The Turning Point Blu-ray - William Holden

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

(aka "This Is Dynamite!" or "Un hombre acusa")

directed by William Dieterle
USA 1952

From William Dieterle, the acclaimed director of The Devil and Daniel Webster, I’ll Be Seeing You, Portrait of Jennie and The Accused, comes this electrifying film noir starring screen great William Holden (Stalag 17). When crusading district attorney John Conroy (Edmond O’Brien, The Hitch-Hiker) is tasked to crack down on a powerful crime syndicate, he recruits his no-nonsense newspaperman pal Jerry McKibbon (Holden), his sweetheart Mandy (Alexis Smith, Conflict) and his grizzled detective father (Tom Tully, Ruby Gentry). But unbeknownst to the younger Conroy, the elder Conroy is mixed up in the same racket he’s been appointed to take down. Featuring noir favorites Ed Begley (Boomerang), Ted de Corsia (The Lady from Shanghai) and Neville Brand (D.O.A.) with masterful black-and-white cinematography by Lionel Lindon (Alias Nick Beal), The Turning Point is a thrilling portrait of political corruption that leads to a shocking conclusion.

***

Special prosecutor John Conroy hopes to combat organized crime in his city and appoints his cop father Matt as chief investigator. John doesn't understand why Matt is reluctant, but cynical reporter Jerry McKibbon thinks he knows: he's seen Matt with mob lieutenant Harrigan. Jerry's friendship with John is tested by the question of what to do about Matt, and by his attraction to John's girl Amanda. Meanwhile, the threatened racketeers adopt increasingly violent means of defense.

Posters

Theatrical Release: November 14th, 1952

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

Box Cover		CLICK to order from: Bonus Captures:
Distribution	Kino - Region 'A' - Blu-ray
Runtime	1:25:37.757
Video	1.37:1 1080P Single-layered Blu-ray Disc Size: 24,018,236,268 bytes Feature: 21,180,082,176 bytes Video Bitrate: 29.43 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 1589 kbps 2.0 / 48 kHz / 1589 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
Subtitles	English, None
Features	Release Information: Studio: Kino 1.37:1 1080P Single-layered Blu-ray Disc Size: 24,018,236,268 bytes Feature: 21,180,082,176 bytes Video Bitrate: 29.43 Mbps Codec: MPEG-4 AVC Video Edition Details: • Audio Commentary by Author/Film Historian Alan K. Rode • Theatrical Trailer (2:02) Blu-ray Release Date: September 20th, 2022 Standard Blu-ray Case Chapters 9

Comments:

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

ADDITION: Kino Blu-ray (September 2022): Kino have transferred William Dieterle's The Turning Point to Blu-ray. It is cited as being "Remastered in HD by Paramount Pictures – From a 4K Scan of the 35mm Film Elements". This compares favorably to Imprint's 2022 1080P transfer of The Turning Point in their Essential Film Noir: Collection 3 Blu-ray boxset, reviewed HERE. Gregory also reviewed the Llamentol 2016 PAL DVD HERE. Like The Strange Love of Martha Ivers Blu-rays (reviewed HERE) the US has strong similarities but instead it is on a single-layered disc and the Imprint has a higher bitrate. I can't distinguish much of a difference. It is probably from the same source. Both are miles ahead of the PAL DVD.

NOTE: We have added 30 more large resolution Imprint 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. The Turning Point has few aggressive moments that come through with modest depth. It doesn't have a credited score but does repurpose Miklós Rózsa's Prelude from the cracking color noir Desert Fury. Kino offer optional English subtitles on their Region 'A' Blu-ray.

The Kino Blu-ray offers a commentary by Alan K. Rode. It is the same one as found on the Essential Film Noir: Collection 3 Blu-ray boxset from earlier this month. He's always entertaining and edifying to listen to. He talks about the wonderful supporting cast, locations, how The Turning Point was an efficiently made film and much on the underrated William Dieterle. He makes connection of the cast and crew to other films and it is at his usual high level of preparedness. There is also a trailer for The Turning Point and other noirs.

Comparatively the Imprint Essential Film Noir: Collection 3 supplements had this commentary and more with a 20-minute Barry Forshaw interview and a photo gallery, plus the other films; The Strange Love of Martha Ivers (1946,) No Man Of Her Own (1952) and The Desperate Hours (1955) and their disc extras.

William Dieterle's The Turning Point is well-above average dark cinema; as Gregory describes - "an essential film noir that was influenced by Kefauver Committee of early 1950's, just like many exposé crime films that followed the hearings - The Captive City, Hoodlum Empire, The Phenix City Story, etc. What distinguishes this title from all the others is a masterful direction by William Dieterle (The Devil and Daniel Webster, Portrait of Jennie) and all-star cast featuring William Holden (post-Sunset Blvd. and Born Yesterday, pre-Stalag 17 and Sabrina) and Edmond O'Brien (D.O.A., Shield for Murder). Alexis Smith (Split Second, Whiplash) co-stars as a love interest for both men and Ed Begley Sr. (Odds Against Tomorrow, The Dunwich Horror) steals the movie as an oily crime boss". The Kino Blu-ray does a solid job with the a/v and includes another exceptional Rode commentary. Those who don't indulge in Imprint's Essential Film Noir: Collection 3 should seek this one out.