Rock Hudson, Piper Laurie, Charles Coburn and Gigi Perreau star in Has Anybody Seen My Gal?, the charming musical comedy about second chances from legendary director Douglas Sirk (All That Heaven Allows, There’s Always Tomorrow, The Tarnished Angels). The year is 1928. When elderly millionaire Samuel Fulton (Coburn) reflects on his life and the love that got away, he decides to bequeath his fortune to his late beloved’s existing family—if they’re worthy, of course. Disguising himself as a poor lodger, he takes up residence with the middle-class Blaisdells to see how they react to receiving a small portion of the funds. Money soon leads to mayhem, but even Samuel finds redemption in their foolish choices in this endearing comic romp. The toe-tapping tunes of the Twenties include “Tiger Rag,” “When the Red, Red Robin Comes Bob, Bob, Bobbin’ Along,” “It Ain’t Gonna Rain No More,” and “Gimme a Little Kiss, Will Ya, Huh?” And featuring an uncredited James Dean as a soda fountain patron. It’s the cat’s meow—in Technicolor!
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[youtube https://youtu.be/yU3bl8Lufgs?si=2Uc5uNooo4Wo4iTn&t=1874]
Video Quality
Kino Classics presents Has Anybody Seen My Gal? with a strong HD upgrade in the form of a new 1080p transfer in 1.37:1 sourced from a new 2K scan of the 35mm Interpositive which looks very good. The film features very little in the way of damage or dirt, but there are intermittent specks throughout and fleeting fluctuations in density. The film delivers a sumptuous Technicolor presentation with bold splashes within the costumes and elements of the production design that make an impression with admirable saturation.
Skin tones appear natural, and the presentation offers up some pretty deep black levels that never veer into crush. The increase in fine detail is readily apparent with distinct facets showing up. There does not appear to have been any digital manipulation of the source. The transfer provides nice, natural film grain absent of any compression artifacts or other such digital anomalies. Kino Classics has treated this one with respect.
Audio Quality
The Blu-Ray comes with a swell DTS-HD 2.0 Master Audio track which represents the film admirably throughout. The environmental elements such as the soda shop sounds and the chatter of party guests come through well. All of the sound effects and the music appear to be faithful to the original intentions. Dialogue comes through clearly without any trace of sibilance, and it remains in pleasing harmony with all competing elements.
This disc retains a healthy sense of fidelity that is appreciated during the more bustling moments. The vibrancy and clarity of the soundtrack enhance the narrative nicely. Despite the strength of this element, nothing ever overshadows the dialogue or other important information. This track shows no major instances of age-related wear and tear such as hissing, drop-outs, or popping. There are optional English (SDH) subtitles included for the feature film.
Special Features
- Audio Commentary: Actress Piper Laurie provides an entertaining commentary track moderated by Film Critic/Historian Lee Gambin in which she discusses her early work at Universal, her memories of the production, the “naughty man” Charles Coburn, her dissatisfaction with the types of roles she was being offered at the time, and much more that proves to be an invaluable piece from the late actress.
- Fun On The Lot – Piper Laurie and Gigi Perreau Remember Has Anybody Seen My Gal: A nearly 31-minute piece from 2008 in which the two actresses reminisce on the production of the film, their careers, their relationship with the rest of the ensemble, and more.
- Trailers: There is a two-and-a-half-minute trailer provided for Has Anybody Seen My Gal. There are also trailers provided for Son of Ali Baba, The Mississippi Gambler, The Golden Blade, Come September, Man’s Favorite Sport?, Taza Son of Cochise, The Tarnished Angels, Battle Hymn, All I Desire, Thunder On The Hill, and There’s Always Tomorrow.
Final Thoughts
Has Anybody Seen My Gal? is a very enjoyable musical comedy that shows the pitfalls that come with extreme wealth and what should be valued most in this life. The comedy is all very safe but amusing for the time. The performances all hold up well and there is not too much that has aged particularly poorly. If you typically like the work of Douglas Sirk, this fits comfortably within his filmography. Kino Classics has provided a new Blu-Ray featuring a strong A/V presentation and a couple of nice special features. If you are a fan of the performers or the genre, this is a fine viewing experience. Recommended
Has Anybody Seen My Gal? will be available to purchase on Blu-Ray on January 9, 2024.
Note: Images presented in this review are not reflective of the image quality of the Blu-Ray.
Disclaimer: Kino Classics 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.
