The Woman One Longs For Blu-ray Movie

Rating summary

Movie		4.0
Video		3.5
Audio		4.5
Extras		3.0
Overall		4.0

The Woman One Longs For Blu-ray Movie Review

The Woman One Longs For (also known as Three Loves) is a hypnotic and involving classic. Produced by Hermann Grund (Anna Favetti, My Friend Barbara), The Woman One Longs For is a quietly compelling gem. Based on the novel by Max Brod, The Woman One Longs For is also significant as the debut for actress Marlene Dietrich. Though many cite the classic The Blue Angel as her star-making role, The Woman One Longs For is her famous beginning.

A haunting and melancholic tale, The Woman One Longs For is a silent era drama in which Uno Henning (Henry Leblanc) appears as a businessman who is on the way to being a married man when his original plans start to fall apart upon meeting the beautiful and hypnotic woman in his path, Stascha (Marlene Dietrich). As marriage pans go by the wayside, the hopes of new romance ensue. Yet Dietrich is a victim to a cruel and sadistic man who might stand in the way between Uno and Marlene.

The filmmaking of The Woman One Longs For is all the more compelling due to the first-rate performance by Marlene Dietrich. Dietrich delivers a stunning lead performance. From her impressionable glances to her inherent star-power, the actress delivers a great performance. Audiences will appreciate her charms and her confidence as an actress. A marvelous role for the iconic actress to explore with her uncanny talents.  

The art direction by Robert Neppach (Love and the First Railroad, Panic in Chicago) is a strength of the film. The art direction is well stylized and showcases a strong sense of sophistication. Neppach is an excellent art director and has a clear understanding of the language of cinema and the required ingredients for a successful endeavor. The results in The Woman One Longs For soar high.

The orchestral score composed by Pascal Schumacher adds charm and wonder to the filmmaking as well. Composer Schumacher provides a quality musical backdrop to the filmmaking and this adds a sense of cohesion to the experience. A great effort by the composer.

The cinematography by Curt Courant (Woman in the Moon, The Man Who Knew Too Much) and Hans Scheib (The Wedding of Palo, Mariquilla Terremoto) is wondrous. The visual language of The Woman One Longs For is an extraordinary element of the experience. Courant is a first-rate cinematographer and this is a great showcase for their talents behind the camera. The visuals are key to telling this tale and The Woman One Longs For is all the more invigorating as a result.

The screenplay by Ladislaus Vajda (Pandora’s Box, White Hell of Pitz Palu) offers an entertaining and engaging tale. The storytelling is certainly compelling and provides the film with a sense of quality craftsmanship. The script provides great depth for the characters. The end results certainly feel effective, engaging, and noteworthy.

Directed by Curtis Bernhardt (Interrupted Melody, Possessed), The Woman One Longs For is a classic with a lot of great merit. Bernhardt is a talented director and the filmmaker has plenty of fun with exploring the tale. The filmmaker brings forth great performances from the cast – most especially actress Marlene Dietrich. The result? The Woman One Longs For is a haunting and powerful film.

The Woman One Longs For Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Arriving on Blu-ray from Kino Lorber, The Woman One Longs For is presented in 1080p MPEG-4 AVC encoded high definition in the original theatrical aspect ratio of 1.33:1 full frame. The restoration is provided by Friedrich Wilhelm Murnau Stiftung. The restoration used for this edition is an older one completed in 2012.

Though The Woman One Longs For was not restored in 4K and is only presented with a 2K restoration, the results are still reasonably impressive. The film does showcase some minor imperfections (slight scratches and dirt are apparent on the print) but the overall presentation is still enjoyable and benefits from the restoration efforts. A solid presentation (if not a perfect scan of the film).

The Woman One Longs For Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

The release includes a selection of lossless audio options: DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 and Uncompressed PCM 2.0. The silent feature-film is presented with German intertitles and English subtitles. The lossless audio encoding is excellent. The orchestral score by Pascal Schumacher sounds crisp and engaging on the release.

The lush music score is a perfect accompaniment to the presentation. The score is also engaged well for the surround sound option. This was a surprise for a silent era production and it certainly adds a distinct soundstage for the release. Considering silent films were often projected with live orchestras, the 5.1 surround sound option adds a nice sense of vitality to the production.

The Woman One Longs For Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

Audio Commentary by Gaylyn Studlar

The Woman One Longs For Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

The Woman One Longs For is an entertaining and enchanting gem. The filmmaking is top-notch and the direction by Curtis Bernhardt (Interrupted Melody) provides The Woman One Longs For with the right ingredients for success. The lead performance by star Marlene Dietrich is exceptional and it was an outstanding introduction for audiences (before she became even more famous with her role in The Blue Angel).

The Blu-ray release is sourced from a 2K restoration completed by Friedrich Wilhelm Murnau Stiftung in 2012. Though the release is not sourced from a newer 4K scan, the presentation is still a satisfying one and The Woman One Longs For looks impressive in high definition. Though not a perfect print, this is nonetheless the best the film has looked on the format. The release also includes a selection of high-quality lossless audio options. Highly recommended.