Rating summary

Movie		4.0
Video		4.5
Audio		4.0
Extras		2.5
Overall		4.0

You Can't Take It with You 4K Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Kenneth Brown December 6, 2024

Making its UltraHD debut in 4K is director Frank Capra's 1938 classic You Can't Take It with You, which features good ol' Jimmy Stewart in yet another memorable performance. The film was previously released on Blu-ray in 2015 with a decent audio/video presentation, but nothing that comes close to touching this one. Sony's new 2160p video presentation and two-channel lossless mono audio track won't be gathering dust or any complaints! The disc also features several previously released extras from 2015.

Based on George S. Kaufman and Moss Hart's Broadway play, You Can't Take It with You introduces Anthony P. Kirby (Edward Arnold), who returns to D.C. from New York having closed a deal that elevates he and his son, Tony (James Stewarts), in access and status. Tony, though, is more interested in gaining the attention and affections of Alice Sycamore (Jean Arthur), the granddaughter of an eccentric and wealthy family, who happens to be the only normal thing to ever come out of her relatives. Her grandfather, Martin Vanderhof (Lionel Barrymore), is... an interesting character to say the least, who's been dodging taxes (among other exploits). Her mother, Penny (Spring Byington, who received an Academy Award nomination), is also "interesting," penning risqué plays, while her daughter (Ann Miller), practically wills herself into ballet despite any gift of rhythm or grace. Her father (Samuel S. Hinds) loves explosives and may as well be a criminal pyromaniac, while her brother-in-law (Dub Taylor) plays the xylophone and co-runs a candy business. It's... a lot, and poor Tony has to navigate it all to win the hand of Alice.

Click here to read Jeffrey Kauffman's full review of the film, which he says "wisely retains a large bulk of the [original] play's incredibly adept humor." Adding, "Capra's film manages to capture a lot of the sweet intent of the Kaufman and Hart original while perhaps frittering away minute amounts of the original's frenetic tendencies and comedic momentum. While a few of the revisions seem unnecessary, Riskin at least preserves a wide array of the original's very smart laugh lines, almost all of which spring from character and situation rather than context free silliness. The original play was feted with a Pulitzer Prize, and this film version went on to win Best Picture and Best Director in the 1938 Oscar sweepstakes."

You Can't Take It with You 4K Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

The film's 4K video presentation is damn near-immaculate, with a roomy encode and striking picture that allows the comedy to bounce more freely than before. Crisp, exacting detail joins forces with refined textures and a lovingly restored grain field to give the image a wonderful filmic appearance that's both faithful to Capra's intentions and a rejuvenation of the cinematography's more subtle qualities. The black and white photography has been preserved with faithfulness and a keen sense of respect as well. Darker portions of the image are deep yet yielding, gray midtones are rendered with care and precision, and brighter whites are the product of stirring contrast that's dialed in without a fault to be had. There's a slight digitized verve to a handful of scenes that were presumably tricky to perfectly restore, but you have to really be tracking the presentation, shot by shot, and then know what to look for, to spot it. I'd mention it by scene but, honestly, it would be a shame to bring something to your attention that 99% of you will look right past and isn't much of an issue to begin with. Blocking, banding, errant noise and other unsightly business is entirely absent, making this another 4K killer in the Frank Capra at Columbia Collection.

You Can't Take It with You 4K Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

Sony's DTS-HD Master Audio Mono 2.0 track is a great one. Dialogue has been revitalized and reproduced without error or prioritization mishap. Clean, clear and intelligible, it nestles neatly within a soundscape that's always faithful and rarely, if ever, subject to music, effects and other elements. It is a comedy, so slapstick sounds, explosions and other "laugh" beats have a particular emphasis, but it's never distracting in a way that isn't intended. All told, there isn't a ton here but it all sounds exactly as it's meant to.

You Can't Take It with You 4K Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

The 4K edition of You Can't Take It with You includes a previously released audio commentary with Frank Capra Jr, a twenty-five minute featurette "Frank Capra Jr. Remembers... You Can't Take It With You," and the film's theatrical trailer.

You Can't Take It with You 4K Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

You Can't Take It with You remains a lot of fun. Fans of the original play (like my colleague Jeff, who wrote our 2015 review) may enjoy the Broadway production far more and note quite a few perhaps unnecessary changes, but those like myself, who haven't had the pleasure, will find Capra's comedy to be a far funnier affair than those familiar with the original. Sony's 4K edition makes it that much easier too thanks to a striking video presentation, strong DTS-HD Master Audio mono offering, and a few solid supplements.