‘Devil’s Doorway’ Blu-Ray Review – Anthony Mann Attempts A Progressive Western Tale

Shoshone tribesman and Civil War hero Lance Poole (Robert Taylor) returns home with a Congressional Medal of Honor on his chest and a saddlebag full of dreams about prospering as a cattleman on his family’s land. But Native Americans have no citizenship, no property rights. The courts, despite the efforts of Lane’s attorney (Paula Raymond) offer no remedy. Lance and his people must fight to keep their land. Devil’s Doorway, the first of the several groundbreaking Westerns by master auteur filmmaker Anthony Mann (The Naked Spur) is one of the earliest films sympathetic to the plight of Native Americans, standing alongside the same year’s Broken Arrow. Perhaps not coincidentally, Lane Poole’s tribal name is Broken Lance.

For thoughts on Devil’s Doorway, please check out my thoughts on No Streaming Required: 

Video Quality

Warner Archive presents Devil’s Doorway with a very nice 1080p transfer sourced from a new 4K restoration of the best preservation elements. The Original Camera Negative was unfortunately lost in the notorious George Eastman House fire in 1978, so the label had to use a second-generation safety Fine Grain master positive that had luckily been preserved for the restoration. Even when the company is not working from the OCN, it typically exceeds the efforts of many competing labels. You can be sure the audience is viewing the best possible image with no jarring transitions from one source to another. There are some softer shots, but the transfer is stunning with no worrisome signs of wear and tear or dirt specks. 

The film shines thanks to the sparkling black-and-white photography from the legendary John Alton which delivers the ideal amount of natural film grain. The sprawling desert landscapes provide desirable texture and clarity throughout the narrative. Black levels are rich with great stability throughout, and the contrast holds tight with nothing appearing overly hot. There is nothing that ever feels strained when it comes to this picture. Compression artifacts, banding, and other such nuisances do not surface as an issue. Warner Archive is second to none in the restoration department. 

Audio Quality

The Blu-Ray comes with a restored DTS-HD 2.0 Master Audio track that captures the story remarkably well. This track allows every distinct element to prosper with firm fidelity. The more lively moments such as gunfire and yelling are handled carefully as they give the track some substance. Dialogue and background texture are rendered with vital accuracy along with a memorable score. Exchanges always come through crisp and clear without being usurped by other elements. The restoration has eliminated nearly all instances of disruption to the track such as popping, hissing, and dropouts. We do not expect anything less than a first-rate audio presentation from Warner Archive. There are optional English (SDH) subtitles included for the feature film.

Special Features

• The Chump Champ: The seven-minute Droopy animated short is provided here in HD which finds Droopy and Spike participating in a series of athletic events which Spike tries to win by duplicitous means.  

• Cue Ball Cat: The seven-minute Tom and Jerry short is provided here in HD which finds Tom trying to play some pool while Jerry causes him some difficulty. 

• Original Theatrical Trailer: The two-minute trailer is provided here. 

Final Thoughts

Devil’s Doorway is not the pinnacle of director Anthony Mann’s career, but when you have directed so many classics, that does not mean your lesser work is worth skipping. There are some majorly dated elements that some will not be able to overlook, but the film has its heart in the right place in terms of wanting to give Native Americans the respect they deserve. The film is shot well and edited to keep you fully engaged from beginning to end. Warner Archive has released a Blu-Ray that features a fetching A/V presentation and some fun shorts. If you are a fan of Anthony Mann, you will value this release. Recommended 

Devil’s Doorway can be purchased directly through MovieZyng or 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.