Bathing Beauty Blu-ray Review
Warner Archive Collection
Score: 81
from 2 reviewers
Review Date:
Bathing Beauty dazzles with Technicolor allure and musical charm; Warner Archive's Blu-ray enhances with excellent A/V quality and engaging extras.
Disc Release Date
DTS-HD MA
Video: 91
Warner Archive's Blu-ray of Bathing Beauty delivers a stunning Technicolor restoration, reproducing the original 1.37:1 aspect ratio in a crisp 1080p AVC transfer. Lush hues, excellent textures, and authentic film grain make for an exceptional visual experience, despite minor posterization and macro blocking issues.
Audio: 91
Bathing Beauty's DTS-HD 2.0 Master Audio mix delivers a well-restored split-channel presentation true to its era, offering clean dialogue, strong fidelity, and surprising dynamic range, unmarred by age-related issues. Optional English (SDH) subtitles enhance accessibility for the main feature.
Extra: 56
The Blu-ray of "Bathing Beauty" offers an engaging array of extras, including a vintage theatrical trailer, the Oscar-winning Tom and Jerry short "Mouse Trouble," the patriotic film "Main Street Today," the insightful "Private Screenings with Esther Williams," and a convenient song selection menu, ensuring a rich viewer experience.
Movie: 61
An entertaining yet narratively flimsy musical, 'Bathing Beauty' dazzles with Technicolor brilliance and an impressive lineup of musical performances, although its convoluted plot featuring Esther Williams and Red Skelton leaves much to be desired. The Blu-ray's restoration enhances the film's vibrancy and sound.
Video: 91
Warner Archive's Blu-ray release of "Bathing Beauty" presents a meticulously restored version of this Technicolor classic, akin to their recent work on other MGM Technicolor musicals. Using the original negatives, the 1080p transfer effectively captures the film's vibrant hues and intricate details, creating a breathtaking visual experience even on smaller screens. This restoration reinstates the original 1.37:1 theatrical aspect ratio and employs the AVC codec to ensure exceptional clarity and color depth.
The film boasts an impressively sharp and clean image with remarkable textures and naturally preserved film grain. The colors are rich, typical of MGM's signature style, with no signs of misregistration, offering a visually compelling experience. While minimal instances of light posterization and macro blocking are present, they do little to detract from an otherwise near-perfect presentation. With the movie divided into 28 chapters, viewers can enjoy a seamless navigation through this beautifully restored piece of cinematic history.
Audio: 91
The Blu-Ray audio presentation of "Bathing Beauty" is a standout with its DTS-HD 2.0 Master Audio mix, showcasing a nicely restored split-channel presentation derived from the original mono source elements. This audio format delivers clean and crisp dialogue with a surprisingly good dynamic range, establishing a purist-minded effort for enthusiasts. Consistency is key, with each aspect of the mix contributing to a seamless and authentic listening experience that respects the historical context of the film's release.
Attention to era-specific fidelity is evident, as the DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0 mono sound mix effectively preserves the original intent. Notably, the mix boasts strong fidelity without succumbing to age-related imperfections such as hiss, crackle, or pops. Dialogue and song lyrics are conveyed with impressive clarity, while background music and sound effects are skillfully integrated, enhancing the overall auditory experience. The inclusion of optional English (SDH) subtitles during the main feature further caters to a broad audience, though it is important to note they are not available for additional content.
Overall, this audio presentation serves as a testament to a meticulous restoration process that preserves the film's auditory charm while delivering robust contemporary quality.
Extras: 56
The Blu-Ray release of "Bathing Beauty" offers a robust selection of DVD-era extras that enhance the viewing experience. The extras include a well-curated mix of vintage promotional materials and engaging short films. Collectors will appreciate the inclusion of the "Private Screenings with Esther Williams," an insightful 1996 TCM interview conducted by Robert Osborne, which provides personal anecdotes and historical context surrounding Williams' work. The disc also features the Oscar-winning animated short "Mouse Trouble," showcasing Tom and Jerry's timeless antics, and "Main Street Today," an impactful World War II-era short aimed at encouraging public involvement. Additionally, the Song Selection menu allows instant access to 15 key musical moments and performances from the film, enriching the audience's appreciation of its musical heritage.
Extras included in this disc:
- Theatrical Trailer: A vintage promotional piece.
- Mouse Trouble: 1944 Tom & Jerry animated short.
- Main Street Today: A 1944 patriotic short.
- Private Screenings with Esther Williams: Interview by Robert Osborne.
- Song Selection: Access to 15 musical cues.
Movie: 61
Bathing Beauty, directed by George Sidney, is a colorful musical romantic comedy that offers an intriguing blend of slapstick humor, engaging musical performances, and vibrant Technicolor cinematography. It's Esther Williams' first major film as a lead and her swimming skills undeniably shine, especially in the finale's synchronized swimming showpiece designed by John Murray Anderson. However, Williams and co-star Red Skelton, though charming individually, lack chemistry as the central couple. The plot, involving a convoluted mix-up where Williams and Skelton's wedding is interrupted by an actress pretending to be his wife, descends rapidly into a chaotic yet entertaining mess typical of mid-century musicals.
Although the narrative is meager and often takes a backseat, Bathing Beauty compensates with its strong musical offerings. Featuring bands at their peak like Xavier Cugat's Orchestra and Harry James, plus performances by the talented organist Ethel Smith, the film is an exuberant auditory experience. Red Skelton stands out with his energetic pantomime routines and comedic ballet antics, providing substantial comic relief. Meanwhile, Williams conveys her star power through vivid Technicolor appearances, ensuring her subsequent MGM swimming musicals’ popularity.
This Warner Archive Blu-ray edition captures Bathing Beauty's technical marvels vividly, showcasing its sparkling visuals and crisp sound with high-quality restoration efforts. Despite the shallow plot akin to later musical comedies starring outside talents, the film's engaging performances and musical numbers make it a worthwhile watch for genre enthusiasts. For fans of Golden Age musicals or the allure of mid-20th-century Technicolor films, Bathing Beauty is a glittering piece of cinematic confectionery that thrives on charm rather than narrative substance.
Total: 81
"Bathing Beauty" on Blu-ray delivers a vibrant Technicolor spectacle that effectively captures the essence of Esther Williams' initial foray into musicals. Though the storyline offers limited depth, the film compensates with visually stunning scenes and engaging musical numbers. Williams' charm and dynamic performances shine, contributing to the film's lasting appeal. The Blu-ray release meticulously restores the film's vivid color palette and sound quality, showcasing Warner Archive's commitment to high-definition excellence. This release provides an immersive viewing experience, particularly for audiences appreciative of classic cinema and musical performances.
Warner Archive enriches this Blu-ray edition with bonus features, reminiscent of its DVD predecessor but enhanced with contemporary upgrades. These extras offer insightful context and value, making it a worthwhile addition for collectors and enthusiasts of vintage films. The seamless combination of audio-visual quality and special features highlights Warner's dedication to preserving cinematic history in a format that does justice to the original production. Such enhancements elevate the viewing experience, making "Bathing Beauty" a notable example of Warner Archive's proficient handling of classic film releases.
In summary, while "Bathing Beauty" might hold niche appeal due to its simple narrative, its visual and musical appeal is undeniably captivating in this Blu-ray edition. The superior restoration quality and thoughtfully curated extras ensure this release stands out among similar catalog offerings. Fans of Esther Williams and the broader audience with an appreciation for Technicolor artistry will find this release particularly rewarding. "Bathing Beauty" on Blu-ray comes highly recommended not just as a nostalgic trip but as a testament to the era's cinematic flair and Warner Archive's exceptional restoration capabilities.
Blu-ray.com review by Randy Miller IIIRead review here
Video: 90
Bathing Beauty follows suit as seen by the direct-from-disc screenshots included here; this 1080p transfer is exceedingly clean and crisp with great textures and plenty of natural film grain, while only...
Audio: 90
At the risk of repeating myself again, all four linked films above provide a pretty accurate synopsis of what to expect here: clean and crisp dialogue, surprisingly good dynamic range on the whole, and...
Extras: 60
Mouse Trouble (7:09) - Last released as part of the Tom and Jerry Golden Collection, this 1944 Oscar-winning short is as entertaining as ever and follows Tom's attempts to catch Jerry using a new book....
Movie: 60
In the same way that Bathing Beauty caters to Esther Williams' most obvious strengths, so too does Warner Archive's Blu-ray support the film's technical highlights: the sights and sounds, which have likely...
Total: 70
This being her first appearance in a musical, you can also add "catchy performances" to that truncated list of highlights, but in any case Bathing Beauty is a decent enough genre effort that should appeal...
Home Theater Forum review by Matt HoughRead review here
Video: 100
There’s not a hint of any misregistration issues, and the hues are all lush and luscious in the best MGM style....
Audio: 100
The DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0 mono sound mix is wonderfully true to the era with very strong fidelity and no problems with age-related hiss, crackle, pops, or flutter....
Extras: 60
Theatrical Trailer (2:34, SD) Mouse Trouble (7:28, HD): 1944 Tom & Jerry animated short Main Street Today (19:52, SD): 1944 two-reel short with Henry O’Neill and Ray Collins Private Screenings (49:43,...
Movie: 70
As entertainment packages go, George Sidney’s Bathing Beauty is fairly bursting with goodies: two big bands at the peak of their powers, three renowned vocalists, an organ virtuoso, slapstick comedy and...
Total: 70
Though Esther Williams herself was not a fan of her work in the finished product, Bathing Beauty did indeed make her a star, and her appeal is easy to grasp in this Technicolor extravaganza of sight and...
Director: George Sidney
Actors: Red Skelton, Esther Williams, Basil Rathbone
PlotSteve Elliott, a songwriter, deeply in love with his fiancée Caroline Brooks, plans to marry her and move to California. Caroline is a professor at a prestigious women's college, where she teaches swimming. However, a wily impresario, George Adams, disrupts their nuptials by planting suspicion in Caroline’s heart, making her believe Steve is involved with another woman. Heartbroken, Caroline calls off the wedding and returns to the college. Determined to win Caroline back, Steve enrolls in the all-girls institution under false pretenses to prove his devotion and clear up the misunderstanding. Once inside, Steve has to navigate through the comedic challenges of male life within a female college, maintaining his cover while trying not to attract attention from the teachers and students.
As Steve hilariously attempts to become part of this all-female world, he uses elaborate schemes to get closer to Caroline without revealing his true identity. His antics cause a series of uproarious situations where he gets involved in dance classes, swim meets, and other unexpected activities all while dodging the school's suspicious faculty. Meanwhile, George continues his devious plotting to keep them apart, putting Steve in even more awkward situations. Determined to prove his innocence and win back his fiancée, Steve must rely on his quick wit and charm to overcome every obstacle in his path. As tension builds with slapstick humor and musical numbers sprinkled throughout, Steve strives tirelessly to reconcile with Caroline before it’s too late.
Writers: Kenneth Earl, M.M. Musselman, Curtis Kenyon
Release Date: 01 Jul 1944
Runtime: 101 min
Rating: Passed
Country: United States
Language: English, Spanish, French