One of the great early auteurs was Fritz Lang, the Austrian-German director who was once dubbed the “Master of Darkness” by the British Film Institute. His films are often cited as being an essential step to what would become film noir. While he was still in Germany, he indulged in his expressionist tendencies with lauded masterpieces such as Metropolis and M making him a known entity on a global scale. Like many German filmmakers in the early 1930s, Lang was very concerned about the bubbling Nazi regime, especially given his Jewish heritage, which led him to emigrate to France and eventually end up in America. After making his American directorial debut with Fury, Lang would make his second American feature You Only Live Once in 1937 with an up-and-coming Henry Fonda (The Grapes of Wrath, There Was A Crooked Man). Like many of his features, You Only Live Once carried a bleak outlook on life, which is to be expected given what he was witnessing in Germany. There is very little joy in this early noir, but it is a narrative knockout on every level.
Fonda plays somewhat against type as Eddie Taylor, a recurring ex-convict who believes himself to be reformed after this latest stint in the “hotel” to which he swears never to return. Yet we will find this belief he has in himself does not extend to the world at large; all Eddie needs is a small break to allow himself to get back into the swing of being a productive member of society, but society is not looking to help a convict. The exception to this is Jo (Sylvia Sidney, Beetlejuice), the secretary to public defender Stephen Whitney (Barton Maclane) who is hopelessly devoted to him and excited to start her life honest with Eddie as his wife. There are those who are perplexed by this seemingly foolish love, but Whitney helps set up Eddie with an honest job which allows him to get a house with Jo. A wrench is thrown into this plan when Eddie is fired by a boss not looking to hand out second chances. Eddie is tempted by his old gang to join in on a bank robbery, but he resists that temptation. This is especially frustrating when Eddie still gets fingered for the robbery which left six people dead.
The work put forth by Fonda is indicative of the range he would showcase throughout his storied career. We know Fonda to mostly be a pleasant figure, and he uses that charm to make us root for Eddie. Sure, he is not a perfect person, and Lang frames certain shots early on in a way that makes him seem like darkness personified, but there is a visceral sense of indignation bubbling inside of you when Eddie gets sentenced to death on false information. The way this tale plays out is increasingly suspenseful and fatalistic with the world against this innocent man. You cannot really blame Eddie when he loses faith in the system the night before he is going to be executed. A prison break seals his fate in more ways than one, and he reluctantly allows a ride-or-die Jo to join him in his renewed criminality. Sylvia Sidney is just as worthy of praise as Fonda, as her deeply expressive eyes reveal a melancholy longing which breaks your heart. This romance may be doomed, but it is passionate when it is cooking.
The reason You Only Live Once remains such a staggering picture over 80 years after its release is the way it so powerfully subverts audience expectations. Reportedly, there was over 15 minutes of violence trimmed from the finished film that did not jive with the Hays Code, but even with this removed the tragic spirit remains intact. Lang is not known to be a warm and cuddly type, and he is not going to give audiences a happily-ever-after. He is interested in exploring themes of a man’s destiny and how the idealized version of America is a sham when prejudices thrive. Lang is a cynical man and he has crafted a cynical film, and this inability to portray society through rose-colored glasses is refreshing for this time period. The filmmaker backs up his jagged takedown with a technical brilliance that cannot be denied. Through inventive framing techniques and lustrous cinematography from Leon Shamroy (Leave Her To Heaven), the film does more than just convey information through text, it lets imagery take the lead. With a flawless ensemble and impeccable direction, You Only Live Once stands as a knockout piece of filmmaking.
Video Quality
You Only Live Once makes its Blu-Ray debut thanks to ClassicFlix with a 1080p master from a restoration of 35mm elements provided by the British Film Institute that is quite excellent. There is a grand amount of detail present with nice textures on the clothing and within the settings. The transfer shows off a great amount of depth and enhanced detail within the film’s composition. The lovely black-and-white photography shines in high definition with natural grain intact and next to nothing in terms of density fluctuations. Black levels are very deep with no obvious occurrence of black crush or compression artifacts. The contrast is well defined, and the track experiences nearly nothing in the way of damage. Just take a look at the restoration comparison in the special features to see what a minor miracle this presentation has provided. ClassicFlix has done some excellent work here and anyone who purchases it should be beyond pleased with the quality.
Audio Quality
The Blu-Ray comes with a suitable DTS-HD 2.0 Master Audio track that nonetheless serves this movie well enough. This track does present some amount of age-related wear and tear, as it sometimes struggles with the Alfred Newman score. There are also certain instances of dialogue that sound a bit hollow, but typically it sounds natural. Dialogue and background noises are represented in perfect harmony with all competing elements. The music never overpowers the dialogue or other important information. There are optional English (SDH) subtitles included for the feature film. Even with some core source issues, ClassicFlix has done their best to provide the most stable track possible for this one.
Special Features
- Audio Commentary: Author and Film Historian Jeremy Arnold delivers an entertaining and informative commentary track in which he discusses many of the technical and thematic details about the film, the careers of the talent involved, the ways in which the Nazis tried to trick Fritz Lang to return to Germany and more!
- Restoration Comparison: A five-minute piece which shows a side-by-side comparison of how the film looked before and after the extensive restoration. It really is a night and day difference.
Final Thoughts
You Only Live Once proved that Fritz Lang would have no issues shaping impeccable works of art in America. The craft of his filmmaking is on full display alongside stellar performances from Henry Fonda, Sylvia Sidney and the rest of the talented ensemble. The film has a blunt edge to it that reveals its underlying cynicism which allows it to resonate just as much today as it ever has. ClassicFlix has released a Blu-Ray featuring a strong A/V presentation and an informative commentary track. If you are a fan of film noir or any of the talent involved, this one is a great addition to your collection. Recommended
You Only Live Once is currently available to purchase on Blu-Ray and DVD.
Note: Images presented in this review are not reflective of the image quality of the Blu-Ray.
Disclaimer: ClassicFlix 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.
Dillon is most comfortable sitting around in a theatre all day watching both big budget and independent movies.
