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THE PARADINE CASE
The Dolby Digital monaural soundtrack is free from any form of noticeable distortions and is very nicely recorded for a film released in 1947. Dialogue reproduction is crisp and completely intelligible. As expected, music fidelity is somewhat limited, but the track is well worth amplifying for Franz Waxman's haunting score, which still manages to sound rather good. The basic interactive menus provide access to the standard scene selection feature. THE PARADINE CASE is not a great Hitchcock film, but it is a very well made movie the benefits from the touch of "the Master of Suspense." Anchor Bay's DVD looks and sounds great for a film of this vintage and is well worth checking out by Hitchcock fans and movie buffs in general. |
This DVD review 
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DVD
reviews are Copyright © 2001 THE CINEMA LASER and may not be copied
or reprinted without the written consent of the publisher. |
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Of
the movies that director Alfred Hitchcock made for producer David O. Selznick,
THE PARADINE CASE ($25) had the most troubled production and a
reputation of being a rather mediocre film. While THE PARADINE CASE
does have its weaknesses, namely its screenplay, Hitchcock's visual mastery
is ever present, which makes the film very intriguing to watch. In addition,
THE PARADINE CASE features a stellar cast, all of whom turn in
first-rate performances that rise above the script's shortcomings. Finally,
there is the sumptuous production and exquisite black and white cinematography
that make THE PARADINE CASE a visual treat for film buffs.
THE
PARADINE CASE stars Gregory Peck as noted defense attorney Anthony
Keane, who is asked to take on a rather high profile case by his friend
Sir Simon Flaquer (Charles Coburn). The defendant is Maddalena Paradine
(Alida Valli), a woman who is accused of murdering her rich husband. Although
Mrs. Paradine claims she is innocent, all of the evidence seems to indicate
her guilt. Of course, Keane takes on the case, but finds defending Mrs.
Paradine more difficult than he expected, especially when she begins placing
obstacles in his path. When Keane become obsessed with proving Mrs. Paradine's
innocence, the strain of the case begins to take its toll on Keane's marriage,
causing his wife Gay (Ann Todd) to suspect that he has fallen in love
with his beautiful client. There is a tinge too much soap opera in the
screenplay for THE PARADINE CASE, which at times bogs the film
down. All of the suspenseful sequences involving the investigation and
the trial work much better, because they showcase Hitchcock's strengths
as a director. The cast of THE PARADINE CASE also features Charles
Laughton, Ethel Barrymore, Louis Jourdan, Leo G. Carroll, Joan Tetzel,
Isobel Elsom and John Williams.
Anchor
Bay Entertainment has made THE PARADINE CASE available in a terrific
looking black and white presentation. Predating wide screen, THE PARADINE
CASE is properly framed, so that the image fills a 1.33:1 display.
The transfer is very sharp and highly detailed, which shows off the beauty
of Lee Garmes glossy, glamorous cinematography. Watching something as
beautiful as THE PARADINE CASE makes one long for the return of
black and white movies. The backs are ever so deep and velvety, plus the
whites are pure and totally stable. Contrast is rich and the image produces
many wonderful subtle shades of gray. The film element used for the transfer
is in excellent shape, displaying relatively minor blemishes at reel changes.
Film grain is hardly ever noticeable. Digital compression artifacts are
well concealed throughout the presentation. 