The Awful Truth Blu-ray Review

Presented in its original aspect ratio of 1.37:1, "The Awful Truth" on Blu-ray is encoded with MPEG-4 AVC and boasts a 1080p transfer that highlights the care put into its restoration. Derived from a 4K restoration undertaken by Sony Pictures Entertainment utilizing a nitrate duplicate negative and additional archival nitrate prints, the new digital master is impressive. The transfer, managed by Rita Belda and color graded by Sheri Eisenberg, exhibits exceptional image stability and consistent density, indicative of the high-quality restorations Criterion is known for.

The 4K restoration ensures a visually pleasing presentation, with expertly graded blacks, whites, and a varied range of gray nuances that significantly enhance the viewing experience. The film's grain has been beautifully resolved and presented uniformly, further maintaining its cinematic texture. While clarity and sharpness are not outstanding due to the generational distance from the original camera negative, the overall film-like quality remains intact. Minor density fluctuations are scarcely noticeable and primarily appear at transitions, making the restored version a substantial improvement over previous releases.

In summary, "The Awful Truth" in its latest Blu-ray release from Criterion is a testament to the meticulous restoration efforts. This presentation stands out with its stability, near absence of wear, and significant visual upgrades from earlier versions, thereby offering an engaging and authentic viewing experience for classic film aficionados.

The Blu-ray release of "The Awful Truth" features an English LPCM 1.0 audio track, which has undergone a full restoration, resulting in an exemplary auditory experience given the film's vintage. The restoration eliminates virtually all age-related imperfections, contributing to excellent stability, clarity, and depth. While there is one instance of mild unevenness during a club dance scene featuring Cary Grant and Joyce Compton, it is minor and does not detract from the overall quality. Significantly, there are no audio dropouts or digital distortions detected, ensuring a seamless listening experience.

The use of uncompressed PCM format for the 1.0 mono track marks a notable improvement over the DVD counterpart, delivering an even and balanced soundstage. This is particularly important in a screwball comedy like "The Awful Truth," where the sharp, witty dialogue is integral to the film’s charm and effectiveness. Despite the film's improvisatory nature during production, the dialogue remains well-recorded and intelligible throughout. A slight, underlying hiss is occasionally present, but it is subtle and unlikely to distract most listeners. Optional English SDH subtitles are also available for added accessibility.

The Blu-ray extras for "The Awful Truth" present a comprehensive and engaging exploration of the film and its key players. Highlights include a solid Lux Radio Theatre adaptation starring Cary Grant and Claudette Colbert, giving listeners a nostalgic audio experience from 1939. David Cairns' video essay, while occasionally factually imprecise, insightfully examines Cary Grant's career and his collaboration with director Leo McCarey. Gary Giddins provides a more accurate but slightly flawed analysis of McCarey's directing style and the evolution of comedy post-WWII. An archival interview with Irene Dunne sheds light on the improvisational methods used during the filming process, even if the audio quality is subpar. Additionally, an 18-page booklet written by critic Molly Haskell offers well-researched commentary on McCarey's work, despite some polarizing views.

Extras included in this disc:

• Lux Radio Theatre: A radio adaptation of "The Awful Truth," featuring Cary Grant and Claudette Colbert.
• Tell Me Lies About Cary Grant: A video essay by David Cairns discussing Cary Grant's Hollywood image and career.
• Gary Giddins: An interview with Gary Giddins about Leo McCarey’s directing methods and the comedy genre in Hollywood post-WWII.
• Irene Dunne: An archival audio interview from 1978 on working with Leo McCarey and Cary Grant.
• Booklet: An 18-page illustrated booklet featuring an essay by critic Molly Haskell.

Leo McCarey's "The Awful Truth" stands as a hallmark in the annals of screwball comedy, and its arrival on Blu-ray courtesy of Criterion offers audiences a pristine revisit to this gem from 1937. This quintessential piece won McCarey the Oscar for Best Director, a testament to its finely-tuned direction and spontaneous yet sharp improvisational performances. The plot unfolds around Lucy (Irene Dunne) and Jerry (Cary Grant), whose seemingly harmonious open marriage is abruptly clouded by mutual suspicions of infidelity. What follows is a delightful dance of romantic misadventures as the couple, through a mix of cunning and charm, attempt to outdo one another post-divorce. Their respective dalliances with Dan Leeson (Ralph Bellamy) and Dixie Belle Lee (Joyce Compton) add layers of hilarious complexity to their tale.

The impeccability of the film's composition extends beyond its script, showcasing a high level of technical finesse. The cinematography by Joseph Walker, known for classics like "It Happened One Night" and "His Girl Friday," captures the sophisticated chaos with timeless elegance. Special mention should be made of both Dunne and Grant, whose chemistry injects vibrancy and humanity into their characters, balancing larger-than-life absurdities with relatable sincerity. Grant's performance here serves as a pivotal transformation in his career, marking the evolution from charming youthful roles to the definitive "Cary Grant" persona that would dominate Hollywood.

Supporting performances are equally noteworthy, particularly Bellamy’s portrayal of Dan Leeson, which adds an endearing yet oblivious quality to Lucy’s misguided attempts at moving on. Historical context enhances appreciation for the film; McCarey's adept ability to bring out naturalistic humor from improvisation is evident throughout, while the synchronization of scripted elements and spontaneous brilliance bolsters its legacy. The meticulous craftsmanship, from direction to acting and cinematography, renders "The Awful Truth" not only a critically acclaimed work but also a timeless testament to Hollywood's golden age of sophisticated comedy.

Leo McCarey's "The Awful Truth" holds a special place in the pantheon of classic screwball comedies, offering a sharp, witty exploration of gender dynamics through a delightful narrative and pitch-perfect performances. This 4K restoration, now available on Blu-ray, does great justice to the film's visual and audio quality. Although the loss of the original camera negative prevents it from reaching the pristine clarity sometimes seen in other restorations like "Mr. Smith Goes to Washington," it still marks a significant enhancement over previous home video versions.

Cary Grant and Irene Dunne deliver some of their finest performances, their chemistry magnified by McCarey's loose and lively direction that prevents the film from dragging at any point. The restoration presents the film in striking detail, making it a must-have for fans of classic cinema and Criterion’s discerning audience. However, it's worth noting that the accompanying extras, while generally engaging, suffer from occasional factual inaccuracies. These minor issues aside, the collection considerably enriches the viewing experience.

The battles that the two sexes are frequently fighting in can be very entertaining to behold, but there has to be a director that can see clearly the flaws on both sides and know how to ridicule them in ways that can engage viewers rather than bore them to tears. Leo McCarey was that kind of skilled director, and it is the reason why all of his comedies remain enormously entertaining and in many ways also surprisingly relevant today. "The Awful Truth," one of McCarey's best films, has been recently restored in 4K and looks rather striking on Blu-ray. I have to say that even though there have been a lot of great Criterion releases lately, this one feels a bit more special than the rest because the film is one of my all-time favorites. VERY HIGHLY RECOMMENDED.