Rating summary

Movie		4.5
Video		4.0
Audio		4.0
Extras		4.0
Overall		4.5

The Sign of the Cross Blu-ray Movie Review

A stunning Hollywood epic. A must-own Blu-ray release.

An early pre-code epic produced by Paramount Pictures, The Sign of the Cross is one of the most sweeping epics of all time. Based on the play by Wilson Barrett (A Man of Sorrow, Hoodman Blind), the epic filmmaking is an enduring testament to the legacy of Hollywood and the impressive power of storytelling. Directed by the great auteur Cecil B. DeMille (The Ten Commandments, The Greatest Show on Earth), The Sign of the Cross is a must-see classic that has withstood the test of time.

Marcus Superbus (Fredric March), the Prefect of Rome, falls for the sweet-hearted Christian Mercia (Elissa Landi). A longing begins to throb in Marcus's heart as he wishes for something more in his life. The sultry vixen, Empress Poppaea (Claudette Colbert) vies for the attention of Marcus Superbus while becoming frustrated by his wandering attentions towards the holier Mercia. Working alongside the vile Emperor Nero Claudius Caesar (Charles Laughton) in taking on Christianity and those who follow in the faith, a dastardly plan is thought-up. Will Christianity stand in the way of Empress Poppaea and Marcus Superbus or will a blazing fire be set across all the Christian lands?

There are a number of impressive production elements. The film has a grander scope and scale than most other film being produced during the time-period (circa 1932). The scope of the production is beyond many current Hollywood productions and leaves one with a sense of awe-struck wonder. A magnificent cinematic achievement which showcases real-life lions and other elements that display cinematic magic in good-measure.

"Nice to meet you, darling."

The music of The Sign of the Cross is remarkably impressive with a score composed by a team including Jay Chernis (That's My Baby!), Rudolph G. Kopp (Mystery Street), Paul Marquardt (Bad Boy), and Milan Roder (The Sea Hawk). The efforts of these composers is something to commend: the sweeping themes demonstrate character embellishments and thematic wonderment. The score brings the epic film to even grander heights.

One of the elements contributing a great deal to the scope of the spectacle is the stunning costumes and art direction by Mitchell Leisen (Remember the Night, Death Takes a Holiday). Collaborating on both artistic fronts, Leisen makes the most of his involvement in the grand production: contributing such stunning gowns, costumes, and art pieces to make the experience all the more invigorating to see.

The production is somewhat famous for a sequence which was far more revealing and sensual than one might expect for a Hollywood production of the time-period. As a pre-code production, the producers allowed for a scene to be filmed in which one of the leading actresses, Claudette Colbert, bathes in a pool of milk and cream. The scene is entirely sensual and exotic in style and one can see why the film caused an uproar with some of the censorship boards of the time-period. While it might seem a little bit tame by modern standards, the sequence holds up as a sensually evocative moment of early pre-code Hollywood cinema. Claudette Colbert oozes sensuality and is a beautiful vixen of the silver screen.

Edited by Anne Bauchens (The Greatest Show on Earth, The Ten Commandments), a frequent collaborator of The Sign of the Cross director Cecil B. DeMille, the duo worked together to craft the best film possible and the end results show that their efforts paid off (in spades). Working from a script written by Waldemar Young (The Girl of the Golden West, Island of Lost Souls) and Sidney Buchman (Mr. Smith Goes to Washington, The Talk of the Town), the story is brought to life with a clear dedication to the craft of cinema. Featuring striking cinematography by Karl Struss (Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, The Great Dictator), The Sign of the Cross is a true cinematic gem that must be seen to be believed. An epic in every sense of the word. Don't miss it.

The Sign of the Cross Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Arriving on Blu-ray from Kino Lorber, The Sign of the Cross has received a 1080p MPEG-4 AVC encoded high definition presentation in the original theatrical aspect ratio of 1.37:1 full frame. A absorbing presentation which is naturally filmic, The Sign of the Cross has likely never looked better than it does on this new Blu-ray edition of the film. The quality of the print is impressive overall.

Yet there are some slight imperfections to the image: while the scan is quite filmic, blacks are never perfect, and the picture-quality is a little soft. There are also some signs of print wear during the film presentation. Nonetheless, the print was generally crisp enough to impress and the overall results are worthwhile. There are no severe examples of print damage and egregious compression woes to bog down the presentation. Please note that the opening credits are window-boxed.

The Sign of the Cross Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

The release is presented with a DTS-HD Master Audio mono soundtrack. The lossless audio track was effective and left a solid impression. Dialogue is crisp, clear, and easy to understand. There were no egregious issues to report with regards to crackle, hiss, warps, pops, and clicks. The track is pretty smooth and never sounds too-harsh on the ears. A quality lossless audio presentation that matches the high-quality filmic scan.

Optional English subtitles are provided.

The Sign of the Cross Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

Audio Commentary by Mark A. Vieira, co-author of Cecil B. DeMille

Audio Commentary by film historian David Del Valle

The Sign of the Cross Theatrical Trailer (SD, 1:35)

The release also includes a selection of trailers promoting other releases available from distributor Kino Lorber: Bluebeard's Eighth Wife (SD, 3:08), Since You Went Away (HD, 1:40), Death Takes a Holiday (SD, 2:23), The Eagle and the Hawk (SD, 1:40), The Paradine Case (SD, 1:44), Witness for the Prosecution (SD, 3:08), and Reap the Wild Wind (SD, 2:17).

The Sign of the Cross Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

The Sign of the Cross is a sweeping epic is a magnificent cinematic achievement that has withstood the test of time as a true Hollywood classic. The sheer scope and spectacle of the filmmaking is downright fantastic: such magnificent work was done behind-the-scenes to make the film such a commendable and essential gem of cinema. The performances are fantastic. The direction is superb. The Blu-ray release features a strong video-audio presentation and has some extras to round out the package. Cinephiles would do well to pick up this classic for their collections. Highly recommended.