Strictly Dishonorable – Double Feature DVD

Both Strictly Dishonorable movies are fun early era romantic comedies and the 1951 remake flipping the script and it’s nice to have the two films on one release and worth the usually high price tag.

 

 

Strictly Dishonorable Double Feature
— Warner Archive Collection —
(1931/1951)

Genre(s): Comedy, Romance
Warner Archives | NR – 91 min. / 98 min. – $21.99 | November 28, 2017

Date Published: 12/10/2017 | Author: The Movieman

 

MOVIE INFO (1931 Version): Directed by: John M. Stahl Writer(s): Preston Sturges (play); Gladys Lehman (screenplay) Cast: Paul Lukas, Sidney Fox, Lewis Stone, George Meeker, William Ricciardi, Sidney TolerMOVIE INFO (1951 Version): Directed by: Melvin Frank and Norman Panama Writer(s): Preston Sturges (play); Melvin Frank and Norman Panama Cast: Ezio Pinza, Janet Leigh, Millard Mitchell, Gale Robbins DISC INFO: Features: None Digital Copy: No Formats Included: DVD Number of Discs: 1 Audio: English (Dolby Digital 1.0) Video: Full Frame 1.37 Subtitles: None Region(s): 1

 

 

PLOT SYNOPSIS

Hitting the screen soon after its stage incarnation, Strictly Dishonorable is a ribald romance loaded with double entendres and good intention. Isabelle Perry (SIDNEY FOX), is a Southern belle, elects to spend the night in a New York speakeasy following a fight with her New Jersey fiancé. Famous opera singer Tino Caraffa (PAUL LUKAS) and retired judge Dempsey (LEWIS STONE) befriend the girl, with one declaring his strictly dishonorable intent and the other scheming to safeguard her virtue. The opera element is enlarged for the 1951 remake to showcase leading man Ezio Pinza’s prodigious vocal talents. The speakeasy is exchanged for a sham marriage, with chorus girl Isabelle (JANET LEIGH) set up to protect the reputation of Gus Caraffa (PINZA). But Isabelle’s intentions are not so pure.

 

SPECIAL FEATURES – 0.5/5

The only feature is the Trailer for the 1951 version.

 

VIDEO – 3.0/5, AUDIO – 3.0/5

Both the 1931 and 1951 versions are presented with 1.37 full frame aspect ratio. While the 1951 movie doesn’t look half bad with only some minor scratches, the 1931 film is littered with scratches and dust marks The Dolby Mono tracks fare similarly, yet dialogue is decent enough.

OVERALL – 3.0/5

Both Strictly Dishonorable movies are fun early era romantic comedies and the 1951 remake flipping the script before it was a recent thing with Ghostbusters and Ocean’s 8. It’s nice to have the two films on one release and worth the usually high price tag. The DVD itself doesn’t include features and the video/audio transfers aren’t the best, however.