Frank Sinatra told the director to give the newcomer a break. John Sturges (The Great Escape) obliged, providing favorable camera angles for Sinatra’s young costar. In his first big-budget film, Steve McQueen was ready to grab the movie world’s attention. McQueen plays Bill Ringa, one of the O.S.S. combatants harassing the enemy in World War II Burma. Sinatra is Capt. Tom Reynolds, leading the guerilla fighters and risking court-martial while doing so. Also among Never So Few’s many are Charles Bronson, Peter Lawford and, in her first Hollywood film, Gina Lollobrigida. About McQueen, the New York Herald Tribune’s reviewer wrote, “He possesses that combination of smooth-rough charm that suggests star possibilities.” A star is born in Never So Few.

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Video Quality

Warner Archive presents Never So Few with a lush 1080p master transfer released in 2018 in its original 2.35:1 Cinemascope aspect ratio sourced from a 2K scan of the Interpositive. Even without going back to the Original Camera Negative, viewers would be unlikely to spot the difference given the exquisite effort from the label. Detail and clarity are in great shape with the lovely natural film grain intact and resolved consistently. The colors of the environments are so idyllic at times that you nearly forget the characters are traversing through a warzone. Each hue is expertly saturated for the ultimate presentation. Black levels are deep with impeccable stability throughout. There are no unwanted digital hiccups such as compression artifacts, banding, or any other such issues. The film showcases no obvious signs of wear and tear or debris. At worst, you get the expected softness during optical transitions that film fans know cannot be avoided. Warner Archive delivered on all fronts here.

Audio Quality

The Blu-Ray comes with a grand DTS-HD 5.1 Master Audio track that represents this just swell. The score from Hugo Friedhofer is used perfectly to immerse you into this wartime outing filled with heightened emotions. Even when it is particularly robust, it does not overwhelm any important dialogue or background noises. There is quite a bit of banter between the soldiers and during the romantic moments with Gina Lollobrigida, but things kick into gear in your speakers when combat commences. There is no outright age-related wear and tear to the track such as drop-outs, hissing, or popping. Warner Archive has made this audio presentation a potent force. Optional English (SDH) subtitles are included for the feature film.

Special Features

Theatrical Trailer (2:42)

Final Thoughts

Never So Few is a rousing war picture from John Sturges that lures you in with the promise of Frank Sinatra, but it leaves you thinking about the talents of Steve McQueen. The film takes some diversions into romance territory which doesn’t always work, but the dynamic between Sinatra and Lollobrigida keeps you engaged enough. The film takes a look at an aspect of war that was often overlooked at this time, making it an intriguing entry into the vast pantheon of war features from this time. Warner Archive has released Blu-Ray featuring a sturdy A/V presentation but not much in the way of special features. Fans of war films should not overlook this one. Recommended

Never So Few 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.