Stanwyck is a pretty shoplifter caught stealing a bracelet and MacMurray is the Assistant District Attorney who gets her sent off to jail just before the holidays, then suffers a crisis of conscience and bails her out. When her invites her to join him and his family for Christmas, it begins a relationship that strains but ultimately redeems all parties. Featuring a wonderful supporting cast (Beulah Bondi, Sterling Holloway and Elizabeth Patterson), stylish costumes by Edith Head, a hilarious yet poignant script by Preston Sturges and superb direction by Mitchell Leisen, this is a timeless holiday favorite that can be enjoyed in any season. The film has never looked better than in this first-ever Blu-ray release, digitally remastered and fully restored from high resolution 35mm original film elements.

For thoughts on Remember The Night, please check out our discussion on The Video Attic:

[youtube https://youtu.be/c93nHMgCOAU?si=bP6D7aU6SWb87_nt&t=2870]

Video Quality

Remember The Night returns to Blu-Ray thanks to Universal with a 1080p transfer that looks agreeable but shows some room for improvement if the studio decides to pony up for a fresh master. This film has previously been released on Blu-Ray through Turner Classic Movies, and all evidence points to this using the same master. The new transfer shows off a solid amount of depth and enhanced detail within the film’s composition, although the midrange could be more defined. Contrast is capably defined with only fleeting instances of flicker or density fluctuation in the print.

Black levels showcase some depth with no egregious occurrence of crush or compression artifacts. There is some occasional softness to the image, but you still get a pleasant amount of texture on the clothing and within the production design. Nicks and scratches rear their head, but nothing significant enough to completely sink the experience. The natural film grain remains intact with only a bit of noise interfering with the sumptuous black-and-white photography. Universal has done a nice enough job here of bringing this one back into circulation.

Audio Quality

Universal brings us this new Blu-Ray with a lossless DTS-HD 2.0 Master Audio mix that does what is asked of it but still shows its age. Dialogue comes through clearly enough without much distortion or other sonic intrusions. The environmental effects never get too raucous given the intentions of the story. The sounds of certain kinetic moments such as a car crashing through a fence add a bit of vibrancy to the mix. The score complements the tone of the story, and it holds up okay when it comes to fidelity with just a bit of shallowness. The track mostly avoids most issues outside of some age-related anomalies. Universal has done a passable job with the sound. There are English SDH subtitles provided.

Special Features

There are no special features provided on the disc.

Final Thoughts

Remember The Night is a charming enough alternative to the normal Christmas pantheon for those who are feeling a little burnt out on movies you have seen dozens of times by this point. The way in which this plot gets set into motion is a little bit outlandish, yet Barbara Stanwyck and Fred MacMurray make the most of it with their loveable dynamic. Watching Stanwyck slowly let herself feel what it would be like to have a proper family with unconditional love touches you deeply as it calls upon the spirit of the season. Universal has brought this film to Blu-Ray with a good A/V presentation but nothing in the way of special features. Fans of the performers or old-school holiday tales should put this on their list. Recommended

Remember The Night 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: Universal 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.