Blonde Ice Blu-ray - Leslie Brooks

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

Directed by Jack Bernhard
USA 1948

Society columnist Claire Cummings (Leslie Brooks) may have lawfully wed wealthy businessman Carl Hanneman (John Holland), but it’s obvious that she’s still carrying a torch for her ex-boyfriend and fellow newspaper colleague Les Burns (Robert Paige). Problems arise when Carl learns that his wife still has feelings for her old flame, and he declares his intention to divorce Claire and cut her off without a dime.

When Carl turns up dead, Claire’s tight alibi throws the police off her scent and allows her to rekindle her romance with Les, despite his (and his co-workers’) suspicion that she may be responsible for her husband’s murder. Incapable of warmth or gratitude, Claire soon steps out on Les and sets her sights on another rich conquest (Michael Whalen) who, odds are, doesn’t have long to live.

With striking good-looks and acting chops that rise well above the film’s B-noir pedigree, Leslie Brooks brings to life one of the most calculating and cold-hearted femme fatales in classic film history in her portrayal as Claire in Blonde Ice. Robert Paige and Michael Whalen co-star with solid support provided by James Griffith (in his film debut), Walter Sande, Emory Parnell, John Holland, Selmer Jackson, Mildred Coles, David Leonard and Russ Vincent (who later married Brooks in 1950—a union that lasted until his death in 2001).

Directed by Jack Bernhard (Decoy) and lensed by George Robinson (House of Frankenstein, The Scarlet Claw), Blonde Ice was adapted by screenwriter Kenneth Gamet from Elwyn Whitman Chambers’ 1938 novel Once Too Often."

***

There're critically acclaimed film noirs that have books analyzing every aspect of them. Then, there's something like Blonde Ice. It is also film noir, but being made on cheap with unknown actors, the film was lost for generations. It's up to film historians and collectors, like Jay Fenton to uncover these little gems. Blonde Ice is a talky melodrama, staged in stuffy rooms, going outside only once or twice. Thankfully, we have Leslie Brooks who steals the film as the title character. She is no Phyllis Dietrichson of Double Indemnity - she can kill off rich husbands herself, and when everything goes wrong, can frame her lover. Like the tagline says, "ICE in her veins - ICICLES in her heart".

Gregory Meshman

Posters

Theatrical Release: May 6th, 1948

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Review: Classicflix - Region FREE - Blu-ray

Box Cover		CLICK to order from: Bonus Captures:
Distribution	Classicflix - Region FREE - Blu-ray
Runtime	1:14:24.918
Video	1.37:1 1080P Single-layered Blu-ray Disc Size: 23,541,921,882 bytes Feature: 21,254,031,360 bytes Video Bitrate: 34.29 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 1865 kbps 2.0 / 48 kHz / 1865 kbps / 24-bit (DTS Core: 2.0 / 48 kHz / 1509 kbps / 24-bit)
Subtitles	English, None
Features	Release Information: Studio: Classicflix 1.37:1 1080P Single-layered Blu-ray Disc Size: 23,541,921,882 bytes Feature: 21,254,031,360 bytes Video Bitrate: 34.29 Mbps Codec: MPEG-4 AVC Video Edition Details: • Trailers for other films Blu-ray Release Date: July 18th, 2023 Transparent Blu-ray Case Chapters 19

Comments:

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

ADDITION: Classicflix Blu-ray (September 2023): Classicflix have transferred Jack Bernhard's Blonde Ice to Blu-ray. It is cited as being "restored from 35mm elements". Gregory viewed the poor video quality VCI DVD in 2005, HERE. We have compared some of those captures below and the 1080P is a revelation beside the compromised SD transfer. The Blu-ray image is on a single-layered disc with a max'ed out bitrate for the 1 1/4 hour film. It can be a shade clunky but overall has such a superior presentation that we remain very pleased with this upgrade. Note that damage visible on the DVD is no longer visible on the BD (see sample at bottom.)

NOTE: We have added 58 more large resolution Blu-ray captures (in lossless PNG format) for DVDBeaver Patrons HERE

On their Blu-ray, Classicflix use a DTS-HD Master dual-mono track (24-bit) in the original English language. Aside from a stabbing and gunshot, Blonde Ice has few aggressive moments being mostly dialogue-driven. The score was by Irving Gertz (The Incredible Shrinking Man, Gun For a Coward, Curse of the Undead, The Leech Woman, It Came From Outer Space, Blonde Ice, Plunder Road, The Deadly Mantis) adding drama and tension. There is consistent dialogue in the lossless transfer. Classicflix offer optional English subtitles on their Region FREE Blu-ray.

The Classicflix Blu-ray offers only a handful of trailers; Black Magic, I, The Jury, Michael Shayne Mysteries, T-Men, and Raw Deal, although none for Blonde Ice. The old DVD included a commentary by Jay Fenton, plus an interview with him, 2 short subjects and liner notes with an essay also by Fenton. But this Blu-ray is bare-bones.

Jack Bernhard's Blonde Ice stealthily, but deservedly, sneaks into 'dark cinema's essential territory. This Noir inclusion rests almost exclusively on the nastiness of femme fatale Claire Cummings Hanneman (played with cold indifference by Leslie Brooks.) She is adulterous, selfish, murderous and... quite insane. Think of Vera (Ann Savage) in Edgar G. Ulmer's Detour (Ulmer was the uncredited original screenwriter of Blonde Ice!), Annie Laurie Starr (Peggy Cummins) from Gun Crazy or Diane Tremayne Jessup (Jean Simmons) in Preminger's Angel Face. Great to have the Classicflix Blu-ray a/v improvements but better keep the VCI DVD for the extras. Another must-own for noir aficionados.