Rating summary

Movie		3.0
Video		4.0
Audio		4.0
Extras		1.0
Overall		3.5

What a Way to Go! Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Brian Orndorf February 11, 2017

When one considers the possibilities of a Marilyn Monroe replacement, Shirley MacLaine doesn’t immediately spring to mind. However, 1964’s “What a Way to Go” endeavors to transform the actress into something of a glamour icon and sex symbol, weighing her down with Harry Winston jewels and keeping her spinning in Edith Head-designed costumes. Mercifully, she’s game to go wherever the picture leads, but unfortunately, “What a Way to Go” heads in multiple directions, often at the same time. It’s a farce from director J. Lee Thompson, and not always an amusing one, always playing loudly to the back row when a nice hit of subtlety would do just fine.

Louisa May Foster (Shirley MacLaine) is a young woman raised by her mother (Margaret Dumont) to abhor greed, going out into the world to find a pleasant husband with grounded ideals. Instead of finding stability, Louisa encounters a series of men experiencing tremendous success after meager beginnings, and they always seem to die on her, leaving her with a vast fortune she wants to gift the government. Sharing her story with bewildered analyst Dr. Victor (Robert Cummings), Louisa recalls her times with Lennie (Dean Martin), a department store mogul; Edgar (Dick Van Dyke), a general store owner; Rod (Robert Mitchum), a business tycoon; Larry (Paul Newman), a Parisian artist finding success in the art world through robotic painting; a Pinky (Gene Kelly), a song and dance man about to break into Hollywood with his ample talents and love for his namesake color.

“What a Way to Go” is no slouch in the casting department, collecting an eye-opening ensemble of legendary leading men to support MacLaine and her sustained communication of comedic frustration. The picture plays to everyone’s strengths, not requiring major tests of range, but this cinematic comfort keeps the effort at least somewhat approachable, often relying on natural charisma to keep the movie going. Amazingly, MacLaine isn’t pushed to the background, delivering a game performance as a slightly daffy woman overwhelmed by life and routine interactions with death. “What a Way to Go” was originally conceived as a Monroe vehicle and it plays just like one, but MacLaine finds her Double Dutch rhythm early, keeping up with animated co-stars portraying manic men literally working themselves to death.

The gimmick of “What a Way to Go” is found in fantasy sequences, where Louisa considers her relationships in terms of big screen genres, trying to deal with her pain through denial. With Edgar, it’s a silent movie, finding the pair engaging in slapstick encounters as they make a home together. With Larry, Louisa imagines the couple as the stars of a French art feature, living a sexy but haunted life in a tiny apartment. And with Pinky, it’s, of course, a traditional Hollywood musical, giving Kelly (who choreographs the entire picture) a chance to showcase his amazing singing and dancing, paring with MacLaine for a lively number. The fantasy sequences are entertaining, delivering a full-course meal of film appreciation and artistry, giving the effort a real CinemaScope pop at times. Overall humor isn’t quite as precise, with Thompson going painfully big to secure viewer response. Granted, most of these performers are absolute geniuses in the theatrical arts, but Thompson has trouble with portion control, often indulging in Louisa’s escapism for far too long. The real story remains with her oddball life, not with extended, fully produced fantasies.

What a Way to Go! Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Color is the dominant force of the AVC encoded image (2.35:1 aspect ratio) presentation, with pink the most prized hue in the feature, from coffins to cars. Even the 20th Century Fox logo is soaked in the stuff. Colors are handled with care during the viewing experience, capturing the shock value of primaries in fantasy sequences, and costuming retains its intended power. Skintones are satisfactory. Sharpness is adequate for the period, preserving cinematographic reach, presenting reasonable close-ups and textured outfits, while sets and their ornate decoration are open for inspection. Distances are welcome here, as the frame is often filled with activity, little of it subtle. Delineation is agreeable. Source is healthy, without major signs of damage.

What a Way to Go! Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

The 2.0 DTS-HD MA sound mix has an interesting range of music and comedy to manage, and it does so comfortably. Dialogue exchanges are clean, capturing purrs from MacLaine and bellowing from the rest of the cast, and comedy speeds are preserved, never hitting distortive extremes. Scoring is hearty, supporting the many moods of "What a Way to Go" with adequate instrumentation. Musical numbers also maintain emphasis, with crisp vocals and snappy dance sound effects. Atmospherics are basic but available.

What a Way to Go! Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

• A Theatrical Trailer (2:55, SD) is included.

What a Way to Go! Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

"What a Way to Go" is impressively crafted, boasting cavernous sets, glorious color, and tremendous style, making it ideal eye candy and an interesting artifact from a transition period in Hollywood, with glossy endeavors such as this slowly losing popularity with the public. It's diverting at times, but its lack of control and absence of big laughs is disappointing, keeping the viewing experience uneven and periodically annoying.