‘Thanks For The Memory’ Blu-Ray Review – Bob Hope Gets A Bit Sentimental In Minor Romance

Newlywed novelist Steve Merrick (comedy legend Bob Hope, The Cat and the Canary) has his hands full trying to finish his first masterpiece in the delightful romantic classic, Thanks for the Memory. While Steve’s beautiful bride Anne (Shirley Ross, The Big Broadcast of 1937) dreams of a better life for them, their eclectic group of friends drop in and out as they please, keeping Steve up and away from his typewriter. Meanwhile, a beautiful Southern Belle from next door (Patricia Wilder, Little Miss Broadway) keeps meddling into their blissful lives. When Anne resumes her modeling career to allow Steve some freedom, housekeeping gets the best of him, causing a muddled mess of epic proportions. Only romance and a good old-fashioned love song can save the day in this witty and charming romp through the minefield of marriage. Directed by Hollywood veteran George Archainbaud (Boy Trouble).

For thoughts on Thanks For The Memory, please check out our discussion on The Video Attic: 

[youtube https://youtu.be/ryBLRvEkLeE?t=1940]

Video Quality

Thanks For The Memory makes its Blu-Ray debut thanks to Kino Classics with a brand new 1080p transfer that represents this one well despite not being noted as being a new master. This film is 85 years old, but many will be surprised with how well the content can hold up after all these years. The new transfer exhibits a comely amount of depth and enhanced detail within the film’s composition. This is a film consisting largely of interiors which allows for a nice stability. There is also a fine amount of detail present with textures on the clothing and within the environment. 

The black-and-white photography shot by Karl Struss shimmers in high definition with natural grain intact and resolved without issue outside of some spikes in a few moments. Black levels are fairly stable with no major occurrence of black crush or compression artifacts. Stray lines and specks of damage are not uncommon, but most will be pleased by the upgrade nonetheless. Contrast is well defined with only intermittent flicker and density fluctuation in the print. Kino Classics has done an agreeable job with this one.  

Audio Quality

The Blu-Ray comes with a decent DTS-HD 2.0 Master Audio track that mostly does what it needs to do without issue. The track can sound a bit abrasive when it comes to the music, which likely can be attributed to the age and quality of the source elements. Despite this, the music does not tread upon the dialogue or other important information. Dialogue and background elements are in harmony with all competing elements that provide texture to the world. There is a minor amount of age related wear and tear and some faint hissing, but it is not a prevalent issue throughout. Kino Classics has provided as strong of a track as possible. There are optional English (SDH) subtitles included for the feature film. 

Special Features

• Audio Commentary: Filmmaker/Historian Michael Schlesinger delivers an informative commentary track in which he discusses this film as a means to capitalize on the popularity of the titular song, where this fits in the career of Bob Hope, the background of the ensemble players, the music in the picture, the topical references throughout and many other topics. This is an easy-going and well-researched track that is worth checking out. 

• Trailers: There is a two-minute trailer provided for Thanks For The Memory. This disc also provides trailers for Never Say Die, The Cat and The Canary, Road To Singapore, The Ghost Breakers, Road To Zanzibar, Caught In The Drift, Nothing But The Truth, My Favorite Blonde, Road To Morocco, Road To Utopia, Where There’s Life, The Paleface, Sorrowful Jones, Fancy Pants, Alias Jesse James and a KLSC Bob Hope Promo.

Final Thoughts

Thanks For The Memory is another early effort from Bob Hope, and it finds the comedian not fully formed in his talents. This is not completely his fault, as the material leaves something to be desired in terms of challenging gender roles and the complexities of being in a loving relationship. The film is built around the strength of the titular song, and it often fails to justify the other parts of the story. The film is best when it is leaning into the love between the characters played by Hope and the beguiling Shirley Ross. The effort is enjoyable, but it never feels essential. Kino Classics has delivered a Blu-Ray release that sports a pretty good A/V presentation and a worthy commentary track. This is still worth checking out if you are a fan of the performers. Recommended 

Thanks For The Memory 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.