With his third American film, Three Women (made just after The Marriage Circle) Ernst Lubitsch continued to endow Hollywood studio films with the European sophistication and graceful storytelling that had become his hallmark while working as a director in Germany. Pauline Frederick and May McAvoy star as a mother and daughter who find themselves competing for the attention of George, a handsome opportunist (Lew Cody) who yearns to lay hands on the women’s $3 million fortune. Marie Prevost stars as George’s mistress, a sultry femme fatale who threatens to sabotage any romance that may transpire, further testing the strength of the primal mother/daughter relationship. Lavishly produced, Three Women became one of Warner Brothers’ most popular films of the 1924-25 season, and is presented in a 4K restoration performed by the George Eastman Museum, with an orchestral score by Andrew Earle Simpson.
For thoughts on Three Women (1924), please check out our discussion on The Video Attic here.
Video Quality
Three Women (1924) makes its Blu-Ray debut thanks to Kino Classics with a magnificent transfer from a 4K restoration performed by the George Eastman Museum. This nearly 100-year-old work of art holds up surprisingly well in this truly wonderful presentation. The gorgeous black-and-white photography shines in high definition with consistent natural grain intact. There is a surprising amount of detail present with nice textures on the clothing and within the setting. The transfer shows off an astounding amount of depth and enhanced detail within the film’s composition. Black levels present with some great depth with no major occurrence of black crush or compression artifacts. The contrast is really well defined with not much in the way of flicker or specks of damage to the print, especially compared to some films of this age I have seen. There are some stray, faint vertical lines that make a quick appearance without ruining the overall aesthetic of the film. The lighting on this effort is stable so that nothing ever looks washed out. Kino Classics has knocked it out of the park with this transfer.
Audio Quality
This Blu-Ray presents the film with a DTS-HD 2.0 Master Audio track that sounds quite lovely. Like most silent films, the film is graced with an original score. This one composed and performed by Andrew Earle Simpson is spritely and inviting throughout. As this is a silent film, the music is the only element to contend with in this track, and it sounds bright and pleasing with no clipping or age related wear and tear. Silent film fans should be thrilled with the sound quality of this track, as the new piece seems to accompany the thematic elements well.
Special Features
- Audio Commentary: Film Historian Anthony Slide provides a very insightful commentary track in which he takes you through the story while putting it into context, discusses the behind-the-scenes details and history of key figures in the production, explores some of the filmmaking techniques, delves into the film’s scarce legacy and much more. The movie is not difficult to follow, but this track is a very worthwhile listen to if you want to gain an even greater appreciation for the nuance within the film.
Final Thoughts
Three Women (1924) is not the creative high point in the career of Ernst Lubitsch, but it holds up as an effective drama. Sleaze bag men always make for compelling figures on film, and Lew Cody plays a cad to perfection. The film makes more of an impact due to its lack of fat on the brief runtime, which is a testament to the creative drive of Lubitsch. Kino Classics has released a Blu-Ray with a truly outstanding A/V presentation and an interesting commentary track. If you are a Lubitsch fan looking to round out your collection, this disc is technically excellent. Recommended
Three Women (1924) 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.
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Dillon is most comfortable sitting around in a theatre all day watching both big budget and independent movies.