The Southerner Blu-ray Movie

Rating summary

Movie		4.0
Video		4.0
Audio		4.0
Extras		2.0
Overall		3.0

The Southerner Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Brian Orndorf February 13, 2016

While 1945’s “The Southerner” isn’t a documentary, it does get a few details of the American Dream exactly right, creating an unnerving realism that’s softened somewhat by the picture’s literary approach to storytelling (adapted from the novel by George Sessions Parry). It’s directed by Jean Renoir, who offers an impressive amount of sympathy for his lead characters, striving to identify the malleability of the human spirit as it’s hit from all sides by tragedy and defeat. “The Southerner” isn’t quite the funeral dirge it promises to be, supporting a mood of perseverance that inspires as much as it horrifies.

The plight of the American farm is the focus of “The Southerner,” with stars Zachary Scott and Betty Field contributing fine work as a couple setting out to build a home of their own in difficult conditions, faced with environmental, medical, and community issues that are practically conspiring to break their spirit. The screenplay (with uncredited contributions from William Faulkner) walks a fine line between authenticity and dramatic emphasis, working to build a life for the pair as they establish themselves amongst the locals. Comedy is present, but “The Southerner” can be a sobering picture, especially when it locks in on the true foundation of the American Dream: spirit-crushing failure.

The Southerner Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

The AVC encoded image (1.35:1 aspect ratio) presentation is sourced from 35mm elements preserved by the UCLA Film & Television Archive. The public domain title looks nicely refreshed for its HD debut, boasting impressive detail for its age, with farmland particulars open for inspection, while thespian faces remain expressive and appropriately weathered. Cinematographic limitations remain, but textures are available. Delineation is crisp and welcoming, preserving low light encounters. Source has its issues, with judder, warping, and speckling throughout, along with patches of damage and scratches. However, these are minor events in a bright viewing experience.

The Southerner Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

The 2.0 LPCM mix delivers the basics of "The Southerner," concentrating on dialogue exchanges, which handle comfortably, managing a consistent dramatic range with a few surges in emotion. Scoring is big and defined to satisfaction, keeping up with period standards and emphasis without steamrolling over the performances. Hiss is detected, but not pronounced.

The Southerner Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

• "A Salute to France" (35:47, HD) is a 1944 war drama co-directed by Jean Renoir, co-starring Burgess Meredith.

• "The River" (31:11, HD) is 1938 documentary from Pare Lorentz, which influenced Renoir's work on "The Southerner."

The Southerner Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

Marching forward with spirited exchanges and reasonable discouragement, "The Southerner" doesn't get aggressive with its emphasis, with Renoir balancing the needs of cinema with character vulnerability. He makes the effort feel lived-in, with a resolution that's respectful to the issues at hand, while maintaining a direction of resilience that certainly reflects the era and builds a level of hope audiences crave.