They Won't Believe Me Blu-ray Movie

Rating summary

Movie		4.0
Video		5.0
Audio		4.5
Extras		0.0
Overall		4.0

They Won't Believe Me Blu-ray Movie Review

Two affairs to remember.

Reviewed by Randy Miller III May 14, 2021

A highly entertaining film noir with almost no one to root for, Irving Pichel's They Won't Believe Me is a solid example of densely-packed but efficient storytelling that holds up 75 years later. It stars Robert Young (Father Knows Best) playing way against type as three-timing Larry Ballentine, who frequently steps out on ultra-rich wife Greta (Rita Johnson, Here Comes Mr. Jordan) with lovely Janice Bell (Jane Greer, The Big Steal) and, eventually, co-worker Verna Carlson (Susan Hayward, With a Song in My Heart). Larry's juggling act is sloppy, however, with Greta easily discovering each and every infidelity and even taking drastic measures to stop it... except for, you know, leaving him. Instead, she simply moves her husband away from the other women; first to Los Angeles, and then to an extremely isolated Spanish ranch in the mountains. But Larry's not one to give up easily, and fans those old flames every chance he gets.

It's a straightforward story, to be sure... except for the fact that it's told in flashback by Larry himself, who's on trial for the murder of Verna Carlson. He deeply professes his innocence, explaining the sad, sorry state of affairs in painstaking detail -- and even though it seems as if Larry has habitually broken almost every moral code in the book (and more), it becomes increasingly clear that he may not have actually committed the crime. Attempted to clean out his and Greta's joint checking account? Check. Covered up an accidental death to conceal someone's true identity? Check. Regularly lied about his whereabouts to continue those multiple affairs? Double check. Hell, maybe even triple.

Planned the murder of someone else? Maybe.

They Won't Believe Me's best weapon is its ambiguity, which might wreak havoc on first-time viewers but, once you know the rub, it plays out smoothly and stands up well enough to repeat viewings. Much of the up-front enjoyment is derived from its terrific lead and supporting performances, from the main players listed above to much smaller roles such as Larry's short-term business partner Trenton (Tom Powers, Double Indemnity) and drawling defense attorney Mr. Cahill (Frank Ferguson, Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein). But it's got a very small cast of characters -- especially accounting for the story's surprising depth and sudden turns, which ultimately do most of the heavy lifting. It's not an airtight production, though: Larry's patchy voice-over narration occasionally hurts the film's momentum, its story relies on a few all-too-convenient reunions in unlikely places, and its admittedly dramatic ending feels a little tooon-the-nose. But there's an awful lot of enjoyment to be found here for first-timers and die-hard fans alike, doubly so considering the film's somewhat faded legacy in the considerable shadow of more popular film noirs of that era -- most notably RKO's own Out of the Past, released only four months later and also featuring Jane Greer.

Also like may RKO films of that era (including Rachel and the Stranger), They Won't Believe Me was hastily trimmed to a much shorter running time than its original 95-minute cut; this was often done by the studio for theatrical re-releases and subsequent TV airings. As with Rachel, however, the original version has been resurrected by Warner Archive, as They Won't Believe Me now has roughly 15 minutes added back into this fully restored cut -- which, I might add, never made it to Region 1 DVD in any version. Ranging from several seconds in length to a nearly five-minute scene, these "additions" give They Won't Believe Me much more breathing room; it's already dense as-is, and was likely a confusing watch in its shortened form. A comprehensive list of the restored scenes -- not to mention a fascinating essay about the film -- was recently published by friend and former colleague Glenn Erickson, and can be seen here.

They Won't Believe Me Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Warner Archive's exclusive 1080p transfer is advertised as a being sourced from a recent 4K restoration of nitrate preservation elements; combined with the fact that it's the original 95-minute version of the film, this looks to be a very attractive release for noir fans. From start to finish, They Won't Believe Me ranks among the boutique label's best catalog releases: nitrate's silvery sheen is a great fit for Warner Archive's commitment to purist-friendly restorations, as its robust level of film grain affords this beautifully-shot film an impressive amount of fine detail and texture. It's an exceedingly clean image as well, thanks to their reliably careful method of manual cleanup. Contrast levels and shadow detail -- despite the fact that very little of They Won't Believe Me follows the night-heavy template of most noirs -- are both exemplary and, as usual, there are no obvious signs of blooming or crush. It also has plenty of room to breathe: this is a movie-only disc and gets and gets an entire dual-layered Blu-ray all to itself, ensuring the bit rate starts high and stays there. Only a handful of the re-inserted scenes exhibit any kind of drop in quality, exhibiting slightly harsher contrast levels and occasional softness, but this are source issues and nothing more; in fact, most of these transitions are smoother than expected. Overall, it's another top-tier release from WA and, considering the film's former absence on Region 1/A home video since laserdisc (!), They Won't Believe Me is a visual stunner right out of the gate.

As usual, Warner Archive has uploaded a few YouTube videos showing off their new transfer; these include the full five-minute opening sequence and a three-scene montage of Larry's love interests. He's a hard worker, that one.

They Won't Believe Me Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

Not to be outdone, the DTS-HD 2.0 Master Audio mix shows a similar level of care and deserves almost as much praise as They Won't Believe Me's great visuals. Dialogue is absolutely crystal clear, while the original score by RKO mainstay Roy Webb comes through with an appropriate amount of strength while not overshadowing other elements. No hiss, pops, crackle, or drop-outs could be detected, even during the newly-inserted scenes and shots. It's just an overall very consistent effort that, despite its modest one-channel roots, is more than capable of getting the job done.

Optional English (SDH) subtitles are also included during the main feature.

They Won't Believe Me Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

This one-disc release ships in a standard keepcase with original one-sheet poster artwork on the cover and no inserts. Unfortunately, no extras are included either -- I'm doubtful a trailer for this even exists anywhere. Perhaps the closest thing to an existing supplement is this short introduction by "czar of noir" Eddie Muller originally shot for TCM.

They Won't Believe Me Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

Irving Perchel's They Won't Believe Me is a durable, noir-fueled drama with twisting plot elements that really boost its overall entertainment value. Bolstered by great performances (especially Robert Young, playing far against type here), its only slight weaknesses are a constant reliance on voice-over narration and an ending that seems a little overcooked. But it's still a great time at the movies and Warner Archive's new Blu-ray is a thing of beauty: despite the lack of bonus features, this fully-restored original version of the film -- which resurrects nearly 15 minutes of trimmed material rarely seen for decades -- makes it an absolute no-brainer for die-hard film noir fans. Highly Recommended.