“BRAVO” say critics about an entertainer’s tell-all memoir chronicling her days in the cabaret act Barry Nichols and Les Girls. “Libel!” cries another of Les Girls, setting in motion a talons- and fact-baring litigation that proves Les Girls will be girls and that Cole Porter movie musicals will always sparkle. Gene Kelly plays Nichols, and Mitzi Gaynor, Golden Globe Best Actress winner Kay Kendall and Taina Elg are the femmes in this George Cukor-directed romp that won a Best Costume Design Oscar * and another Golden Globe for Best Comedy/Musical. Among the highlights: a ribald “Ladies in Waiting” and a hepcat parody of The Wild One called “Why Am I So Gone About That Gal?” You’ll be so gone about Les Girls.

For thoughts on Les Girls, please check out our discussion on The Video Attic:

[youtube https://youtu.be/f5Hoen8ZPYE?t=863]

Video Quality

Warner Archive presents Les Girls with a pretty impressive 1080p master transfer sourced from a 2K scan of an Interpositive. The film was shot using Eastmancolor, which has often proved to bring up more issues than normal when it comes to restorations, but the label was able to find a well preserved source that had not experienced some of the color deterioration found in other sources. This was an earlier effort from Warner Archive, so technology has only evolved in the intervening years, but this disc holds up as a truly sumptuous effort for material that deserves such care and consideration.

Detail and clarity is readily apparent with the appropriate amount of natural film grain intact. The film features some stunning colors within the costumes and set design that pop off the screen with a notable intensity. Black levels are deep, and highlights maintain a great stability throughout. The film appears to be almost entirely free of dirt and damage, and there does not appear to be any digital anomalies such as compression artifacts, banding or any other such nuisances. Warner Archive has delivered really good work here.

Audio Quality

The Blu-Ray comes with a DTS-HD 5.1 Master Audio track that represents this material very well. With music being one of the driving forces of the film, it is a joy to experience this track which executes these elements beautifully. The surround sound presentation allows the musical numbers to feel as grandiose as they should. Exchanges of dialogue come through crisp and clear from beginning to end. The track balances vocals with the environmental nuances and the accompanying music with tremendous clarity. No matter how many elements are at play, this audio experience maintains its fidelity very well. Warner Archive has provided a really good audio track that does not exhibit any glaring signs of age-related wear-and-tear. The disc also comes with optional English (SDH) subtitles.

Special Features

Cole Porter In Hollywood – Ca C’est L’amour: A nine-minute piece in which actress Taina Elg reflects on the final Cole Porter musical, how this film functioned as her big break, memories of her co-stars and more.

The Flea Circus: A seven-minute Tex Avery cartoon is provided here in standard definition in which some fleas run away to have fun on a dog.

Theatrical Trailer: The two-and-a-half minute trailer is provided here.

Final Thoughts

Les Girls is a light and funny musical comedy which does not rise to the top of the genre, but provides ample entertainment all the same. The film is filled with catchy songs that are lifted up by dazzling productions. The plot is actually structured in a more interesting manner than normal as it engages in the shifting perspectives in amusing ways. Gene Kelly is the marquee name, and he does a fine job, but the trio of women at the center of the story truly steal the show away from him. Warner Archive has released a Blu-Ray with an admirable A/V presentation and a small array of special features. Any fan of musical comedies should find this to be fine entertainment. Recommended

Les Girls 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.