On the Riviera Blu-ray Review

"On the Riviera," presented by 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment, comes to Blu-ray with an AVC encoded 1080p 1.37:1 transfer that both delights and perplexes. From the get-go, this transfer dazzles with its deep, lustrous Technicolor blues making the Riviera scenery stunningly vivid. Leon Shamroy's cinematography is faithfully rendered, bringing out the bright, bold hues of the azure waters, the glamorous gowns, and the glitzy costumes with a clarity that makes every scene pop. The film's integrity is maintained through a light grain structure, ensuring that the vintage charm of this classic is preserved without succumbing to overzealous digital manipulation. Whites are vibrant, and the contrast is excellent, lending every frame a crisp definition that brings out fine details such as the individual strands in Tierney's white fur wrap.

However, the transfer is not without its faults. While much of the presentation is pristine, showcasing smooth black levels and maintaining solid shadow delineation, color stability issues disrupt the viewing experience. Viewers may find themselves distracted by fluctuations in color intensity and odd discolorations in flesh tones that shift between an unnatural yellow-brown to a ghastly green, sometimes presenting in splotches rather than uniformly across the frame. These anomalies aside, the majority of the image remains commendable for its sharp background elements, solid sense of depth, and the absence of digital defects such as noise, banding, or halos.

Overall, despite some color consistency issues, Fox's handling of "On the Riviera" honors its classic catalogue with a transfer that largely captures the exquisite detail and vibrant energy of the Riviera setting. The video quality reflects a careful balance between preserving the film's original aesthetic and embracing the nuances of high-definition presentation. Fans of this Technicolor marvel will find much to admire in its visual restoration, even as they might wish for a more consistent color grading throughout.

The audio aspect of the "On the Riviera" 4K UHD Blu-Ray is served through a lossless DTS-HD Master Audio Mono track that, while evidently showcasing its age through a certain boxiness, particularly in the choral arrangements by the somewhat overlooked Jeff Alexander, remains admirably clear and damage-free. The track, despite its narrow band, manages to deliver dialogue, solo singing, and the musical numbers with a respectable level of fidelity. Historical context considered, this audio presentation maintains a fine balance between preserving the original auditory experience and ensuring that age-related imperfections do not detract from the enjoyment of this classic.

The DTS-HD Master Audio 1.0 track exhibits a diligent clean-up of any hiss, pops, or crackles that might otherwise mar its quality, providing a clean and dynamic soundstage that navigates the highs and lows adeptly. Instrumentals exhibit a hearty tonal fullness, and dialogue clarity is consistently maintained, even through various dialects and speech alterations – a testament to the meticulous remastering process. Songs, too, benefit from this clarity and fidelity, contributing well to the overall auditory experience of the film. Despite its limitations as a mono track from an era long past, it delivers a surprisingly robust and engaging audio performance.

In summary, the audio presentation of "On the Riviera" on its 4K UHD Blu-Ray edition is a commendable effort to marry historical fidelity with modern audio restoration techniques. While it won't push contemporary audio systems to their limits, it certainly does justice to the film's original sonic landscape, ensuring that dialogues, musical elements, and dramatic scores are delivered with clarity and a reasonable depth that respects the source material's age and original production circumstances.

The extras presented on the 4K UHD Blu-ray of "On the Riviera" serve not just as a collection of supplementary materials but as an enriching exploration into the film’s cultural and historical significance. Including pieces that delve into its multiple adaptations and the remarkable story behind it, a comprehensive featurette pays homage to Danny Kaye’s multifaceted career, revealing his breadth of talents and off-screen passions, while another highlights the innovative choreography of Jack Cole, shedding light on his influence in the realm of dance. These elements are complemented by a theatrical trailer that encapsulates the film's essence. While most content mirrors those from the 2007 DVD release, they remain integral, providing viewers with a deeper appreciation for the film and its era in entertainment.

Extras included in this disc:

• The Riviera Story: A Remarkable Impersonation: Background on the film, including its previous incarnations.
• A Portrait of Danny Kaye: Tribute to Kaye with archival footage and interviews.
• The Jack of Clubs: Choreographer Jack Cole: Focus on dance maestro Jack Cole's career and contributions.
• Theatrical Trailer: Original preview emphasizing the musical segments of the film.

In this sprightly 4K UHD Blu-ray presentation of "On the Riviera," Danny Kaye shines in a dual role, breathing life into a tale of mistaken identity and comedic mishaps with an exuberance that is both formidable and, at times, overwhelming. The story—a comic cascade of impersonation and romantic entanglements—echoes Hollywood’s penchant for recycling vibrant narratives, following in the footsteps of its predecessors, 1935's "Folies Bergère" and 1941's "That Night in Rio." Despite the familiar plot mechanics often seen in films from the era, "On the Riviera" manages to carve out its niche, bolstered by Kaye's boundless energy and a series of lively musical numbers choreographed by the masterful Jack Cole and featuring a young Gwen Verdon. The screenplay, tightly woven by Valentine Davies and Phoebe and Henry Ephron, keeps the audience engaged with its clever twists, although some may find the interruptive nature of its musical interludes—a hallmark of Sylvia Fine's composition prowess—a distraction from the narrative flow.

Director Walter Lang guides us through this light-hearted farce with a steady hand, juxtaposing the vibrant nightclub scenes with moments of tender confusion among the leads. Kaye's portrayal of both Jack Martin, the talented mimic, and Henri Duran, the dashing aviator with an overly complicated love life, shows off his range from slapstick to subdued, though his constant "on" mode might not be everyone's cup of tea. Gene Tierney and Corinne Calvet provide the glamour and grounding respectively, their performances embellishing this dance of deception, albeit sometimes overshadowed by Kaye's relentless dynamism. Noteworthy is the film's use of television—the then-newfangled medium—as a plot device, echoing real-world intrusions into traditional entertainment forms.

"On the Riviera," despite some narrative predictability and occasional overindulgence in musical numbers that slow its pace, remains a captivating watch on 4K UHD Blu-ray. The upgraded visual quality and preservation of musical fidelity ensure that both Kaye’s nuanced performances and the film’s choreographic splendor are rendered with vivid clarity. While it may not escape the shadows of its more famous predecessors, it stands as a testament to the era's love for stories of mistaken identities, bolstered by stellar performances and engaging musical sequences. Whether or not it reaches the heights of unforgettable cinema, its charm lies in Kaye's vivacity and the timeless allure of Hollywood farce.

"On the Riviera," released on 4K UHD Blu-ray, presents a lavish visual and auditory experience that is somewhat hampered by its content's unevenness. With Danny Kaye leading the charge, his effervescence and the decorative charms of Gene Tierney and Corinne Calvet pair well with the film's aesthetic beauty and the delightful soundtrack. However, the film struggles to find a consistent comedic tone, which, alongside its occasionally problematic video presentation, may leave viewers wanting. Despite these issues, fans of Kaye and admirers of classic Hollywood's glamour will find elements to appreciate, particularly in the polished production value and a chance to see a young Gwen Verdon in action.

The movie's narrative and musical sequences jostle awkwardly for primacy, never quite melding into a cohesive whole, contributing to a feeling of fragmentation. This disjointedness extends to the film's humor, which is surprisingly scarce given Kaye's knack for comedy. The Blu-ray edition, though visually stunning and backed by solid audio quality, cannot entirely overcome these shortcomings in the film itself. Its supplementary features do add value, making the package more appealing to collectors and aficionados of the era.

In conclusion, "On the Riviera" on 4K UHD Blu-ray serves as a mixed bag that is likely to appeal primarily to dedicated fans of Danny Kaye and enthusiasts of cinematic history who can overlook its narrative and technical flaws in favor of its visual splendor and historical significance. While not Kaye's finest hour, the release does justice to the film's production quality and offers a glimpse into the bygone era of Hollywood's musical comedies, even if it doesn't consistently hit the comedic mark it reaches for.