One of the screenings I attended at last month's
TCM Classic Film Festival was a newly restored print of THE STRAWBERRY BLONDE (1941).
The print, restored by Warner Bros. and the Film Foundation, was part of a special "Warner Night at the Movies" presentation at the festival hosted by the Warner Archive Collection's George Feltenstein. The movie was screened with a trailer, short, and cartoon.
Thanks to a brand-new Blu-ray release from the Warner Archive, those who weren't able to be at the festival can now enjoy the same restored print. It's a 1080p HD master from a 4K scan of the original nitrate camera negative.
Like the TCM Festival screening, the Blu-ray includes a trailer, short, and cartoon, so home viewers can also enjoy a traditional '40s "Night at the Movies."
The disc also includes two different radio versions of the film; more information on that follows below.
THE STRAWBERRY BLONDE, directed by
Raoul Walsh, is a remake of the less well-known ONE SUNDAY AFTERNOON (1933) which starred Gary Cooper and Fay Wray. That title was reused for a 1948 musical remake which starred Dennis Morgan and Dorothy Malone.
THE STRAWBERRY BLONDE is set in New York City in the "Gay '90s." The story, partly told in flashback, concerns hot-tempered Biff Grimes (James Cagney).
Biff falls for gorgeous Virginia Brush (Rita Hayworth), but his "frenemy" Hugo (Jack Carson) marries her. Biff marries nurse Amy Lind (
Olivia de Havilland) on the rebound, not initially realizing that he's gotten the far better "deal" marriagewise.
Biff ends up going to work for Hugo and eventually is framed for corruption and the use of poor building materials; the latter causes an accident which kills Biff's father (Alan Hale Sr., who in real life was only seven years older than Cagney).
Biff uses his time in prison to study for a new career in dentistry, but he still nurses a grudge against Hugo. When he's released from prison will he be able to let his ill will go and move on to a happy life with Amy?
The movie concludes with a sing-a-long which the festival audience joined in enthusiastically, and perhaps Blu-ray viewers at home will want to do the same.
Although de Havilland and Hayworth are each huge favorites of mine, I hadn't seen this film in a great many years, as I remembered it being rather dour in tone. I took the opportunity to revisit the film both at the festival and on Blu-ray as I felt doing so would give me the best chance to reassess my feelings.
The actors are all excellent in this film, which was scripted by Julius J. and Philip G. Epstein from a play by James Hagan. There are a number of good moments, particularly featuring de Havilland, which I enjoyed seeing again on the Blu-ray even after having recently watched the film theatrically.
That said, my original assessment of long ago stands: THE STRAWBERRY BLONDE is for the most part a rather depressing 99 minutes.
Cagney's Biff is immature, with a hair-trigger temper, and he takes a very long time to learn important lessons. Part of what forces him to grow up is his years in prison, during which Amy must support herself nursing.
Virginia and Hugo, meanwhile, end up in a completely miserable marriage, though Virginia at least has the insight to realize what her life choices have brought her.
The film's main pleasures fall to de Havilland, who is by turns nervy, forthright, and sensitive as the loyal Amy. The educated and intelligent Amy falling for the combative Biff seems rather improbable, even if he's played by James Cagney, but de Havilland sells it for all it's worth.
Unfortunately both de Havilland and Hayworth have relatively limited screen time; if more of the film had featured de Havilland, in particular, I would have liked it better, but it's Cagney's film all the way.
The Warner Archive Blu-ray is as gorgeous as the print I saw at the festival, showing off the black and white photography of
James Wong Howe at its best. This is definitely the way to watch the movie.
Disc extras consist of the trailer; the Merrie Melodies cartoon TORTOISE BEATS HARE (1941); and a nine-minute short, POLO WITH THE STARS (1941).
I was particularly enthused by the inclusion of two radio versions of the story. The first, from 1941, is a short Screen Guild Theater production featuring Cagney, de Havilland, and Carson.
Even more interesting is a 1942 Lux Radio Theater production starring Don Ameche, Rita Hayworth, and Gail Patrick. This version has better sound quality than the Screen Guild production. I love the "alternate versions" Lux Radio Theater gives us with different casts, and what's particularly noteworthy about the Lux production is that Hayworth switches from her film role of Virginia to playing de Havilland's Amy, with Patrick in the original Hayworth part.
While the film is not a favorite story, it's well-acted and produced, and the new Warner Archive Blu-ray is a stellar release in terms of both print and extras. I'd also add that several people whose opinions I respect like this film more than I do. For all those reasons, this Blu-ray is recommended.
Thanks to the Warner Archive for providing a review copy of this Blu-ray. Warner Archive Blu-rays may be ordered from the Amazon Warner Archive Collection Store, Movie Zyng, or from any online retailers were Blu-rays are sold.
One of the screenings I attended at last month's TCM Classic Film Festival was a newly restored print of THE STRAWBERRY BLONDE (1941).
2 Comments:
I agree with your opinions of this film, which has some superb acting and some cute moments, but I feel hasn't aged well over time. Cagney's character never learns his lesson as far as his violent temper goes. He keeps threatening to assault the guy on the other side of the fence, even at the end of the movie. This doesn't come across as funny these days.
It was never funny.
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