In the wake of a failed raid during the Korean War, Sgt. Paul Ryker (screen great Lee Marvin, Prime Cut) is charged with aiding the enemy. Ryker’s defense rests on the notion that he was ordered to carry out a secret offensive against the North Koreans. But because the mission was so closely guarded, nobody can vouch for him. Capt. David Young (Bradford Dillman, Compulsion) is the Army’s prosecutor, but his impartiality comes under scrutiny when it’s revealed that he has been wooing Ryker’s wife, Ann (Vera Miles, 23 Paces to Baker Street). In the end, the case is decided by the strange testimony of a lone soldier. Is Ryker innocent, or should he hang? This stirring courtroom drama from director Buzz Kulik (Warning Shot, Shamus, The Hunter) also stars Peter Graves (Stalag 17), Lloyd Nolan (Portrait in Black), Murray Hamilton (Jaws) and Norman Fell (Bullitt).

For thoughts on Sergeant Ryker, please check out our discussion on The Video Attic:

[youtube https://youtu.be/lhmNYo6Vx6c?t=776]

Video Quality

Kino Classics presents Sergeant Ryker with a strong upgrade in the form of a new 1080p transfer in 1.85:1 sourced from a new 2K scan of the 35mm interpositive which looks quite nice. As is typical from this time period, a few optical transitions can look a bit more rough, but things fall into line otherwise without much issue. The film does not feature much at all in the way of damage or dirt, plus fluctuations in density are kept to a minimum. There are a handful of instances of jittery frames, but it does not appear to be a major issue. The film features some decent color saturation within the interiors and specific costumes.

Skin tones look natural, and the presentation offers up some fairly deep black levels that never quite veer into crush even in the darkest moments. There is an uptick in fine detail that should please fans of the film. There thankfully does not appear to have been any digital manipulation of the source. The transfer provides nice, natural film grain absent of any compression artifacts or other such digital anomalies. Kino Classics has done some solid work with this one.

Audio Quality

The Blu-Ray comes with a decent DTS-HD 2.0 Master Audio track that represents the film pretty well throughout. Dialogue and background noises are represented in harmony with all competing elements. The sound effects and score appears to be faithful to the original intention for the sound. This disc maintains a fine sense of fidelity that is appreciated during the more intense moments. Fans will notice the vibrancy and clarity of the score when certain scenes are supported with music. Despite the strength of this score, nothing ever overpowers the dialogue or other pertinent information. This track shows no overwhelming instances of age related wear and tear such as hissing or popping. There are optional English (SDH) subtitles included for the feature film.

Special Features

Audio Commentary: Film Historian/Filmmaker Daniel Kremer provides an entertaining and informative commentary track in which he discusses the complicated release history of the film, the behind-the-scenes details of the production of the film, the careers of the creative figures involved, where this fits into the history of the performers, the score from John Williams and more.

Trailers: There is a two-minute trailer provided for Sergeant Ryker. There are also trailers provided for Prime Cut, Gorky Park, To Hell and Back, Attack!, Paths Of Glory, Time Limit, The Great Escape and Shamus.

Final Thoughts

Sergeant Ryker is a pretty entertaining military drama which is all the more impressive when you learn of the relatively cobbled together nature of the feature. The film works together as a cohesive feature with personal intrigue and dramatic stakes that presage works such as A Few Good Men that would follow decades after the fact. Lee Marvin capably anchors this story with a really great performance that keeps you invested throughout. Kino Classics has provided a new Blu-Ray featuring a strong A/V presentation and an informative commentary track. If you are a fan of courtroom dramas or the talent involved, it might be worth seeking out. Recommended

Sergeant Ryker is currently available to purchase on Blu-Ray.

Note: Images presented in this review are not reflective of the image quality of the Blu-Ray.

Disclaimer: Kino Classics 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.