Rating summary

Movie		3.0
Video		2.5
Audio		2.5
Extras		3.0
Overall		3.0

The Skin Game Blu-ray Movie Review

A modest Hitchcock effort but one with some redeeming qualities

An exploration of class warfare, The Skin Game is one of the early talkies of Alfred Hitchcock (Vertigo, The 39 Steps). The storyline focuses on the divide between two family units: the upper-class Hillcrist and the lower-class Hornblowers (who start to make a better name for themselves over the course of The Skin Game). Produced by John Maxwell (East of Shanghai, Song of Soho), The Skin Game is certainly not one of the best Hitchcock films but it nonetheless has some merits.

Mr. Hillcrist (C.V. France), Mrs. Hillcrist (Helen Haye), and Jill Hillcrist (Jill Esmond) comprise the well-off family that wants even more power and control over their community. Seeking to evict the citizens that surround them as much as possible in order to utilize land for the development of new business, things are complicated by the growing success of a lower-class family.

"And what would you like for Christmas?"

The opposing family is comprised of the Hornblowers: Mr. Hornblower (Edmund Gwenn), Charles Hornblower (John Longden), Chloe Hornblower (Phyllis Konstam), and Rolf Hornblower (Frank Lawton). The class warfare battle quickly ensues as the two families become intertwined in drama, chaos, and peril at each turn of the story. Which side will become victorious?

The film is not one of the finest early Hitchcock efforts. The cinematography by Jack E. Cox (The Square Peg, Just My Luck) is not one of the best elements of the film. The art direction by J.B. Maxwell is acceptable but underwhelming. On a positive note, the film has a reasonable concept behind it and the screenplay scenario by Alma Reville (Shadow of a Doubt, Suspicion) experiments with the characters in some interesting ways. Alfred Hitchcock has fun with the ideas at play but the filmmaking never takes flight in the same way his early silents or later talkies do. Not a perfect film, by any stretch of the imagination, but one that has modest virtues and some compelling artistic components.

The Skin Game Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Easily the weakest transfer included in the otherwise outstanding Hitchcock: British International Pictures Collection, The Skin Game is not even remotely as impressive a presentation as gems like The Ring and Champagne are. The film has a abundance of scratches and more wear and tear than the other scans in the set.

The worst element on display is the horrendous telecine wobble visible during several sequences. The fluctuations in image stability are distracting and it takes one of the viewing experience. There are also some egregious contrast fluctuations in scene changes that distract. While the scan is far from perfect, The Skin Game is moderately watchable. A disappointing transfer.

The Skin Game Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

The least crisp soundtrack out of every feature-film included in the Hitchcock: British International Pictures Collection, The Skin Game lacks the kind of crisp fidelity found on the other presentations included within the collection. The track is not a recent recording of a score but rather the original audio track (with dialogue included, the only film in the set to do so). As such, the track displays weaknesses the other presentations in the set do not.

Dialogue often sounds tiny and thin, lacks clarity, and offers weak fidelity. There is a harshness to the audio quality and it often sounds muffled. Making matters worse, the track has a consistent layer of thin hiss prevalent throughout the entire sonic presentation (and it is sometimes distracting from the experience). Lastly, there are even a few moments of bad lip-sync with the actors (most notably at the start of the film). Ouch.

Optional English SDH subtitles (for the deaf and hard of hearing) are provided.

The Skin Game Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

Hitchcock/Truffaut: Archival Audio Interview (Champagne/The Manxman/The Skin Game) (SD, 12:17) is an engaging interview segment focusing on a different set of feature films (than what can be found on the first disc in the collection). The audio is accompanied by pictures from early Hitchcock films presented in a slideshow style. There are some insights into Hitchcock's favorite moments and creative approach which make it worth listening to. Fans should check it out.

The Skin Game Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

The Skin Game is the least appealing of the films included in the fantastic Hitchcock: British International Pictures Collection. The film is decent-at-best and the presentation is far from ideal. Throughout the scan, audiences will see a jittery looking presentation (with telecine wobble that manages to make the film feel overly caffeinated). Hitchcock fans will want to see it (out of curiosity) but its the weakest link of an otherwise fantastic collection of films. With certain drawbacks considered, a light recommendation.