Welcome Stranger Blu-ray Movie

Rating summary

Movie		4.0
Video		4.0
Audio		4.0
Extras		0.0
Overall		4.0

Welcome Stranger Blu-ray Movie Review

Welcome Stranger is a classic Hollywood comedy. Produced by Sol C. Siegel (Gentlemen Prefer Blondes, High Society), Welcome Stranger had one of the biggest marketing campaigns of any Paramount film at the time of its release. Welcome Stranger became the highest grossing film in the United States in 1947.

The film features a story by Frank Butler. A special guest director cameo is by none other than the great Billy Wilder (featuring a cameo by Elliott Nugent) as Wilder helmed one scene. Welcome Stranger stars Bing Crosby, Barry Fitzgerald, Joan Caulfield, Wanda Hendrix, and Frank Faylen.

Dr. Joseph McRory (Barry Fitzgerald) hasn’t had a nice break in a long time. In fact, Dr. McRory hasn’t been on a vacation in 30 years. Deciding that it is time for him to enjoy himself and take an overdue vacation, Dr. McRory decides to cash in on a vacation. When setting out for some vacation fun, the doctor requests a substitute doctor to handle his duties while he is away on his travels: Dr. James 'Jim' Pearson (Bing Crosby) takes the reign.

Despite the good word on Dr. Pearson, the two doctors butt their heads and don’t seem to see perfectly eye-to-eye. After getting worried the substitute doctor might not handle his job properly, Dr. McRory decides to skip his vacation altogether and work alongside Dr. Pearson. Dr. McRory worries that his entire practice could be ruined by the temporary doctor. A day in the sun has been cancelled.

The performances in Welcome Stranger are excellent and are reason enough to see the film. Bing Crosby is especially compelling in the leading role. Crosby was always an irreplaceable performer with a great sense of comedic timing and a charisma that carried film after film. Welcome Stranger is another fine testament to the actor and his capabilities. Barry Fitzgerald is equally impressive playing opposite of Crosby. The comedic timing and dramatic moments add a lot to these two performances.  

Featuring several classic Bing Crosby songs and performances in the film, Welcome Stranger includes songs such as "Smile Right Back at the Sun", "Country Style (Square Dance)", "My Heart Is a Hobo", and " As Long As I'm Dreaming" throughout the production. These memorable songs add a lot of charm to the production. A blast of old-fashioned music and storytelling, Big Crosby delivers a lot of great musical performances.

The production had some impressive design elements, too. The art direction by Franz Bachelin (Stalag 17, Calcutta) and Hans Dreier (Double Indemnity, Sullivan’s Travels) impresses with a beautiful artistic style that carries throughout the film. The artistic direction for the film is an excellent part of the film. The costumes by Edith Head (Sabrina, Roman Holiday) add a lot to the film as well. Head is one of the greatest of all Hollywood costume designers.

Edited by Everett Douglas (Sky Parade, The Last Train from Madrid), Welcome Stranger is a well-paced film with a good flow. The storytelling works well with the editing handling the beats of the story in a good way. Douglas made the film a tight and cohesive whole and the film doesn’t slog through at any time.

The cinematography by Lionel Lindon (The Manchurian Candidate, Going My Way) is one of the main highlights of the film. Lindon provided superb black-and-white cinematography that provides the film with a dream-like quality to the production. This is something sometimes felt with certain classic Hollywood films produced in black-and-white and that one cannot easily replicate with modern films. This was something I felt was a big element at play with the cinematography for Welcome Stranger. I even felt this way while watching the performance of " As Long As I'm Dreaming" in the film (and it added a lot to the experience).

The score composed by Robert Emmett Dolan (Sorrowful Jones, My Favorite Brunette) is a great component of the film. The music adds a lot to the experience. The score works well alongside the selection of songs. The music an essential element and foundation – helping to bring out the best in the cast.  

Written by Arthur Sheekman (Blue Skies, Duck Soup), Welcome Stranger is a generally fun and well- written film. The main storyline is engaging and the characters are well-rounded. The dialogue for Crosby and Fitzgerald was a particular highlight.

Directed by Elliott Nugent (The Cat and the Canary, My Favorite Brunette), Welcome Stranger is a charming and fun old-fashioned Hollywood production. The film has a nice warmth to it with the performances and the songs. Director Nugent did a great job with the filmmaking and it is easy to understand why the film was such a massive box-office success upon release.

Welcome Stranger Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Released on Blu-ray by Universal, Welcome Stranger is presented in 1080p MPEG-4 AVC encoded high-definition in the theatrical aspect ratio of 1.36:1 widescreen. The presentation on the release is quite impressive. The high-definition visuals are crisp and engaging during the presentation. The black and white cinematography a nice highlight of the transfer. The print is in generally exceptionally shape: showcasing plenty of fine detail in the image. The print has some occasional slight specks but nothing major in the way of print damage or wear can be seen. A solid high- definition presentation by Universal.

Welcome Stranger Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

The release is presented in English DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0 mono. The lossless audio on the release is excellent sounding. Dialogue is clear and easy to understand. The songs and score are well highlighted during the presentation. The track is remarkably clear sounding and fidelity is surprisingly good given the age of the production. There is not much to report in the way of audio detriments and no egregious issues at all with hiss, crackle, or other distractions. A quality audio presentation by Universal.

English SDH subtitles (for the deaf and hard of hearing) are provided on the release.

Welcome Stranger Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

The release includes no bonus features. The film begins at startup and there is no main menu for the release.

Welcome Stranger Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

Welcome Stranger is a charming and entertaining Hollywood classic. The film was the biggest box-office hit of the year upon its release. It is a gem with great performances by the cast – especially the always remarkable Bing Crosby. Barry Fitzgerald impresses opposite Crosby as well. The Blu-ray release provides an impressive presentation of the film with quality high-definition video and lossless audio. The release does not include any supplemental features. Despite the lack of supplements, the release is well worth considering for the quality of the film and the excellent presentation. Recommended.