Rating summary

Movie		3.5
Video		4.0
Audio		4.0
Extras		3.0
Overall		3.5

The Flame of New Orleans Blu-ray Movie Review

An entertaining experience with a solid performance by Marlene Dietrich

The Flame of New Orleans is a charming and sweet confection of adventure and romance that will win the hearts of audiences looking for a classic cinematic delight. The film features a knockout lead role for beloved actress Marlene Dietrich (Touch of Evil, Judgment at Nuremberg). As the star lights up the world of cinema with her imminent star power, Dietrich takes audiences on a wild and fun ride with her performance front and center.

Claire Ledeux (Marlene Dietrich) is a gorgeous woman, full of unyielding ambition, who must decide between two men as her possible suitors as a game of cat-and-mouse plays out between the involved parties at the heart of the story. Exploring the mystery behind the story of the famed “Claire of New Orleans” (which mystified those who heard the tale), the charming Claire has the option of either the wealthy and sophisticated Charles Giraud (Roland Young) or the vastly more exciting Captain Robert LaTour (Bruce Cabot), who is in charge of a ship out at sea. Will love be possible in the end and who will she choose?

A genuine charmer, The Flame of New Orleans is an enjoyable and lighthearted experience which feels akin to a bowl of cotton candy. The tale is light and care-free but has enough interesting components to keep viewers engaged and wondering where the story will head to next. The lead performance by the great Marlene Dietrich is a success: a crowd-pleaser with her clear charisma and grace permeating every scene.. Throughout the entire experience, viewers will wonder about who it is that Claire will ultimately end up with romantically. Much of the charm of the journey is due to the sly and intelligent performance of this truly remarkable actress.

"Left or right? I'll take the middle."

The production was enormously well-mounted and there are plenty of compelling elements to keep viewers interested until the finale of the film. The art direction designed by Jack Otterson (First Love, Mad About Music) demonstrates a serene sense of scope and ambition on the production fore-front. At the same time, the production represents the time and place of the filmmaking itself. Truly a beautiful effort.

The lush black and white cinematography from the great Rudolph Maté (The Passion of Joan of Arc, Foreign Correspondent) gives the film a romantic aura which fits the material of the story quite well. It similarly looks to be a beautiful artistic showcase for the style of filmmaking utilized here. A mesmerizing cinematic aesthetic that brings to life both the visuals and costumes by René Hubert (Lifeboat, State Fair).

A simple but heartfelt charmer, The Flame of New Orleans is a nice Sunday matinee delight for fans of classic cinema and audiences of all ages. The screenplay by Norman Krasna (White Christmas, Let's Make Love) is capably brought to life by director René Clair (Beauties of the Night, The Gates of Paris) and gives the film a character element that simply works well. Competently realized and edited by Frank Gross (All That Heaven Allows, Operation Petticoat), The Flame of New Orleans is never capable of grasping at perfection but it is a film of notable merit that will reward audiences who stay with it until the end.

The Flame of New Orleans Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Presented on Blu-ray from distributor Kino Lorber, The Flame of New Orleans has received a superb 1080p MPEG-4 AVC encoded high definition presentation in the theatrical aspect ratio of 1.33:1 full frame. While the opening and closing credits of the film are window-boxed the rest of the picture fills the standard 4:3 framing. The beautiful black and white cinematography by Rudolph Maté gives the experience a more grounded element. The lush visuals are extraordinary. 

The scan has few moments demonstrating detrimental issues with the restoration. There are occasional specks on the print and there is also a short sequence in which minor print damage is visible (though it isn't too distracting to the overall experience). For the most part, The Flame of New Orleans has a truly beautiful presentation and is a job well done. Worth a look.

The Flame of New Orleans Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

Featuring a lossless DTS-HD Master Audio mono soundtrack, The Flame of New Orleans has clear vitality and depth to the sound-mix. Dialogue reproduction is superb and easy to understand from beginning to end. There are no egregious issues with regards to hiss or crackling on the track. A worthwhile audio encode which is an impressive match for the visuals. The score composed by Frank Skinner (Arabian Nights, Harvey) is brought to life with renewed vitality. Optional English subtitles are provided.

The Flame of New Orleans Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

Audio Commentary by author/historian Lee Gambin and actress/film historian Rutanya Alda

The Flame of New Orleans Trailer (SD, 2:08)

The release also includes the following trailers promoting other releases by distributor Kino Lorber: The Blue Angel (SD, 3:43), The Song of Songs (SD, 2:42), The Spoilers (SD, 1:48), Pittsburgh (SD, 2:05), A Foreign Affair (SD, 1:01), No Highway in the Sky (SD, 2:10), Witness for the Prosecution (SD, 3:08), and The Young In Heart (HD, 3:26).

The Flame of New Orleans Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

Released precisely forty-eight years before my date of birth (on April 25^th, 1941), The Flame of New Orleans is a charming diversion which has a quality lead performance by the beloved Hollywood actress Marlene Dietrich. While not an example of outright perfection, the story and performances are impressive and the film is worth a watch. Check it out.