The Invisible Woman Blu-ray Movie

Rating summary

Movie		3.5
Video		3.5
Audio		3.0
Extras		0.0
Overall		3.5

The Invisible Woman Blu-ray Movie Review

"Wanted - A human being, willing to become invisible. No remuneration."

Reviewed by Justin Dekker February 1, 2024

1940's 'The Invisible Woman' returns to Blu-ray as part of the massive 'Universal Classic Monsters Complete 30-Film Collection' which includes all of the timeless monster movies from 1931's 'Dracula' forward. All of the original films from the timeless and unforgettable Dracula, Frankenstein, The Wolfman, The Mummy, Invisible Man, The Creature from the Black Lagoon, and The Phantom of the Opera, are included here on 24 Blu-ray discs. All of the legacy features from the previous collections are included here, giving fans hours of content to pour over once the movies are over. Also included is a 48-page book featuring writing on the classic monsters as well as actors and people behind the scenes that brought them to life.

Unlike the previous two entries in the series which kept things rather serious, The Invisible Woman aims to be a comedy through and through. It's apparent from the opening scene where a prim and proper butler trips on an empty champagne bottle and falls down the stairs as his tray and its contents go flying, only to find himself on the floor surrounded by the debris from the previous night's festivities. He then must immediately compose himself and answer the door as if absolutely nothing is amiss. The man who employs him, the wealthy Richard Russell (John Howard), is something of a playboy who has just been involved in yet another scandal, and now he finds himself broke. Aside from his other issues and financial commitments, he, as his father before him, has been a benefactor to Professor Gibbs (John Barrymore), an inventor with some outlandish ideas. Gibbs is looking for an additional $3,000 for some unknown experiment. That experiment just happens to be a machine that turns people invisible which he believes will make him and Mr. Russell millions of dollars. Kitty Carol (Virginia Bruce), a mistreated and broke dress model, responds to Professor Gibbs' ad looking for a volunteer to become invisible and she is selected experiment. Meanwhile, a homesick mobster anxious to return to the US has seen the same ad and sends his men to obtain the machine for his purposes.

Adding significantly to the comedy is the fact that it's a woman who becomes invisible. When she appears for the experiment, Dr. Gibbs is obviously rattled and does not know how to proceed, since in order for her to be invisible, she must be nude. After stammering through a revised plan, he forces his housekeeper, Mrs. Jackson (Margaret Hamilton), to remain as a chaperone. The experiment is a success, and rather than waiting to meet Mr. Russell, Kitty escapes to take revenge on her former employer for the mistreatment she and her peers have suffered. While she is justified in her actions, nothing she does is meanspirited, as she hilariously rights a number of wrongs. Mr. Russell forms an unexpected friendship with the invisible woman, with her unseen nudity creating many a humorously awkward situation. When she has too much to drink and is unable to stand, Russell and Gibbs struggle to figure out how to find her and pick her up since she's naked. As her invisibility ends up lasting much longer than intended, the film continues to find ways to keep these jokes coming.

Rounding out the nonstop comedic assault are the butler, George (Charles Ruggles), and the gangsters. George casts many a withering look and sharp-tongued barb at Kitty, Gibbs, and Russell, and his timing and delivery are excellent. He doesn't have many lines, but he makes the most out of all of them, and his repeated attempts to resign are an amusing running gag. The mobsters in this outing are more bumbling than they are threatening. While they do have guns and can be intimidating when they need to be, they are never competent or smart. Sharp-eyed viewers will be happy to notice Shemp Howard of Three Stooges fame as one of the crooks which also serves to underscore the intended purpose of bad guys. They provide the needed conflict for the film, but they in no way will change its tone.

The Invisible Woman Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

The transfer for The Invisible Womanis a good one. There were no significant instances of damage or debris, though the odd white speck is noted here and there. Grain is fine and handled nicely, providing a nice vintage film look. Intentionally soft shots pop in from time to time, and they are almost exclusively close-ups of Ms. Bruce and Mr. Howard. Detail levels are typically good, with fabric textures and the shots of Professor Gibbs' lab benefiting the most. Black levels are adequate and the image is stable.

The Invisible Woman Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

As is almost the standard for these sequels, here again, our film is outfitted with an English DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0 Mono track. As the film rarely asks it to do much more than handle dialogue and background music, it's more than enough for those tasks. The bouncy, cheerful score is precisely rendered without exception and supports the film's light and humorous tone. Dialogue is cleanly rendered and is free from defects or distortion. Sound effects, including the odd gunshot, are sufficient and reasonable considering the era and the boundaries of the track. English SDH subtitles are also available.

The Invisible Woman Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

No special features are included for The Invisible Woman.

The Invisible Woman Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

The Invisible Woman takes nothing but the concept of invisibility from the previous films, reverses the lead's gender, and opts for a purely comedic story, all of which conspires to make this my absolute favorite of the sequels to the The Invisible Man. Virginia Bruce, John Barrymore, and John Howard lead an excellent cast in a funny, inventive, and entertaining picture that stands up well to repeat viewings. Technical merits are solid and the film is recommended.