Adventure and intrigue await all ye who venture into the small and sinister village of Moonfleet on the windswept moors of Dorsetshire. Particularly as directed by master-of-menace Fritz Lang, this colorful tale of a young boy’s experiences among some really bad companions enthralls in the tradition of Kidnapped and Treasure Island.

Here, young John Mohune (Jon Whiteley) arrives at his ancestral estate, now owned by the dashing, and mysterious Jeremy Fox (Stewart Granger). Out of love for the boy’s mother, but against his better judgment, Fox grudgingly allows John to stay. He soon becomes attached to the boy, but his devotion is tested when John discovers a hidden smugglers’ lair beneath the village graveyard and learns a shocking secret that could cost both him and Fox their lives.

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Video Quality

Warner Archive presents Moonfleet with a lush 1080p master transfer released in 2019 in its original 2.55:1 Cinemascope aspect ratio sourced from a 2K scan of the Interpositive. Even when not going back to the original camera negative, the label delivers transfers that are the cream of the crop. Detail and clarity are first rate with the vital natural film grain intact and resolved consistently. The film exhibits no notable signs of wear and tear or debris. There are no unwanted digital nuisances such as compression artifacts, banding, or any other such issues. The colors of the environments are not especially vibrant due to the relatively dreary setting, but each and every hue renders with the proper complexity. Black levels are deep with ideal stability throughout. Warner Archive always put their best foot forward.

Audio Quality

The Blu-Ray comes with a DTS-HD 2.0 Master Audio track that holds up every bit as well as you would hope. There is some lively banter between the comrades that avoids being clipped so every exchange comes through crisp and clear. In the more bustling moments, events wake up your speakers for some texture. Nothing important such as dialogue or environmental effects lose their prominence. The score from Miklós Rózsa sets the mood of the story effortlessly. There is no standout age-related wear and tear to the track such as drop-outs, hissing, or popping. The Warner Archive is a gift for classic film fans. Optional English (SDH) subtitles are included for the feature film.

Special Features

Theatrical Trailer (3:05)

Final Thoughts

Moonfleet is an entertaining albeit unusual adventure nestled in the filmography of the great Fritz Lang. Stewart Granger commands the screen with the expected gravitas for which he is known, and the remaining members of the ensemble do well enough in their somewhat indistinct roles. The narrative is a bit inconsistently executed, but it offers enough thrills to make it a rousing viewing experience. Warner Archive has released Blu-Ray featuring an ideal A/V presentation but nearly nothing in the way of special features. Recommended

Moonfleet 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.