7.6 | / 10 |
Users | 0.0 | |
Reviewer | 4.0 | |
Overall | 4.0 |
Mervyn Leroy's 1940 remake of Waterloo Bridge, based on the play by Robert E. Sherwood, stars Robert Taylor as Scotsman Roy Cronin, a middle-aged office in the British Army who reflects--on the eve of the Britain's entry into WWII--on lost love during the last Great War. Told in flashback, Roy's ill-fated romance casts Vivien Leigh as Myra Deauville who turns to prostitution when she believes her fiance has died in the war.
Starring: Vivien Leigh, Robert Taylor (I), Lucile Watson, Virginia Field, Maria OuspenskayaRomance | 100% |
War | Insignificant |
Melodrama | Insignificant |
Drama | Insignificant |
Video codec: MPEG-4 AVC
Video resolution: 1080p
Aspect ratio: 1.37:1
Original aspect ratio: 1.37:1
English: DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0 Mono (48kHz, 24-bit)
English SDH
Blu-ray Disc
Single disc (1 BD)
Region A (B, C untested)
Movie | 4.0 | |
Video | 5.0 | |
Audio | 4.5 | |
Extras | 1.5 | |
Overall | 4.0 |
Arriving less than a year after the seminal Gone With the Wind, Mervyn LeRoy's Waterloo Bridge gave audiences more of the beautiful young Vivian Leigh. Far removed from fierce and fiery Scarlett O'Hara, Leigh plays meek Myra Lester, a ballet dancer in WWI-era London who meets suave Captain Roy Cronin (Robert Taylor) during a nighttime air raid near Waterloo Station. Although they part almost as quickly as they met, he skips evening plans to go to her performance. There's obviously a love connection but it's hampered by two things: his obligations to the military and her autocratic troupe leader, Madame Olga (Maria Ouspenskaya). Naturally, they plan to get married within 24 hours.
There's a lot to like about Waterloo Bridge, beginning with Vivian Leigh's lead performance. Her character's vulnerable and submissive nature is extremely well played, framing its unyielding narrative with just the right amount of pathos. (Robert Taylor isn't far behind, but his character isn't written with the same amount of emotional weight, save for the film's opening and coda.) The foggy and extremely dark London backdrop also suits this story very well, with gas-lit streets and shadowy interiors that serve up a tremendous level of rich atmosphere, while the haunting score also fits this production like a glove. Waterloo Bridge's unavoidable handicap, however, is the Hays Code, put into effect just six years before its release, which softens much of its dialogue and makes a few key story elements unfortunately vague. It's also worth noting that this handicap didn't effect the first version of the film, directed by James Whale and released in 1931. So, much like its central romance, the only real problem with Waterloo Bridge is bad timing.
Even in slightly watered-down form, the core of Mervyn LeRoy's film still packs an emotional punch and, in the shadow of Gone With
the Wind, feels like a hidden gem in Vivian Leigh's filmography. Ever the savior for classic catalogue titles, Warner Archive Collection presents
this remake of Waterloo Bridge in a very handsome Blu-ray package that, as usual, focuses almost all of its resources on a high-quality A/V
presentation that greatly supports the film's memorable sights and sounds. Long story short: if you've been waiting patiently for this one, it's
finally arrived.
Sourced from a exclusive 4K restoration of original nitrate elements, Waterloo Bridge looks as fantastic as you'd expect on Warner Archive's stunning new Blu-ray. Portions of this film, starting with its nighttime opening act, are exceedingly dark and immediately stand out as proof of this disc's visual strengths, as its black levels run deep with no perceivable black crush or loss of shadow detail. Only a select few shots, including those with heavy rear-projection elements, offer anything less than a stunning and incredibly stable image, and one that's clean as a whistle with excellent fine detail supporting by plenty of natural film grain. As usual, the disc is encoded perfectly with no obvious compression artifacts, banding, or similar defects, nor has is been artificially sharpened or subject to excessive noise reduction. A purely film-like image though and through, and one that will absolutely thrill long-time fans and newcomers alike.
Likewise, the DTS-HD 2.0 Master audio mix plays it straight with a very strong and stable track that supports Waterloo Bridge's original one-channel roots. Dialogue and background effects are given equal priority with plenty of room left over for the score, a mix of original cues by Herbert Stothart and well-known songs including "Auld Lang Syne" and Leo Friedman's "Let Me Call You Sweetheart", both of which also work their way into various themes along the way. Age-related damage including hiss, clicks, and pops is virtually non-existent, giving the film a fairly robust atmosphere with excellent fidelity that's much improved over earlier DVD releases. Optional English (SDH) subtitles are included during the main feature only; likewise, there are no obvious defects or sync-related issues.
This one-disc release arrives in a standard keepcase with attractive, poster-themed cover art and no inserts.
Mervyn LeRoy's Waterloo Bridge is the story of two star-crossed lovers whose flame burns out quietly. The pathos is strong with this one and, though it's not in the top tier of classic romances, Vivian Leigh's terrific lead performance and the foggy, quasi-noir atmosphere earn high marks indeed. Warner Archive Collection's Blu-ray is up to their usual high standards, offering an extremely strong A/V presentation with a few lightweight bonus features. Highly recommended to established fans for sure, as well as anyone who doesn't require their films to have happy endings.
2016
Masterpiece Classic
2015
1931
1984
1942
2014
1927
1957
2015
2001
2011
2004
2008
2005
2001
1932
2013
1957
2012
The Vivien Leigh Anniversary Collection
1937