Rating summary

Movie		4.0
Video		3.5
Audio		3.5
Extras		2.5
Overall		4.0

The Browning Version Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Jeffrey Kauffman December 31, 2021

Note: This film is available on Blu-ray as part of the box set The Browning Version.

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.

One of the arguable advantages this 1951 iteration of The Browning Version is the very year of its production, with original playwright Terence Rattigan serving as his own screenplay adapter, and with his frequent collaborator Anthony Asquith as director. But the film's kind of trenchant deconstruction of at least some elements of British school life probably resonated more strongly with audiences, at least for perceived shock value if for nothing else, in the immediate post-World War II rush of optimism, than it did with regard to the 1994 remake, which obviously came after such "intermediary" further deconstructions like the aforementioned Lindsay Anderson film. There's a certain stateliness to this 1951 presentation that the somewhat more freewheeling and dare I say "kinder and gentler" (albeit still with barbs intact) remake from over four decades later.

This 1951 version also benefits immensely from at least some of its principal performances, not the least of which is Michael Redgrave's affecting work as middle aged classics professor Andrew Crocker-Harris, who is more or less being shunted aside not just by his longtime employer, but also by his younger wife Millie (Jean Kent, arguably the weak link in the casting), who is having an affair with one of Crocker-Harris' fellow teachers, a dashing science professor named Frank Hunter (Nigel Patrick). While the martinet Crocker-Harris is far from beloved by his young male students, one boy, Taplow (Brian Smith), actually manages to see through the crusty facade to the wounded, maybe even needy, soul underneath and forges an unexpected relationship with the teacher.

The Browning Version is a typically "stiff upper lip" British drama that kind of alludes to roiling emotions while only intermittently actually displaying them. The film hinges on the slow self realization on the part of Crocker-Harris, and that may indicate that some of this film's narrative impetus is kind of "interior", so to speak, in that it's a psychological and emotional evolution on the part of the focal character which propels things forward. The supporting cast in this version has a glut of familiar faces, including Wilfred Hyde-White as the Headmaster, Ronald Howard (Leslie's son) as the incoming replacement for Crocker-Harris, and future Born Free lion untamer Bill Travers as another teacher at the school.

The Browning Version Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

The Browning Version is presented on Blu-ray courtesy of Imprint and Via Vision with an AVC encoded 1080p transfer in 1.31:1. The back cover of this release offers only a generic "1080p high definition presentation from a 2K scan", which obviously isn't a ton of help in discerning the provenance of the element or any restoration that may have been attempted. My hunch is, upon seeing this transfer, that there really was little restoration done to the element, which actually has both positive and negative repercussions. On the plus side, there is a healthy, organic appearance throughout this presentation, with solid contrast, appealingly deep blacks and nicely modulated gray scale, along with generally nice looking fine detail levels on things like costumes and sets. Grain can be a bit thick looking at times, but resolves nicely. On the minus side, this is a rather recurrently damaged element, typically in the form of manifold vertical hairline scratches which often afflict the very top edges of the frame, but which certainly can extend further down. A cursory look at some of the screenshots I've uploaded to accompany this review will disclose some of these, but may not adequately indicate how constant they can be. In the grand scheme of things, they're a relatively minor distraction in a generally commendable presentation.

The Browning Version Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

The Browning Version features an LPCM 2.0 Mono track that can't quite escape the boxy sound of its recording era, especially with regard to the film's score by Arnold Bax, which features some orchestral cues which just don't quite enjoy any significant high end openness. Dialogue on the other hand really doesn't encounter any significant obstacles, and this is something of a talk fest, so any qualms may be niggling at worst. While the overall track is narrow and shallow, I didn't notice any outright problems with regard to damage or distortion. Optional English subtitles are available.

The Browning Version Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

• Audio Commentary by Film Historians Jo Botting and Melanie Williams


• The Browning Versions (HD; 22:14) is an interesting overview of the two feature films by Matthew Sweet.

The Browning Version Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

The Browning Version builds to a surprisingly emotional conclusion, which might come as something of a surprise given how seemingly emotionless Andrew Crocker-Harris is. This is a real showcase for Michael Redgrave, who has rarely been better. There are a few passing hurdles in both the video and audio departments, but overall things are generally solid, and the two supplements are very enjoyable. Recommended.