Rating summary

Movie		4.0
Video		4.0
Audio		4.0
Extras		3.0
Overall		4.0

Torch Singer Blu-ray Movie Review

Torch Singer is an inspired and entertaining pre-code musical drama. Based on the story “Mike” as written by Grace Perkins, Torch Singer is a worthwhile musical with a lot to offer fans of the genre. As produced by Albert Lewis (Cabin in the Sky, Shoot the Works), Torch Singer stars Claudette Colbert in the leading role and features supporting performances by Ricardo Cortez and David Manners. A must-see performance by Colbert carries the film.

Sally Trent (Claudette Colbert) is no longer in a position where she can financially support her child. The child was born illegitimate and Sally decided to put her up for adoption in order to be able to pursue a showbusiness career working as a torch singer. Now singing under the show name of Mimi Benton, a nightclub life becomes her day-to-day life. Singing and swaying as a sensual and sexy dancer, Mimi becomes the star of the show. Yet she wishes to find her daughter and one day be reunited.

Claudette Colbert is the star of the show. Colbert is one of the best classic film stars and she has an undeniable screen presence that is outstanding. The actress is a wonderful talent and she has an enormous amount of depth here – showcasing a wonderful range of emotions. The performance is remarkably strong and it demonstrates Colbert’s range as an actor. The role shows her in moments of strength and fragility. The performance is raw and complex.

The costumes by Travis Banton (Letter from an Unknown Woman, The Paradine Case) are beautiful and one of the best elements of the entire production. Banton is an impressive costume designer and the gowns for Colbert are gorgeous. The effort here is enormous and the end result is a film that does an outstanding job showcasing the leading star of the show.

Edited by Eda Warren (Safari, His Kind of Woman), Torch Singer is a well-paced production. Torch Singer is not a film that has a weak backbone as a film. The editing is well-cut and the flow of the filmmaking impresses. A solid effort from Warren.

The cinematography by Karl Struss (Sunrise, The Great Dictator) is simply breathtaking and the black-and-white visuals never fail to impress. Torch Singer is a beautiful looking work and the evocative tapestry of the cinematography finds the film in a place of splendor. A great effort by Struss. A testament to the power of cinematography.

The score composed by Ralph Rainger (This Is the Night, The Way to Love) adds to the production as well. The music helps to enhance the filmmaking. This is an entertaining musical and without these elements in the score the film wouldn’t have worked as well. The music remains an essential and important backdrop to the entire film.

The screenplay by Lenore J. Coffee (The Night of Love, Night Court) and Lynn Starling (The Cat and the Canary, Footlight Serenade) is thoughtful and compelling. The script isn’t cookie-cutter and it requires audiences to think about the character and her role. The journey of Sally Trent isn’t an easy one and it required sacrifice and challenges along the way. The script does a solid job exploring these elements.

Directed by Alexander Hall (Here Comes Mr. Jordan, The Amazing Mr. Williams) and George Somnes (The Girl in 419, Midnight Club), Torch Singer is an underrated musical. The filmmaking is thoughtful: compelling and intelligent. Hall and Somnes do excellent work bringing this musical to life. The film capably showcases the filmmakers understanding of musical filmmaking. Don’t miss this under-the-radar classic.

Torch Singer Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Arriving on Blu-ray from Kino Lorber, Torch Singer is presented in 1080p MPEG-4 AVC encoded high definition in the original theatrical aspect ratio of 1.37:1. The release has a pleasing and engaging presentation. The transfer does an excellent job of showcasing the black and white cinematography.

The encoding quality from Kino is excellent. The high bit-rate transfer does a good job of preserving detail in the image. The high-definition visuals are crisp and well defined. The print used for the presentation has occasional thin scratches but the print is in great shape overall and looks highly pleasing on the release.

Torch Singer Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

The release is presented in DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0 mono. The lossless audio encoding is crisp and clear sounding. The limited audio fidelity on the audio track is due to the age of the source material. However, the audio elements sound clean and never suffer from significant issues with crackle, pops, and hiss. A solid audio presentation by Kino Lorber.

Torch Singer Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

Audio Commentary by Film Historian Kat Ellinger

The Sign of the Cross – Trailer (SD, 1:35)

Four Frightened People – Trailer (HD, 2:04)

The Gilded Lily – Trailer (SD, 2:44)

The Bride Comes Home – Trailer (SD, 2:21)

Bluebeard's Eighth Wife – Trailer (SD, 3:08)

Arise, My Love – Trailer (HD, 1:45)

No Time For Love – Trailer (SD, 2:12)

Since You Went Away – Trailer (HD, 1:40)

Thunder on the Hill – Trailer (SD, 2:06)

Goin' to Town – Trailer (SD, 1:42)

Torch Singer Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

Torch Singer is an underrated musical drama. The feature-film showcases a stunning performance by lead star Claudette Colbert. The filmmaking is exquisite and the production has numerous elements worth commending – from the cinematography by Karl Struss (Sunrise) to the direction by Alexander Hall (Here Comes Mr. Jordan) and George Somnes (Midnight Club). Torch Singer is a classic gem – one that audiences shouldn't overlook.

The Blu-ray release features an impressive presentation. Both the video and audio are pleasing on the release. The package also includes an audio commentary track and a selection of vintage film trailers. Claudette Colbert fans won't be able to resist this release. Recommended.