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S E A R C H    D V D B e a v e r

(aka "An Affair of the Heart")

 

Directed by Robert Rossen
USA 1947

 

The great John Garfield (The Postman Always Rings Twice, He Ran All the Way) gives an Oscar-nominated performance (Best Actor, 1947) in this knockout noir tale of driving ambition. Garfield stars as Charley Davis, a strong-willed young prizefighter whose ruthless quest for a shot at the title forces him to mortgage his humanity to a corrupt boxing syndicate. But when faced with the chance to regain his self-respect, Charley climbs into the ring one last time—in an unforgettable climactic fight scene, breathtakingly shot by legendary cinematographer James Wong Howe (Pursued, The Rose Tattoo). Widely regarded as one of the best boxing pictures ever made, Body and Soul was Academy Award-nominated for its sharp script by Force of Evil’s Abraham Polonsky (Best Writing, Original Screenplay, 1947) and won for its innovative editing by Francis D. Lyon and Robert Parrish (Best Film Editing, 1947). Powerfully directed by Robert Rossen (All the King’s Men, The Hustler) and featuring Lilli Palmer (Cloak and Dagger), Anne Revere (Secret Beyond the Door), Canada Lee (Cry, the Beloved Country) and William Conrad (The Killers).

***

The template for all subsequent pugilist-with-a-conscience flicks. Features an outstanding screenplay and tough hard-hitting direction.

Excellent account of ambitious boxer Garfield clambering his way to the top and selling his soul in the process. As a boxing movie it is probably responsible for coining a host of clichés but the fight of the little man against big business is convincingly told and Garfield is credible in the lead.

The anti-capitalist message seems to have offended some; Garfield, director Rossen and scriptwriter Polonsky were rounded up by the Un-American Activities committee (and Polonsky and Rossen were eventually blacklisted). This is tight, hard-hitting entertainment, which inspired Rocky and Raging Bull.

Posters

Theatrical Release: August 22nd, 1947

Reviews                                      More Reviews                             DVD Reviews

 

Review: Kino - Region 'A' - Blu-ray

Box Cover

CLICK to order from:

  

Bonus Captures:

Distribution Kino - Region 'A' - Blu-ray
Runtime 1:46:04.733        
Video

1.37:1 1080P Dual-layered Blu-ray

Disc Size: 36,664,972,783 bytes

Feature: 34,256,480,256 bytes

Video Bitrate: 38.92 Mbps

Codec: MPEG-4 AVC Video

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

Bitrate Blu-ray:

Audio

DTS-HD Master Audio English 1774 kbps 2.0 / 48 kHz / 1774 kbps / 24-bit (DTS Core: 2.0 / 48 kHz / 1509 kbps / 24-bit)
Commentary:

Dolby Digital Audio English 192 kbps 2.0 / 48 kHz / 192 kbps / DN -31dB

Subtitles English (SDH), None
Features Release Information:
Studio:
Kino

 

1.37:1 1080P Dual-layered Blu-ray

Disc Size: 36,664,972,783 bytes

Feature: 34,256,480,256 bytes

Video Bitrate: 38.92 Mbps

Codec: MPEG-4 AVC Video

 

Edition Details:

• NEW Audio Commentary by Author/Film Historian Alan K. Rode


Blu-ray Release Date: October 1st, 2024

Standard Blu-ray Case inside slipcase

Chapters 9

 

 

Comments:

NOTE: The below Blu-ray captures were taken directly from the Blu-ray disc.

ADDITION: Kino Blu-ray (September 2024): Kino have transferred Robert Rossen's Body and Soul to Blu-ray. We compared three DVDs to the 2012 Olive Blu-ray HERE and captures below. There is a ratio disparity with the Olive having much thinner faces and the new Kino 1080P have fatter faces. I lean to the 1.37:1 Kino being more accurate. Generally the Kino is brighter than the DVDs but darker than the Olive Blu-ray. The new rendering also has visible, and more consistent, grain textures. It's clean and looked impressive on my system with a 50% higher bitrate than the, 12-year older, single-layered, Olive. 

NOTE: We have added 66 more large resolution Blu-ray captures (in lossless PNG format) for DVDBeaver Patrons HERE

On their Blu-ray, Kino use a DTS-HD Master dual-mono track (24-bit) in the original English language. Body and Soul has plenty of boxing and training-related effects; from speed-bags to crowds - there is some depth exported. The effective score was by Hugo Friedhofer (Captain Carey USA, No Man of Her Own, Plunder of the Sun, One-Eyed Jacks Two Flags West, Man in the Attic, Ace in the Hole, Body and Soul, Gilda, The Bishop's Wife.) There is also Johnny Green's Body and Soul and Hazel Brooks performing Am I Blue? in the film. Audio is consistent via the lossless transfer. Kino offer optional English (SDH) subtitles on their Region 'A' Blu-ray.

The Kino Blu-ray offers a new commentary by author/film historian Alan K. Rode (author of Charles McGraw: Biography of a Film Noir Tough Guy.) He comments that this was the first film of Enterprise Productions co-founded by actor John Garfield alongside producers David L. Loew and Charles Einfeld in 1946, right after Garfield's contract with Warner Bros. had expired. Alan informs us of the exceptional crew including writer Abraham Polonsky, cinematographer James Wong Howe, assistant director Robert Aldrich, editor Robert Parrish etc.. and the cast; John Garfield, Lilli Palmer, Anne Revere (yes, related to Paul Revere), Hazel Brooks, William Conrad, Joseph Pevney, Canada Lee (who fought Joe Louis) etc.. He discusses details of their respective careers. Alan adds less-published stories and fills the time with interest. Another of his many great commentaries. There are also trailers for Garfield's Force of Evil, He Ran All the Way, boxing pic World in My Corner, Lilli Palmer's The Counterfeit Traitor, and Robert Rossen's They Came to Cordura.

Robert Rossen's Body and Soul is one of the greatest boxing films ever... documenting the rise and fall of pug Charley Davis (John Garfield). Yes, the comparison to Martin Scorcese's Raging Bull is totally appropriate on the rise and fall of Jake LaMotta. We also see some Rocky as Peg Born (Lilli Palmer) pushes her way through the security to embrace her man at the conclusion. Body and Soul is considered an essential noir with a prominent flashback, corruption of fame / money and unsavory criminal characters circling the drain. Future 'dark cinema' filmmakers are all part of this wonderful production; second director Robert Aldrich (Kiss Me Deadly), art director Nathan Juran (Highway Dragnet), Joseph Pevney (portraying 'Shorty Polaski') directed Flesh and Fury and editor Robert Parrish would go on the direct The Mob. Sadly, writer Abraham Polonsky, John Garfield, and Robert Rossen were all blacklisted by HUAC. Rossen eventually caved 'naming names'. This is an exceptional film and the upgraded Kino Blu-ray is so welcome from the bare-bones, decade-old, Olive. This new package has our highest recommendation.

Gary Tooze

 


Menus / Extras

 


CLICK EACH BLU-RAY CAPTURE TO SEE ALL IMAGES IN FULL 1920X1080 RESOLUTION

 

1) Wild Side Vidéo (Version Pocket) - Region 2 - PAL - TOP

2) Kino (2024) - Region 'A' - Blu-ray BOTTOM

 

 


1) Republic, Artisan - Region 1 - NTSC - TOP

2) Kino (2024) - Region 'A' - Blu-ray BOTTOM

 

 


1) Wild Side Vidéo (Version Pocket) - Region 2 - PAL - TOP

2) Kino (2024) - Region 'A' - Blu-ray BOTTOM

 

 


1) Olive (2012) - Region 'A' - Blu-ray - TOP

2) Kino (2024) - Region 'A' - Blu-ray BOTTOM

 

 


1) Metrodome - Region 0 - PAL - TOP

2) Kino (2024) - Region 'A' - Blu-ray BOTTOM

 

 


1) Olive (2012) - Region 'A' - Blu-ray - TOP

2) Kino (2024) - Region 'A' - Blu-ray BOTTOM

 

 


1) Republic, Artisan - Region 1 - NTSC - TOP

2) Kino (2024) - Region 'A' - Blu-ray BOTTOM

 

 


1) Olive (2012) - Region 'A' - Blu-ray - TOP

2) Kino (2024) - Region 'A' - Blu-ray BOTTOM

 

 


1) Republic, Artisan - Region 1 - NTSC - TOP

2) Kino (2024) - Region 'A' - Blu-ray BOTTOM

 

 


1) Olive (2012) - Region 'A' - Blu-ray - TOP

2) Kino (2024) - Region 'A' - Blu-ray BOTTOM

 

 


1) Wild Side Vidéo (Version Pocket) - Region 2 - PAL - TOP

2) Kino (2024) - Region 'A' - Blu-ray BOTTOM

 

 


1) Olive (2012) - Region 'A' - Blu-ray - TOP

2) Kino (2024) - Region 'A' - Blu-ray BOTTOM

 

  


 

More full resolution (1920 X 1080) Blu-ray Captures for DVDBeaver Patreon Supporters HERE

 

 

 
Box Cover

CLICK to order from:

  

Bonus Captures:

Distribution Kino - Region 'A' - Blu-ray


 


 

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