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Directed by William A. Wellman
 USA 1926

 

You Never Know Women is a thrilling romance that constructs a combustible love triangle between a Russian dancer, a handsome escape artist, and a wealthy broker. Vera Janova (Florence Vidor) is on her way to star in a Russian vaudeville revue when a falling girder nearly kills her. A construction worker saves her life, but before she wakes up the conniving Eugene Foster (Lowell Sherman) takes Vera into his arms, pretending to be the one who rescued her. Susceptible to Eugene’s oily charms, Vera begins ignoring Ivan Norodin (Clive Brook), a Houdini-like master of illusion who had loved her his whole life. Racked with jealousy, Norodin plans the ultimate illusion, one that could change their lives forever. Filmed with knockabout energy by the great director William A. Wellman (The Ox-Bow Incident), You Never Know Women is a silent era gem.

***

After making one unsuccessful film (The Cat's Pajamas), director William Wellman was in danger of being fired by his new employers at Paramount. He made a rousing comeback with You Never Know Women. Written by the Hungarian-born Ernest Vajda, it involves a Russian theatrical troupe of acrobats, clowns and magicians. There is a romance between two of the troupe's members, Norodin (Clive Brook) and his partner Vera (Florence Vidor). Something truly magical exists between them, but their connection is interrupted by the wealthy and devious Eugene Foster (Lowell Sherman). Foster pretended to have saved Vera from a falling beam at a construction site, when it was actually one of the workers who pulled her to safety. Norodin, believing that Vera prefers Foster, decides to bow out. He fakes his death during a Houdini-like stunt in which he's manacled and locked in a trunk that's thrown into a river. He swims away, but everyone believes that he has drowned. With her partner gone, Vera realizes how much he meant to her, so she tells Foster she is through with him. Foster angrily attacks her, and she wrestles away, running through the backstage area in search of a place to hide. She finds Norodin's trick cabinet just as Norodin, who has heard about Vera's grieving, returns to the theater. She runs into the cabinet, there is a blast of smoke, and Foster finds himself faced with Norodin, who, with a few knife tricks, chases him off. Beautiful lighting and camera work by Victor Milner, spare use of sub-titles, and Wellman's skillful handling of the actors all conspire to make this a wonderful example of silent film technique. Paramount was so happy with this feature (and its earnings) that they gave Wellman another film to direct -- Wings -- and a 25-dollar-a-week raise.

Excerpt from B+N located HERE

Poster

Theatrical Release: July 20th, 1926

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

Box Cover

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Distribution Kino Lorber - Region 'A' - Blu-ray
Runtime 1:11:42.423       
Video

1.33:1 1080P Single-layered Blu-ray

Disc Size: 22,491,321,740 bytes

Feature: 21,947,215,872 bytes

Video Bitrate: 34.99 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 1583 kbps 2.0 / 48 kHz / 1583 kbps / 24-bit (DTS Core: 2.0 / 48 kHz / 1509 kbps / 24-bit)
Commentary:

DTS-HD Master Audio English 1993 kbps 2.0 / 48 kHz / 1993 kbps / 24-bit (DTS Core: 2.0 / 48 kHz / 1509 kbps / 24-bit)
Subtitles English Intertitles
Features Release Information:
Studio: Kino Lorber

 

1.33:1 1080P Single-layered Blu-ray

Disc Size: 22,491,321,740 bytes

Feature: 21,947,215,872 bytes

Video Bitrate: 34.99 Mbps

Codec: MPEG-4 AVC Video

 

Edition Details:

• Audio Commentary by William Wellman, Jr.
• Booklet essay by filmmaker, critic and archivist Gina Telaroli
• Music composed and performed by Donald Sosins


 Blu-ray Release Date: November 6th, 2018
 Standard Blu-ray Case

Chapters 8

 

 

Comments:

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

Kino Lorber (in partnership with Paramount) present from the Paramount vaults this new 1080P Blu-ray of "You Never Know Women". This is advertised as a "Brand new HD master from a 4K of the 35mm Nitrate Tinted Print and 35mm Safety Dupe Negative by Paramount Pictures Archives". Kino's new release is a 1080p 24fps AVC on a single-layered disc. There is the occasional damage seen with a occasional vertical scratch, though for the most part the image looks rather solid. The film has a mostly pinkish tint to the image, with the usual fluctuation of contrast visible throughout (this is native to most silent films seen today). There are definitely shots that show some beautiful detail and grain. Without any extensive digital restoration, the film seems to be a true representation of the source print without digitization. Personally, I did not mind the damage and the image looked better than I anticipated - a very visual film experience that is definitely benefited by the HD presentation.

The audio track is DTS-HD Master 2.0 channel (24-bit) and the film has English intertitles. This score is credited to Donald Sosin (F.W. Murnau's Nosferatu the Vampire). The Blu-ray disc is Region 'A'-locked.

Kino have given us a very informative commentary track featuring William Wellman, Jr., son of the late director. Wellman's track would surely impress most film history buffs, adding a certain inside scoop to the story of his father's rise to fame. Wellman tells us of after his father being blacklisted, the task of directing "You Don't Know Women" was proposed as a test of sorts, to see if he could handle directing "Wings", which went on to win the very first "Best Picture" Academy Award. Wellman was preferred to direct Wings given his experience in war, but this film would be the ultimate test. Stories like these are just the beginning of an exhaustive track from Wellman Jr. Also here is an essay, "Never Tell Them Anything" from filmmaker, critic and archivist Gina Telaroli. This is an extensive essay examining the film and Wellman's life and career.

It was quite special to see this early work from William Wellman in 1080P. It is such a wildly visual film that could only have been made way back when. The commentary and essay from Gina Telaroli are the cherry on top of a fabulous Blu-ray transfer. For many Silent Era fans- this will be well worth owning. Recommended!

Colin Zavitz

 

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Box Cover

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Distribution Kino Lorber - Region 'A' - Blu-ray


 


 

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