Rating summary
| Movie |  | 4.0 |
| Video |  | 3.5 |
| Audio | | 4.0 |
| Extras |  | 1.0 |
| Overall | | 3.5 |
The Gallant Hours Blu-ray Movie Review
Reviewed by Brian Orndorf March 23, 2016
War films, especially WWII films, typically favor the intensity of combat, watching leathery men set out to shut down the enemy, using heated battles to keep audiences invested in the routine of conflict. 1960’s “The Gallant Hours” offers nothing in the way of extravaganza, preferring to take the introspective route as it explores Admiral William F. Halsey (James Cagney) and his leadership approach during the five-week period leading to the Guadalcanal campaign. It’s an unexpectedly restrained feature, but its careful way with drama and psychological inspection is exceptionally managed by director Robert Montgomery, who puts his faith in the cast, trusting them to provide the firepower intentionally avoided by the rest of the effort.
A docudrama, “The Gallant Hours” is respectful to both sides of the conflict. There’s the American perspective, following Halsey as he struggles with limited information, working to maintain leadership by putting his faith in his skilled but unsure men. There’s also a Japanese POV, with narration detailing Admiral Yamamoto’s experiences as he also creates a battle plan with his top officers. The picture carries this parallel storytelling throughout, communicating the sheer effort of building strategy and issuing orders, while Halsey’s struggle with decisions is given top priority, highlighting a complex man put into a position of power that could alter the course of the war.
The Gallant Hours Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality
The AVC encoded image (1.66:1 aspect ratio) presentation carries a pleasing level of clarity, identifying facial particulars and ship interiors with welcome textures and depth. The effort spends a lot of time on the actors, registering every subtle performance turn. Grain is fine and filmic. Black and white cinematography maintains balance, and delineation is communicative. Source isn't problematic, with little wear and tear visible.
The Gallant Hours Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality
Setting a mournful tone, the 2.0 DTS-HD MA sound mix leads with a choral-based score, which comes through cleanly, adding a pleasing sense of space to the listening experience. Dialogue exchanges are direct and true. While the dramatic range isn't explored in full, military banter is tight and performances are communicated. Atmospherics aren't extraordinary, but oceanic visits detail evocative movement, and ship interiors highlight crew bustle.
The Gallant Hours Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras
- A Theatrical Trailer (2:49, HD) is included.
The Gallant Hours Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation
Performances are uniformly terrific, with Dennis Weaver and Cagney sharing sharp chemistry as military men. However, the real star of "The Gallant Hours" is Montgomery, who possesses the right amount of patience to pull off the tricky tone of the feature, which eschews bombs and bullets, keeping war scenes as background noise while pained reactions provide the true reaction to violence. "The Gallant Hours" is vividly made, boosted by a choral score that adds a sense of gravity to the picture, making sure to silence cheap exploitation interests, electing to study the heavy price of leadership in the most respectful manner possible.
