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

ADDITION: Indicator Blu-ray (December 2022): Indicator have transferred Mitchell Leisen's Remember the Night to Blu-ray. It is on a dual-layered disc with a max'ed out bitrate. Universal released a Blu-ray in North America in 2018 HERE. We haven't reviewed that BD to compare but we did compare the TCM - original (2010 - prior to the restoration for the Library of Congress) and 'restored' - DVDs HERE. There are samples below. The 1080P is a highly pleasing advancement over the SD transfers occasionally looking darker, sharper, more grain, more layered contrast etc. There is a touch of gloss and the HD presentation handles the darker sequences beautifully. It looked fabulous on my system.

NOTE: We have added 41 more large resolution Blu-ray captures (in lossless PNG format) for DVDBeaver Patrons HERE

On their Blu-ray, Indicator use a linear PCM mono track (24-bit) in the original English language. Remember the Night has no demonstratively aggressive moments. The score was by Friedrich Hollaender (The Man in Search of His Murderer, The Bride Wore Boots, Bluebeard's Eight Wife, Angel, The Great McGinty, Christmas in Connecticut, Caught, Berlin Express, Background to Danger, The Verdict, A Foreign Affair).  sounding supportive of the film's moods via the lossless transfer. Indicator offer optional English (SDH) subtitles on their Region 'B' Blu-ray.

The Indicator Blu-ray offers a new commentary by film historian Adrian Martin. He discusses Mitchell Leisen's directorial process - mise-en-scène, detail, subtleties, economy - and Barbara Stanwyck - her brilliant performance in Preston Sturges' The Lady Eve as well as the writer/director's detours, crossed wires, bad assumptions, mistaken stereotypes etc. - the notable expressive hats and costuming in the film (Edith Head) - DoP, and eventual director, Ted Tetzlaff, changes in the tone of the story and much more. He's always wonderful to listen to and this is another fine example. The package offers much more. Author and programmer Geoff Andrew revisits Remember the Night, exploring the contributions of writer Preston Sturges and director Mitchell Leisen in a new 26-minute video piece entitled You May Laugh, You May Weep. Also new - critic Pamela Hutchinson assesses the life and career of the iconic silver-screen star Barbara Stanwyck entitled Outsider Status. There are two 55-minute Lux Radio Theatre: ‘Remember the Night’ radio adaptations. The first from March 25th, 1940 with Fred MacMurray and Stanwyck reprising their roles from the film. The second radio adaptation is from December 22nd, 1941 and pairs MacMurray with Jean Arthur. Hollywood Victory Caravan runs 20-minutes from 1945. It is a short promotional film starring Stanwyck and many other Hollywood names, including Humphrey Bogart, Bing Crosby, Bob Hope, Betty Hutton, and Alan Ladd. Lastly are an original theatrical trailer and image gallery of promotional and publicity material. Plus the package has a limited edition exclusive 80-page book with a new essay by Rick Burin, archival interviews with cast and crew, articles on the careers of director Mitchell Leisen and screenwriter Preston Sturges, an overview of contemporary critical responses, writing on Hollywood Victory Caravan, and full film credits plus there is a limited edition folded poster.

Mitchell Leisen's Remember the Night was the last of script written by Preston Sturges before his own directorial career - that began the same year with The Great McGinty. Remember the Night blends a number of genres from a warm Christmas feature to romance, comedy, and courtroom drama. It has the enjoyable collaboration of Barbara Stanwyck and Fred MacMurray who would work together from 1940 to 1956 in Billy Wilder's film noir Double Indemnity, a western (The Moonlighter) and Douglas Sirk's romantic melodrama There’s Always Tomorrow. Remember the Night is a memorable film to revisit over the holiday season filled with comedy and warmth of the human spirit. The Indicator Blu-ray package is stacked with a brilliant commentary and extensive extras on the cast and crew including a booklet and poster. Strongly recommended!

Gary Tooze