Aquatic dancer Eve Barrett (Esther Williams), now partnered with Joe Backett (Keenan Wynn) in a swimsuit design company, tries to prevent her sister, Betty (Betty Garrett), from falling in love with Jose O’Rourke (Ricardo Montalban), a suave South American polo player. Unbeknownst to Eve, Betty has actually fallen for Jack Spratt (Red Skelton), a masseuse who is posing as Jose. To protect her sister, Eve finds the real Jose, agrees to a date and also falls in love.
For thoughts on Neptune’s Daughter, please check out our discussion on The Video Attic:
[youtube https://youtu.be/29CHE2dwxcA?t=2455]
Video Quality
Warner Archive presents Neptune’s Daughter with a drop dead gorgeous new 1080p master transfer sourced from a 4K scan of the nitrate Technicolor negatives which were recombined for perfect alignment. Warner Archive rarely misses with their transfers, but this one ranks among the best I have ever seen from the label. The level of detail and clarity is jaw-dropping with the appropriate amount of natural film grain intact. The film appears to be entirely free of dirt and damage, which makes the feature feel like it could have been made in modern times.
The film features some wondrous colors within the costumes and set design that pop off the screen with a notable intensity. The black levels are also very deep with a great stability throughout. There does not appear to be any digital anomalies such as compression artifacts, banding or any other such nuisances. This presentation is a top tier effort from Warner Archive on all fronts.
Audio Quality
The Blu-Ray comes with a newly restored DTS-HD 2.0 Master Audio track that is incredibly strong. With music being one of the driving forces of the film, it is with great excitement we report that the track nails these elements beautifully. The presentation balances vocals with the environmental nuances and the accompanying music with magnificent clarity. There are moments where there is quite a bit thrown at the track, but it maintains its fidelity very well. Dialogue comes through clearly from beginning to end without being clipped. Warner Archive has provided an enjoyable 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
- Callaway Went Thataway: A two-minute clip from the 1951 comedy in which Esther Williams appears as herself opposite Fred MacMurray, Dorothy McGuire, and Howard Keel.
- Water Trix: A nearly nine-minute Pete Smith Specialty short in which a cinematographer captures some cool water stunts from a helicopter.
- Theatrical Trailer: The three-and-a-half minute trailer is provided here.
- I Want My Money Back: A four-and-a-half minute comedic musical number from Betty Garrett.
- Hatch Up Your Troubles: An eight-minute Tom and Jerry cartoon is provided here in HD. In the short, a newly hatched baby woodpecker mistakes Jerry for his mother, much to the dismay of the mouse.
- Radio Interview: A five-minute audio interview is provided in which Esther Williams discusses Neptune’s Daughter and her bathing suit line.
Final Thoughts
Neptune’s Daughter is a light and funny feature which wisely supplements the traditional smoldering lead romance with a more comedically-driven courtship. Betty Garrett and Red Skelton make the biggest impression in the movie with their comedic sparring while Esther Williams radiates grace and wit. Ricardo Montalban does well with the material he is given, but much of what he is asked to do is less acceptable by modern standards. The film does not overstay its welcome, and it thankfully keeps you laughing pretty consistently. Warner Archive has released a Blu-Ray with a stupendous A/V presentation and a lovely array of special features. If you are a fan of the film, this release will be a dream come true. Recommended
Neptune’s Daughter 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.
