Street Scene - Sylvia Sidney

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S E A R C H D V D B e a v e r

Directed by King Vidor
USA 1931

Based on the Pulitzer prize winning Broadway play, Street Scene is a study in the daily lives of people who communicate in a street and reside in the surrounding apartment complexes. Mrs. Murrant is dealing with issues of infidelity, Rose, her daughter is conflicted with her advancement in life and leaving the neighborhood, Rose's father, a hard-working man who is never around, Sam Kaplan as a caring and concerned neighbor; and the rest of the idlers and gossipers that make up the rest of the street and the focus of their daily existence.

****

A curious diversion from standard Hollywood fare of the times with Vidor incorporating some obtuse camera angles in his rich character study. Only a smattering of Pre-code expression (see the bra-less 'party girl' below). The diverse ethnic backgrounds help establish a microcosm of the prevalent U.S. melting pot. Sylvia Sidney is adept as her usual good-hearted soul and the film definitely warrants a viewing.

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Theatrical Release: August 26th, 1931

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DVD Review: Image Entertainment - Region 0 - NTSC

DVD Box Cover		CLICK to order from:
Distribution	Image Entertainment - Region 0 - NTSC
Runtime	1:18:24
Video	1.33:1 Original Aspect Ratio Average Bitrate: 6.94 mb/s NTSC 720x480 29.97 f/s
	NOTE: The Vertical axis represents the bits transferred per second. The Horizontal is the time in minutes.
Bitrate:
Audio	English (Dolby Digital 1.0)
Subtitles	None
Features	Release Information: Studio: Image Entertainment Aspect Ratio: Original aspect Ratio 1.33:1 Edition Details: • none DVD Release Date: September 19th, 2000 Snapper Case Chapters: 11

Comments:

Well, don't go by the stellar photos on the back and inside cover of the DVD - this image is in very rough condition. The damage is almost exclusively in the form of hair-line scratches, but there are a lot of them (see title capture above). It's a shame as the film warrants a restoration, but the damage is so significant it may never transpire. There may be some boosting but the transfer looks relatively un-manipulated with a bit of film grain showing through. Other than the film itself, this early Image DVD doesn't have a lot to offer, with no extras and only 3 chapter menus to navigate through. A worthy film but the DVD might only interest those keen on the era, pre-code or Vidor films. Luckily I am keen on all three.