Tension boils over in a rural Southern community when the tough, idealistic Hank Martin (James Cagney) backs a group of sharecroppers against their corrupt boss, Robert Castleberry (Larry Keating), who has been taking advantage of them. The two sides come to blows, and one of Martin’s friends, Jeb (John McIntire), is arrested for murder and must stand trial. Meanwhile, a gangster, Guy Polli (Onslow Stevens), sees the hunger in Martin and makes it possible for him to rise in politics.
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Video Quality
Warner Archive presents A Lion Is In The Streets with a truly great new 1080p transfer sourced from a new restoration of the original negatives. It does not take long for you to appreciate the striking nature of the picture quality, as this stands out as another first-rate presentation from one of the best labels in the game. The film appears to be free of damage with no perceived instances of damage or dirt making an appearance.
This transfer offers up so much detail and clarity in every frame with the perfect amount of natural film grain intact. The film features some stunning Technicolor hues within the clothing and production design that leap off the screen. Black levels are deep with great stability throughout. Compression artifacts, banding and other such anomalies do not show up in this transfer. Warner Archive continues to please with every release.
Audio Quality
The Blu-Ray comes with a restored DTS-HD 2.0 Master Audio track that holds up really well. Dialogue and background noises are rendered accurately along with the formidable score from Franz Waxman. The restoration has eliminated pretty much all instances of wear and tear to the track such as hissing and popping. Dialogue always comes through clearly without being overshadowed by other elements. The more lively moments such as Hank talking to large crowds are handled with ease and give the track a bit of life. This track makes sure everything comes through with perfect fidelity. Warner Archive has provided a great audio presentation. There are optional English (SDH) subtitles included for the feature film.
Special Features
- Duck!, Rabbit, Duck!: The seven-minute Looney Tunes short is provided here in HD which finds Bugs and Daffy exploring their classic dynamic of wanting to get each other shot by Elmer Fudd.
- Theatrical Trailer: The three-minute trailer is provided here.
Final Thoughts
A Lion Is In The Streets is an engrossing look at the ways in which power corrupts even the most noble endeavors. James Cagney is in a bombastic mode which suits this personality that is supposed to be gregarious. The performance is memorable if not slightly overblown, but the supporting ensemble complement him quite well. The script is a little rickety in a few spots, but overall the film works more than it doesn’t. Warner Archive has released a Blu-Ray that features a terrific A/V presentation and a fun supplemental short. If you are a Cagney fan, you should consider this a fine addition to your collection. Recommended
A Lion Is In The Streets can be purchased directly through MovieZyng or through various other online retailers.
Note: Images presented in this review are not reflective of the image quality of the Blu-Ray.
Disclaimer: Warner Archive has supplied a copy of this disc free of charge for review purposes. All opinions in this review are the honest reactions of the author.
Dillon is most comfortable sitting around in a theatre all day watching both big budget and independent movies.
