“If you had it to do all over again, would you have married me?” Yes, gentlemen, there is a right answer. That’s something David Smith learns the hard way when his bubbly and beautiful wife Ann queries him over breakfast. Also right are radiant Carole Lombard and easygoing Robert Montgomery as the stars of this breezy Alfred Hitchcock comedy. For three years, the Smiths have been blissed but battling. When a technicality voids their union, Mr. misses Mrs., orbiting the tale into the delightful confection of the screwball genre. From a script by Academy Award® winner Norman Krasna, Hitchcock made his change-of-pace foray into the all-out humor memorable. “Here again are his unmistakable touches” Look Magazine declared. “The net effect is the same, too: another Alfred Hitchcock hit.”

For thoughts on Mr. & Mrs. Smith (1941), please check out my thoughts on No Streaming Required:

Video Quality

Warner Archive debuts the long-requested Mr. & Mrs. Smith with a fabulous 1080p transfer sourced from a new 4K restoration of the best preservation elements. This title has had a long journey to this disc as it was reported numerous times how poor the surviving elements were to even embark on a restoration. While we are well aware that the Original Camera Negative was not available for much of this process, fans will rejoice when they see what a miracle they performed when it came to the elements available. There are fleeting moments when you will spot the dip in quality, but the consistency among the elements is astounding.

The black-and-white photography from Harry Stradling Sr. maintains a sumptuous amount of natural film grain that resolves like a champ. Even in potentially problematic scenarios like a steam room the grain field barrels along with great confidence. Compression artifacts and other digital peccadillos are nowhere to be found. The transfer is a beauty with no excessive signs of wear and tear or dirt specks. Both the city setting in the beginning and the wintery cabin in the third act provide complex textures and clarity throughout the narrative. Black levels are deep with enviable stability throughout, and the highlights hold steady. Warner Archive has treated the missing piece of Alfred Hitchcock’s filmography with great care.

Audio Quality

The Blu-Ray comes with a restored DTS-HD 2.0 Master Audio track that shows a similar level of care as the video restoration. With this being a screwball comedy, you need every word to land with unwavering clarity, and this track makes it happen. Dialogue and background texture flow out with ideal accuracy along with a buoyant score from Edward Ward. The clean-up has eliminated all serious instances of deficiencies in the track such as humming, popping, and dropouts. This track presents every unique element with firm fidelity. Rapid-fire exchanges come through clearly without being overshadowed by other elements. The audio presentation stands tall in quality. Optional English (SDH) subtitles are included in the feature film.

Special Features

Mr. Hitchcock Meets The Smiths: A 16-minute archival featurette in which various historians, filmmakers, and members of the Hitchcock family discuss how this film fits into the Hitchcock legacy, the career of Carole Lombard, how Hitchcock worked with his performers, and more.

Classic Cartoons

- Holiday Highlights: The nearly eight-minute Merrie Melodies short is provided here in HD which humorously takes you through the calendar to highlight the holidays.

- Stage Fright: The seven-minute Merrie Melodies short is provided here in HD which finds two puppies getting more than they bargained for when they wander into a theater with colorful inhabitants.

- Cinderella’s Feller: A 20-minute Technicolor short is provided that has children acting out the classic tale.

Audio Only

- Lux Radio Theater Broadcast: An hour-long radio version of the story is provided with the talents of Carole Lombard and Bob Hope.

- Screen Guild Radio Broadcast: A 30-minute radio version of the story is provided with the talents of Errol Flynn and Lana Turner.

Trailer: The minute-long trailer is provided here.

Final Thoughts

Mr. & Mrs. Smith is nowhere near the best of director Alfred Hitchcock, but when you are one of the best to ever do it, you have to adjust your expectations of what that means. The filmmaker may not be playing in his usual genre, but he guides the film along confidently. The performances are very good, especially a very charming turn from Carole Lombard. We just wish the script ignited a bit more passion between the two main characters, as we were left actively rooting for them to stay apart. It is frustrating in some respects, but we admire it more than we don’t. Warner Archive has released a Blu-Ray that features a stellar A/V presentation and some excellent special features. If you have been anxiously awaiting this one, you won’t be disappointed. Recommended

Mr. & Mrs. Smith 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.