Presaging such playful sex comedies as Ernst Lubitsch’s Trouble in Paradise and Design for Living, The Doll follows the misadventures of an effete young man who must wed in order to inherit a fortune. He opts to purchase a remarkably lifelike doll and marry it instead, not realizing that the doll is actually the puppet-maker’s flesh-and-blood daughter, in disguise. In I Don’t Want to Be a Man (1918), a teenaged tomboy, tired of being bossed around by her strict guardian, impersonates a man so she can have more fun, but discovers that being the opposite sex has its share of complications. What ensues is a gender-bending comedy that was decades ahead of its time. Both films star Ossi Oswalda, a gifted comedic actress who headlined several other silent films for Lubitsch, notably The Oyster Princess. But the real star is the director and his unmatched gift for sexual innuendo and deliciously subversive comedy.

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

[youtube https://youtu.be/1D3SR_N-57U?si=WGmzxv3NKSitz1Ov&t=2617]

Video Quality

The Doll and I Don’t Want To Be A Man make their Blu-Ray debut thanks to Kino Classics with a resplendent transfer from careful restorations courtesy of Friedrich-Wilhelm-Murnau-Stiftung. The only known surviving print of The Doll is 70 metres shorter than the approved length of the film, meaning that some missing intertitles had to be digitally restored and inserted by the preservation company. The basis of this digital master is a 35mm internegative that was created by Filmarchiv Austria in 2000 which has been further digitally restored. These films are over 100 years old, and you will be surprised by how well they hold upl. The color tinted photography provides a fetching image in high definition with consistent natural grain intact.

The transfer reveals so much rich texture on the clothing and within the environments. The transfer captures a welcome amount of depth and enhanced detail within the film’s composition. Black levels show no excessive occurrence of black crush or compression artifacts. The contrast is firmly realized with not much in the way of flicker or detrimental specks of damage to the print, especially compared to many films of this era. There are some faint vertical lines and stretches of damage to the edges that make a quick appearance without sinking the look of the features. Nothing ever appears washed out between these two viewing experiences. Kino Classics continues to treat Lubitsch well with each release.

Audio Quality

This Blu-Ray presents these films with rock solid DTS-HD 2.0 Master Audio tracks that complement them well. Each film is graced with an original score; Meg Morley handles the score for The Doll, while Neil Brand whips up an accompaniment for I Don’t Want To Be A Man. The music is the only element to contend with when it comes to these tracks, and it sounds inviting with no clipping or other such unwanted anomalies. Silent film fans will be satisfied with the sound quality, as these composers have created tracks that suit the narrative well and with strong fidelity. Optional English subtitles are provided.

Special Features

The Doll Commentary: Joseph McBride, author of How Did Lubitsch Do It?, provides a really insightful commentary track which delves into some analysis of the story, themes of the picture, the known behind-the-scenes details and history of key figures in the production, the filmmaking techniques, how this fits into the career of Ernst Lubitsch, the film’s legacy and much more.

I Don’t Want To Be A Man Audio Commentary: McBride returns for another solid commentary track which not only gives some great background about this film, but also Lubitsch as a director in general.

Final Thoughts

The Doll and I Don’t Want To Be A Man are some of the most enjoyable early efforts we have seen from Ernst Lubitsch. The filmmaker seems to be indulging in his more playful side while still offering some rich social commentary that we welcome over a century later. These are both very breezy efforts which deliver a bang for your entertainment buck. Kino Classics has released a Blu-Ray with a great A/V presentation and an informative pair of commentary tracks. If you are a Lubitsch fan, this is a top notch release. Recommended

The Doll (and I Don’t Want To Be A Man) is currently available to purchase on Blu-Ray and Digital.

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.