Screen legend Anthony Hopkins (When Eight Bells Toll, The Silence of the Lambs, Nixon) stars with Kristin Scott Thomas (Bitter Moon, The English Patient) and Derek Jacobi (Three Sisters, TV’s I, Claudius) in this compelling World War II drama based on the novel by Graham Greene (The Third Man). Jean-Louis Chavel (Hopkins), a wealthy French lawyer living quietly under Nazi occupation, is seized in a random police raid and thrown into a Paris jail with 29 other innocent men. Marked for the firing squad, he convinces a poor, dying prisoner to take his place by promising his entire estate to the man’s penniless kin. Once freed, the guilt-ridden Chavel returns to his former home and tries to help the family of the man who died in his stead. As he falls in love with the dead man’s sister, Thérèse (Scott Thomas), a stranger (Jacobi in an Emmy-winning role) calling himself “Chavel” arrives on their doorstep. Co-starring Cyril Cusack (Harold Pinter’s The Homecoming) with first-rate direction by Jack Gold (Who?) and photography by Alan Hume (Runaway Train), The Tenth Man is a stylish, powerfully acted thriller from one of the twentieth century’s most acclaimed authors.

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

[youtube https://youtu.be/Txbsm8PCFuc?t=2261]

Video Quality

The Tenth Man makes its Blu-Ray debut courtesy of Kino Classics with a digital AVC encoded 1080p transfer in two different optional aspect ratios, the 1.33:1 TV Ratio and the 1.78:1 Theatrical. While there is no specific info about this being from a new 2K scan, the image is incredibly strong and sumptuous throughout leading us to believe it was remastered at some point. Instances of print damage such as nicks and scratches do occasionally pop up, but overall clarity and detail is very strong.

The presentation offers no major hiccups throughout most of the runtime with image stability and delineation being admirable. Black levels are favorable with very little in the way of crush. This transfer retains the natural film grain of the presentation with only minor instances of it looking a bit uneven. The picture can run a bit soft in long shots, but colors are well saturated with the bright hues of the countryside coming through. Skin tones are mostly natural and consistent with facial features easily noticeable in closeup. This presentation is pretty great and should please anyone who has been waiting for this one.

Audio Quality

This new Blu-Ray comes with a lossless DTS-HD 2.0 Master Audio mix that features all of the sounds of the film very well. The dialogue holds up impeccably, coming through clearly without being overwhelmed by the music or sound effects. The score of the film holds up with a pleasing fidelity that does not show signs of age. This and all of the other sounds are presented with great clarity and a pleasing fidelity as they come through the room. The environmental effects are distinguished nicely from the more active scenes to the quieter moments of interpersonal connection. The track avoids most instances of age related wear and tear or distortion. This is a track that represents the film in a rock solid manner. Optional English subtitles are provided on this disc.

Special Features

Trailers: There are trailers provided for When Eight Bells Toll, The Bounty, The Silence of the Lambs, Nixon, Hannibal, and Bitter Moon.

Final Thoughts

The Tenth Man is a very effective drama which should not be dismissed due to the fact it was created for television. The story is not overly ambitious, but the palpable tension that is created from deception and mystery sustains your interest quite easily. Anthony Hopkins is as great as ever in the lead role, while Kristin Scott Thomas and Derek Jacobi are every bit his equal. This is an adaptation that deserves a bigger legacy than it has received thus far. Kino Classics has released a Blu-Ray featuring a pretty terrific A/V presentation but next to nothing in the way of special features. If you have been waiting for this one to be upgraded to high definition, you should not be let down. Recommended

The Tenth Man 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.