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

ADDITION: Kino Blu-ray (August 2025): Kino have also transferred Elliott Nugent's The Great Gatsby to Blu-ray. It is cited as being from a "Brand New HD Master – From a 4K Scan". This scan delivers a consistent black-and-white imagery with enhanced contrast layering, and finely resolved grain structure, free from the persistent print damage, scratches, speckles, and blemishes that plagued the Imprint Blu-ray edition, which relied on an older, unrestored master from a 2022 4K scan that showed signs of wear and lacked thorough clean-up. While the Imprint 1080P transfer offered decent sharpness and noir-like shadows, it suffered from grain fluctuations, diffused backgrounds, occasional crush, and unstable density, making the opulence of the Jazz Age feel faded and less immersive; in contrast, Kino's approach provides a pristine, stable presentation that better captures the film's moody cinematography by John F. Seitz (Double Indemnity, Sunset Boulevard, The Lost Weekend, Sullivan's Travels,) with improved delineation in close-ups and atmospheric scenes, elevating it to a higher-quality level for fans of classic Hollywood cinema.

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Kino us a DTS-HD Master dual-mono track. Compared to the Imprint edition's LPCM 2.0 mono track, which was generally clear and well-modulated but occasionally uneven when volume was increased, revealing sporadic artifacts and a lack of vibrancy in crowd scenes, Kino's version benefits from the superior source restoration, potentially offering a more consistent and refined soundstage, though both remain faithful to the original mono mix. Key sound effects enhance dramatic moments, including the loud engines of 1920s automobiles, dramatic gunshots, and ambient crowd noise at Gatsby's parties, adding a layer of realism to the noir-infused thriller elements. Composed by Robert Emmett Dolan (Sorrowful Jones, Monsieur Beaucaire Murder He Says, The Major and the Minor, Mr. Peabody and the Mermaid, The Bells of St. Mary's, My Son John, The Three Faces of Eve) the soundtrack relies heavily on stock music cues rather than original compositions, missing opportunities to infuse authentic '20s jazz flavor that could have enlivened the era's depiction. Kino offer optional English (SDH) subtitles on their Region 'A'-locked Blu-ray.

The extras package on the Kino Blu-ray is solid but concise, headlined by a new audio commentary from author and film historian Paul Talbot (author of Bronson's Loose! The Making of the Death Wish Films,) which provides insightful analysis of the adaptation, production challenges, and cultural context. He is always impressively prepared. It also includes the 25-minute interview with David Ladd, son of star Alan Ladd, moderated by Alan K. Rode (Michael Curtiz: A Life in Film,) where he discusses his father's career and specific experiences on The Great Gatsby, plus the original theatrical trailer for a nostalgic touch. In comparison, the Imprint Blu-ray release offers the David Ladd interview and a more expansive set of supplements.

The 1949 film adaptation of F. Scott Fitzgerald's The Great Gatsby, directed by Elliott Nugent and produced by Paramount Pictures, stands as the first sound-era version of the novel, released just 24 years after the book's publication in 1925. The film was made during a period when Fitzgerald's reputation was still recovering posthumously, nine years after his death in 1940. Marketed more as a thriller than a literary drama, it reflects the constraints of the Hollywood Production Code, which demanded moral rectitude, leading to significant alterations in tone and content. This adaptation infuses the Jazz Age tale with film noir elements, emphasizing Gatsby's criminal underworld and social climbing over the novel's subtle exploration of the American Dream, resulting in a brisk, unpretentious narrative that prioritizes Ladd's star power  (This Gun For Hire, The Glass Key, The Blue Dahlia, Whispering Smith, and, of course, Shane.) At its core, the film grapples with themes of illusion, desire, and the disillusionment of the American Dream, but through a noir lens that highlights moral decay and the perils of social ambition. While the audio is comparably strong across both, with minor edges to Kino's Blu-ray remastering, and the extras are more expansive on Imprint's richer supplemental content, the image quality favors Kino Blu-ray for its commitment to preservation, making it a worthwhile upgrade or first-time purchase for those prioritizing image fidelity over bonus depth - ultimately rendering the Imprint Blu-ray version obsolete for all but collectors seeking its limited-edition packaging and additional scholarly insights.

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ADDITION: Imprint Blu-ray (June 2023): Imprint have transferred Elliott Nugent's The Great Gatsby to Blu-ray. It is cited as being from a "Once considered a lost film, the master was found in 2012 and has been lovingly restored. Here for the first time, the film is presented in high definition from a new 4K scan." The 1080P image is characterized by plenty of speckles and frame-specific marks as well as lusciously abundant grain textures. The HD presentation is a little rough but contrast appeared okay on my system - forgiving the compromised source that require a film-level restoration.

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On their Blu-ray, Imprint use a linear PCM dual-mono track (24-bit) in the original English language. The Great Gatsby has plenty of party/crowd moments and one very aggressive violent sequence. The score was by Robert Emmett Dolan (Sorrowful Jones, Monsieur Beaucaire Murder He Says, The Major and the Minor, Mr. Peabody and the Mermaid, The Bells of St. Mary's, My Son John, The Three Faces of Eve) that permeates The Great Gatsby with a somber tone. It has consistent dialogue in the lossless transfer. Imprint offer optional English (SDH) subtitles on their Region FREE Blu-ray.

The Imprint Blu-ray offers a new commentary by professor and film scholar Jason A. Ney. He states that F. Scott Fitzgerald is his favorite author (one of his son's middle names is 'Fitzgerald') and he considers The Great Gatsby the great American novel. Of all the film adaptations he considers this 1940 version has the most intriguing interpretation. He breaks down some of the major changes to the film from the novel, why they occurred, the censorship battles ('low moral tone', adultery, manslaughter, excess use of liquor) including the very first scene, the production decisions of The Great Gatsby's by producer Richard Maibaum, compromises, the eye advertisement of Dr. T. J. Eckleburg and so much more. It's an exceptional commentary. Also included is Gene Feldman + Suzette Winter's 1999, almost hour-long, documentary Alan Ladd: The True Quiet Man. It offers input from Edward Dmytryk, Samuel Goldwyn Jr., Alan Ladd, son David Ladd, Lizabeth Scott and many others discussing Ladd's childhood and a family tragedy referencing his notable films. Lizabeth Scott has been quite a recluse so it was interesting to see her. Included is 22-minutes of Professor Sarah Churchill on The Great Gatsby and a 1/4 hour of Film Critic / Writer Christina Newland (She Found it at the Movies: Women Writers on Sex, Desire and Cinema) on the title. Lastly is a 25-minute interview with Alan Ladd's son, David Ladd, conducted by Alan K. Rode where they discuss 'Gatsby's failure', 'Gatsby's importance to the Ladd family', his father's early Hollywood career, Michael Curtiz (The Proud Rebel) and 'Successes at Paramount studios'. Good stuff.

Elliott Nugent's (The Cat and the Canary) film version of The Great Gatsby was the second cinematic adaptation of F. Scott Fitzgerald's novel, after the, now-lost, 1926 silent version - making this the first sound adaptation. As Time Out says; "...the casting of Alan Ladd as Gatsby, so much more convincing as a man with a dark and mysterious past than one-dimensional glamour-puss Robert Redford". I concur. I enjoyed how Alan K. Rode makes the brief case for Noir conventions in the supplements (John F. Seitz cinematography.) I was very keen to see the 1949 The Great Gatsby on Imprint Blu-ray. Fans of the a dark cinema mainstay, Ladd, will want to see this. An imperfect image but I was thankful to see the film at all in 1080P. The extras are advanced and offer tremendous value from the commentary, hour-long documentary and Gatsby views by Sarah Churchill and Christina Newland. Absolutely recommended to the right crowd. Wonderful film experience.  

Gary Tooze