Synopsis
Cary Grant plays Noah Praetorius, a doctor so deeply humane he puts us all to shame. Hugelypopular at the University where he teaches, he inspires the jealousy of the petty Hume Cronyn,who launches an investigation into his past, hoping to bring Grant down. At the same time, Grantfalls in love with a pregnant, unmarried woman. Her condition is a big deal in 1951 — hersituation is such that early in the film she tries to kill herself.
Attempted suicide, McCar…hy-style witch hunts, intolerance, dark secrets from the past: notthe elements, you might well think, of your standard romantic comedy. But the guiding hand herebelongs to Joseph L. Mankiewicz, who gave us All About Eve. The script is extremelytalky, but the dialogue is also extremely witty, and the film is funny, even as it takes verypointed shots at they hypocrisies of 1950s America.
Audio
The sound comes in both mono and 2.0 stereo, and there is, frankly, not a lot of differencebetween the two. There is virtually no surround with the stereo, barring a few faint momentswhen music is playing. This is, actually, a good thing, since the most frequent result withremixes is massively inappropriate surround oddities. The sound is clean and clear with nodistortion.
Video
The print is in very fine shape. There is a some grain visible, more so in some shots thanothers, but there is no speckling, and virtually no print damage. The black-and-white tones aresuperb, the image is sharp, and the blacks are excellent. The layer transition is awkwardly timed,but generally this is a good, solid transfer.
Special Features
The same is the other new Cary Grant releases: the theatrical trailer, the teaser, a behind-the-scenes still gallery, and trailers for An Affair to Remember, I Was a Male WarBride, Monkey Business, and Kiss Them For Me. The menu is basic.
Closing Thoughts
Rarely has more improbable subject matter resulted in a more delightful comedy. Highlyrecommended.
Special Features List
- Theatrical Trailers
- Theatrical Teaser
- Still Gallery
