A timeless Western from director Anthony Mann (Winchester ’73, The Far Country), The Tin Star showcases the director’s ingenuity within the genre, taking it to new heights that elevate and surpass the conventional hero-villain dynamic. When veteran bounty hunter Morg Hickman (Henry Fonda, My Darling Clementine) rolls into town, he finds the population paralyzed by fear. The local sheriff has been killed, leaving the inexperienced Ben Owens (Anthony Perkins, Psycho) to fill the void with the hope of securing a permanent position. Morg discovers that the newly appointed young sheriff is having difficulty facing the provocations of a notorious bully, Bart Bogardus (Neville Brand, Riot in Cell Block 11). Morg, a former sheriff, takes it upon himself to teach Owens how to assert himself and maintain order. Featuring memorable performances by its all-star cast and a stunning score by composer Elmer Bernstein, The Tin Star is a gripping tale that delves into the evolving dynamic between two contrasting characters as they navigate the harsh realities of the Old West.

For thoughts on The Tin Star, please check out our discussions on The Video Attic:

[youtube https://youtu.be/TWWb5imBhfk?si=p5Q3DVE2Mn9I9EB1&t=1924]

Video Quality

The Tin Star comes to Blu-Ray with a 1080p presentation in its original 1.85:1 aspect ratio derived from a new HD master provided by Paramount. We have been getting more from the “Golden Age” of Hollywood from the label, and this ranks somewhere in the middle in terms of visual splendor. This presentation largely holds up well, but it can’t match the brilliance of something like The Desperate Hours. Detail and clarity are in top form with the ideal amount of natural film grain intact. This does not seem to be a film that has been smoothed over and robbed of its natural appearance.

The film features a stunning black-and-white palette with a faithful handle on the contrast. Highlights are strong with no blooming at play, and black levels are deep with pleasant stability throughout. The film looks to be nearly free of dirt and damage, which allows the frame to look the best it ever has. There do not appear to be any unwanted digital anomalies such as compression artifacts, banding, or any other such nuisances. Arrow Video delivers great quality even if they did not prepare the master themselves.

Audio Quality

The film has been given an LPCM 1.0 mono presentation, an LPCM 2.0 stereo presentation, and a DTS-HD 5.1 Master Audio surround sound presentation, all of which capture this material famously. Dialogue comes through clearly from the earliest spoken moments without being clipped by any competing elements. The track balances vocals with the various environmental sounds with tremendous clarity. Even when the soundscape is expanded past its modest roots, the increased activity keeps each individual element secure in its prominence.

When the Elmer Bernstein score emerges, the track is in top form with its handling of the different core elements. This is one of the elements that works best with the expanded audio tracks, as it feels good to be enveloped by this triumphant score. There are a few odd moments when the track shows its age, but it is not a consistent issue by any means. The track is primarily absent of hissing, hums, drop-outs, and the like. Arrow Video has provided a robust selection of audio tracks that present the film quite capably. The disc also comes with optional English (SDH) subtitles.

Special Features

The first pressing of the Arrow Video Blu-Ray of The Tin Star includes a 35-page booklet featuring the essay “Pinning on the Tin Star” by film historian Barry Forshaw. This provides a great analysis of the film, performers, behind-the-scenes details, and the genre at large in a thoughtfully written style. There is also a reproduction of the original press notes included. The case includes six postcard-sized reproduction art cards and a double-sided poster. The on-disc special features are as follows:

Audio Commentary: Film Historian Toby Roan delivers an informative commentary track in which he discusses the legacy of the film, the place it occupies in the career of Henry Fonda, the production history, the careers of some of the performers involved, the work of Anthony Mann, the look of the feature, the shooting locations, and more.

Apprenticing A Master: A 28-minute appreciation piece from author and critic Neil Sinyard who discusses Anthony Mann’s output for Paramount, how this film fits into Western storytelling at this time, the themes developed throughout the picture, what Henry Fonda brings to the main role, the visual motifs, and much more.

Beyond The Score: A 32-minute conversation with Peter Bernstein, son of Elmer Bernstein, in which he discusses his father’s iconic creations, what it was like growing up witnessing his prominence, how his father interacted with the music of the world, his work with prominent filmmakers, and more.

Theatrical Trailer: The two-minute trailer is provided here.

Image Galleries: This disc provides image galleries for Promotional, Stills, and French Photocomic.

Final Thoughts

The Tin Star is a first-rate Western from the legendary Anthony Mann, a man known for his command of the genre. Henry Fonda is as great as he has ever been in the main role, and Anthony Perkins holds his own even earlier on in his film journey. The narrative itself has been tackled many times, but it is the execution where things ratchet up to another level of brilliance. Even if you are more of a neophyte when it comes to Western films, you will find this to be a good entry point. Arrow Video has released a Blu-Ray featuring a lovely A/V presentation and a good collection of supplements. This is a fine addition to any collection. Highly Recommended

The Tin Star will be available to purchase on Blu-Ray on April 30, 2024.

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

Disclaimer: Arrow Video has supplied a copy of this set free of charge for review purposes. All opinions in this review are the honest reactions of the author.