browning Version was released in 1951, giving Michael Redgrave one of his more memorable roles, and in a way it both harkens back to the crusty but (maybe?) lovable teacher aspect of the James Hilton work while also presaging some of the dysfunctions that Anderson explored in his film. The 1994 remake of The Browning Version may therefore seem like a bit of an afterthought, or as one hoity toity type at the school Browning teaches at describes the focal teacher's prospective farewell speech, an "anti climax", though it's still enjoyable and benefits from a winning performance by Albert Finney.


Video quality of each film is assessed in the above linked reviews.

Audio quality of each film is assessed in the above linked reviews.

Supplements included on each disc are detailed in the above linked reviews. Additionally, this is another very handsomely packaged released from Imprint, housed in a slipbox type affair which has a pull off cover.

This is a commendable double feature from Imprint which allows film fans to see two adaptations of the same source material. My personal preference was the 1951 version, but the 1994 version has its own positives. Technical merits are generally solid, and the supplements very appealing. Recommended.