Woman on the Run Ann Sheridan

directed by Norman Foster
USA 1950

Frank Johnson, walking his dog alone on a dark and deserted San Francisco street, witnesses a gangland murder. The police ask him to testify to the Grand Jury, but instead he goes into hiding. Trailing him is Inspector Ferris and Johnson's wife, Eleanor (Ann Sheridan), who thinks her husband is running away from their failing marriage. Newspaperman Danny Leggett (Dennis O'Keefe) joins in the hunt, promising to pay Eleanor $1,000 if she'll give him Frank's story when they find him.

Eleanor and the reporter start gathering clues to Frank's whereabouts. An unexplained suicide and unidentified corpse keep them on the run, dodging the police, private eyes and the mysterious killer - all of them trying to get to Frank first. Along the way Eleanor finds out things about her husband's life that she never knew. By the time she realizes where he's hiding and who's really behind the gangster hit, it might be too late.

Poster

Theatrical Release: 29 November 1950

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DVD Comparison:

Alpha - Region 0 - NTSC vs. Glass Key - Region 2 - PAL

Big thanks to Gregory Meshman for the Alpha Caps Review!

(Alpha - Region 0 - NTSC LEFT vs. Glass Key - Region 2 - PAL RIGHT)

DVD Box Cover

Distribution
Alpha

Region 0 - NTSC

Glass Key

Region 2 - PAL

Runtime 1:16:36 1:16:42

Video
1.33:1 Original Aspect Ratio
Average Bitrate: 5.18 mb/s
NTSC 720x480 29.97 f/s
1.33:1 Aspect Ratio
Average Bitrate: 5.5 mb/s
PAL 720x576 25.00 f/s

NOTE: The Vertical axis represents the bits transferred per second. The Horizontal is the time in minutes.

Bitrate : Alpha

Bitrate Glass key

Audio English Dolby Digital 2.0 Mono English Dolby Digital 2.0 Mono

Subtitles None None

Features Release Information:
Studio: Alpha
Aspect Ratio:
Fullscreen - 1.33:1

Edition Details:
• Trailers for Alpha New Cinema Films

DVD Release Date: January 25, 2005
Keepcase

Chapters 7
Release Information:
Studio: Glass Key
Aspect Ratio:
Fullscreen - 1.33:1

Edition Details:
• none

DVD Release Date: April 6th, 2009
Keepcase

Chapters 6

Comments ADDITION: Glass Key - Region 2- PAL - April 09: Our suspicions were correct and any minor hopes we had were flushed right down the toilet. 'Glass Key' and their Film Noir Collection are nothing but Public Domain bandits - no better than 'Alpha Video' - their North American counterpart. This may be the worst transfer I've ever seen. It is totally unwatchable. Improper standards conversion and heavy interlacing have produced an image filled with artifacts and indiscernible visuals. Tack onto that no subtitles or extras and barely decipherable audio. I think we've learned all we need to about Glass Key DVD. This is a fine Film Noir and I'm disgusted with the lack of effort that went into this DVD - it's the same digital master that's been kicking around for free download online (same Cue Blip markers). Thanks but no thanks.
Gary Tooze

***

Making its home video debut, Woman on the Run is in pretty poor shape. The image is full of dirt and scratches, but the biggest problem is interlacing. The film was transferred from tape, so any kind of movement is full of combing. It's especially evident in the exciting ending on the roller-coaster when Ann Sheridan's face becomes nothing but a blur. The only extras are a few trailers for current independent films from Alpha New Cinema Series. The film is highly recommended, but the disc is very poor, but inexpensive.

- Gregory Meshman

DVD Menus

(Alpha - Region 0 - NTSC LEFT vs. Glass Key - Region 2 - PAL RIGHT)