Hapless nightclub hatcheck boy Red Skelton loves glamorous chanteuse Lucille Ball. Handsome hoofer Gene Kelly loves her too. And Lucy? Lucy loves money. Then Red mistakenly gulps down a Mickey Finn and dreams he’s in 18th-century France. Before you can powder your wig, a throng of suitors — Red, Gene, King Louis XV, a dashing rebel, a sinister duke and just about everybody — loves Lucy!
This glittery, tune-filled bonbon features a supporting cast of wags and wits (including the inimitable Zero Mostel) and three Cole Porter songs from the original Broadway smash: “Friendship,” “Katie Went to Haiti” and “Do I Love You?” Cherchez la Lucy for comedy, music and star power from Hollywood’s golden era.
For thoughts on Du Barry Was A Lady, please check out our discussion on The Video Attic:
[youtube https://youtu.be/l1PXBES-HHw?t=1727]
Video Quality
Warner Archive presents Du Barry Was A Lady with a stupendous new 1080p master transfer sourced from a 4K scan of each of the three Technicolor Negatives, each cleaned separately and recombined with precision alignment. Warner Archive excels when it comes to their Technicolor transfers, and this transfer shows off in all of the best ways. The film features some resplendent colors within the costumes and set design that knock you sideways. Black levels maintain their depth with tremendous stability throughout. The transfer showcases unparalleled detail and clarity that will leave you agog thanks to the natural film grain that remains intact. The film is entirely free of dirt and damage, achieving the high level of quality you expect from the company. There does not appear to be any unwanted digital anomalies such as compression artifacts, banding or any other such nuisances. Warner Archive has delivered another top shelf transfer.
Audio Quality
Warner Archive has provided a DTS-HD 2.0 Master Audio presentation that has been restored, and the results are a wonder. Dialogue is the spotlight of this film, and it comes through clearly without any notable moments of instability. Music is the next most important element, and everything sounds bright and charming with ideal fidelity. The score complements the material admirably, and it comes through without issue The bustling moments alway remain stable and distinct. Warner Archive has provided a great audio presentation that does not exhibit any unacceptable instances of age-related wear-and-tear. The disc also comes with optional English (SDH) subtitles.
Special Features
- Bah, Wilderness: A seven-minute Barney Bear animated short is provided here in which Barney becomes a bit overwhelmed by all that nature has to offer on his camping trip.
- Original Theatrical Trailer: The two-minute trailer is provided here.
Final Thoughts
Du Barry Was A Lady is not a high point for anyone involved, but it proves to be a charming diversion filled with some amusing exchanges and catchy tunes. There are several elements of the plot which have not aged gracefully, and even more that were a bit vexing to start with. Yet, the performers help this one remain appealing for most of its runtime, even if we could have used more Lucille Ball and Gene Kelly. Warner Archive has released a Blu-Ray featuring a fabulous A/V presentation and a brief selection of special features. If you are a fan of any of the talent involved or romantic musical comedies in general, you will get something out of this release. Recommended
Du Barry Was A Lady 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.
