Rating summary

Movie		2.5
Video		2.5
Audio		4.0
Extras		1.5
Overall		2.5

The Woman in Red Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Brian Orndorf November 8, 2017

It’s easy to root for 1984’s “The Woman in Red.” It’s written and directed by Gene Wilder, who also takes the starring role in this remake of the French comedy, “Pardon Mon Affaire.” Wilder has increased the odds of laughter by securing such a fine supporting cast, including Charles Grodin, Joseph Bologna, and Gilda Radner. He’s gifted the world the sight of Kelly LeBrock, who makes her acting debut as the titular object of desire. There are San Francisco locations to enjoy, and a lively soundtrack is largely supported by Stevie Wonder songs, including the once omnipresent smash hit, “I Just Called to Say I Love You.” There’s so much to enjoy here that it hurts the heart to realize the feature doesn’t quite come together as substantially as Wilder envisions. He’s got the tone and the cast, but “The Woman in Red” is something of a mess, with aborted subplots, random encounters, and strange technical choices conspiring to wear down the natural rhythms of the effort. It’s easy to see what Wilder had in mind for the semi-farce, but it’s difficult to watch him fumble scenes and lose concentration on connective tissue.

Theodore (Gene Wilder) is a mild-mannered ad executive who’s spotted the woman of his dreams when model Charlotte (Kelly LeBrock) crosses his path one day. It’s an instant obsession, but Theodore has children with loving wife Didi (Judith Ivey), feeling the thrill of mischief as he tries to secure a date with the mystery woman, only to accidentally lead co-worker Milner (Gilda Radner) to suspect he’s interested in her. While pals Buddy (Charles Grodin), Joey (Joe Bologna), and Mikey (Michael Huddleston) are all entangled in their own domestic dramas, Theodore can’t quite secure passage to his fantasy woman, chasing Charlotte all over town to catch her eye. While responsibilities at home keep the father and husband on edge about his secret mission, Theodore remains determined to have an affair with a gorgeous woman.

Cheekiness, literal and otherwise, welcomes viewers to “The Woman in Red,” which offers the sight of LeBrock loosely recreating the famous Marilyn Monroe skirt-blowing moment from “The Seven Year Itch,” only here the location is an air vent inside a parking garage. Wilder dutifully collects as much sellable imagery from the moment as he can get away with, giving the picture a saucy lift right at the top. The scene is also one of the only truly focused in the film, with Wilder’s attention solely positioned on LeBrock’s moves, while the rest of the feature tends to wander around in the dark. There’s a mission of sorts with Theodore’s determination to connect to Charlotte, accidentally flirting with Milner instead, getting her hopes up for a romantic connection at work. The subplot doesn’t really go anywhere, but it does offer a chance for Radner to play with revenge scenarios, angrily destroying Theodore’s car and pelting him with icy stares, giving “The Woman in Red” broad laughs as the screenplay has the unenviable task of making infidelity into a fun game for a family man.

The mid-life crisis concepts in Wilder’s screenplay don’t come through with any real definition, and Theodore, while kindly, comes off as a monster, happily torpedoing a good thing with a loving wife to consume Charlotte. “The Woman in Red” plays the pursuit as sweet merriment, even putting Theodore on a horse for the first time in his life to catch the model during her daily rides in a local park, triggering some lazy slapstick. However, there’s no true psychological depth to work with here, and while the material teases the electric charge of lust, blinding the character, it doesn’t follow through on a true exploration of fantasy and marital stasis. Frankly, Theodore seems perfectly happy with Didi in the final cut, and she adores her husband, making his continued interest in Charlotte a bit strange, outside of pure carnal delights. Again, “The Woman in Red” is an adaptation of a French comedy, making the rules of attraction a bit vague, but Wilder doesn’t sell the inner fires strong enough, making Theodore weirdly insensitive -- a callousness the cuddly actor is incapable of playing.

Not helping “The Woman in Red” is a general editorial bungling, with the picture burning through an 87 minute run time at top speed, shedding characterization with every step. Perhaps Wilder initially turned in four hours of material, as the feature plays so liberally with personalities, including Theodore’s friends, who are all issued quick interactions with heartache before they’re back to palling around. Wilder throws in some hand-holding narration to patch holes in the plot, with Joey perhaps the most neutered of the supporting characters, abruptly dealing with divorce, reconciliation, and divorce again in a matter of minutes. Poor Didi doesn’t even have resolution to her woes. “The Woman in Red” is sloppy, edited with a spoon and filled with strange technical choices, such as Wilder adding pronounced thunder to a mid-movie scene despite blue skies all around. And there’s use of a voice double for LeBrock in the very last scene, but she doesn’t have an English accent. I know filmmaking isn’t easy, but Wilder seems very absentminded here, creating an amateurish viewing experience at times.

The Woman in Red Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

The AVC encoded image (1.84:1 aspect ratio) presentation offers an older scan of "The Woman in Red." Detail isn't strong, softening Wilder's crinkly face and San Francisco locations, while costumes aren't textured. Colors, including the titular red, are acceptable. Hues aren't outstanding, but they service the movie's comedy and style without disruption, handling period outfits with greatest impact. Skintones are on the natural side, with some overt pinkness at times. Delineation is adequate. Grain is chunky, borderline noisy. Source is hit with a few speckle storms during the viewing experience, but nothing more severe.

The Woman in Red Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

The 2.0 DTS-HD MA sound mix handles the mild mood of "The Woman in Red" without any disruptions. Dialogue exchanges come through confidently, handling arguments and hushed come-ons with satisfactory balance and clarity. Scoring is supportive, and soundtrack selections retain a heavier presence with clean instrumentation. More aggressive urban sound effects and atmospherics are agreeable.

The Woman in Red Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

• Commentary features film historian Jim Hemphill.

• And a Theatrical Trailer (1:19, SD) is included.

The Woman in Red Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

As muddled as it is, "The Woman in Red" is not entirely unappealing. Wilder is out front and center doing his everyman routine, and it works, keeping the character approachable even while he wrestles with dark instincts. LeBrock doesn't do much, but early displays of her underappreciated comic timing are there (explored in full in 1985's "Weird Science"), and she carries the effort's visual interests with confidence. And for fans of PG-13 history, the picture was one of the first out of the gate with the new rating, which once allowed three F-words and brief full frontal nudity for pre-teens to enjoy, albeit ones willing to sit through the misery of a fortysomething man who's forced to choose between a loving wife and a willing model. We should all have these problems, but for Wilder, his best intentions fail him in the long run, as "The Woman in Red" doesn't come together neatly. It's amusing in spots, sexy at times, but its clumsiness tends to numb any lasting appreciation for its achievements.