Portrait of Jennie Blu-ray

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

(aka " Jennie " or "Tidal Wave")

directed by William Dieterle
USA 1948

"A haunting story of a rift in time, "Portrait of Jennie" (1948) was taken from a novel by Robert Nathan and directed by William Dieterle. Cotten plays struggling artist Eben Adams who finds inspiration and happiness with Jennie, (Jennifer Jones) a mysterious girl he meets by chance in Central Park. When she first appears, Jennie is a precocious twelve-year-old who chatters on about places and events that happened years ago as if they were current. Eben never knows when he will next meet her, but each time he does, Jennie has grown a little older. One day she is in his apartment when he returns home, a beautiful young woman of eighteen, and Eben begins to sketch her for a portrait.

Jennie appears once more, now in her twenties, and Eben finishes his masterpiece, his Portrait of Jennie. Now deeply in love, the two plan to be together forever, but Jennie tells Eben she must first be away for a short time - she mentions Land's End at Cape Cod.

Months go by, and when Jennie does not reappear, a despondent Eben tries to trace her - a nun (Lillian Gish) at a convent where Jennie attended school remembers her very well, but tells Eben that Jennie died years ago - drowned in a huge storm that struck...Land's End. Eben makes the journey to Cape Cod, and must race against time and the elements for the chance to alter destiny.

Not a success upon its release, "Portrait of Jennie" has grown in its appeal in the years since - the ethereal story of an expansion of time, a collapse of boundaries, or an overlapping of both. The chemistry between Cotten and the luminous Jennifer Jones was never better. The stunning cinematography by Oscar-nominated Joe August and composer Dimitri Tiomkin's use of themes by Claude Debussy add immeasurably to the dreamlike quality of the film. "

Excerpt taken from Rav'in Mav'ins website found HERE

Posters (and 2 book covers)

Theatrical Release: December 25th, 1948 - USA

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Comparison:

MGM - Region 1- NTSC vs. Anchor Bay - Region 0 - NTSC vs. Freemantle - Region 0 - PAL vs. Kino Lorber - Region 'A' - Blu-ray

1) MGM - Region 1- NTSC - LEFT

2) Anchor Bay - Region 0 - NTSC SECOND

3) Freemantle - Region 0 - PAL THIRD

4) Kino Lorber - Region 'A' - Blu-ray RIGHT

Box Covers

Distribution	MGM Region 1 - NTSC	Anchor Bay Entertainment Region 0 - NTSC	Freemantle Home Entertainment Region 0 - PAL	Kino Lorber Region 'A' - Blu-ray
Runtime	1:26:18	1:26:07	1:22:22 (4% PAL speedup)	1:26:16.045
Video	1.33:1 Original Aspect Ratio Bitrate 6.20 mb/s NTSC 704x480 29.97 f/s	1.33:1 Original Aspect Ratio NTSC 704x480 29.97 f/s	1.33:1 Original Aspect Ratio PAL 720x576 25.00 f/s	1080P Dual-layered Blu-ray Disc Size: 22,229,492,450 bytes Feature: 20,773,300,224 bytes Codec: MPEG-4 AVC Video Total Video Bitrate: 26.68 Mbps

Audio	English (Dolby Digital 2.0 Mono)	English (Dolby Digital 2.0 Mono)	English (Dolby Digital 2.0 Mono)	DTS-HD Master Audio English 1556 kbps 2.0 / 48 kHz / 1556 kbps / 16-bit (DTS Core: 2.0 / 48 kHz / 1509 kbps / 16-bit) 'Storm option': DTS-HD Master Audio English 1658 kbps 5.1 / 48 kHz / 1658 kbps / 16-bit (DTS Core: 5.1 / 48 kHz / 1509 kbps / 16-bit) Commentary: Dolby Digital Audio English 192 kbps 2.0 / 48 kHz / 192 kbps
Subtitles	English and none	None	None	English and none
Features	Release Information: Studio: MGM Entertainment Aspect Ratio: Full Screen (Standard) - 1.33:1 Edition Details: • None DVD Release Date: October 19th, 2004 Keep Case Chapters 16	Release Information: Studio: Anchor Bay Entertainment Aspect Ratio: Full Screen (Standard) - 1.33:1 Edition Details: • Black & White, Color • Theatrical trailer (2:28) • Photo Gallery DVD Release Date: November 28, 2000 Keep Case Chapters 28	Release Information: Studio: Fremantle Home Entertainment Aspect Ratio: Full Screen (Standard) - 1.33:1 Edition Details: DVD Release Date: 6 August, 2001 Keep Case Chapters 12	Release Information: Studio: Kino 1080P Dual-layered Blu-ray Disc Size: 22,229,492,450 bytes Feature: 20,773,300,224 bytes Codec: MPEG-4 AVC Video Total Video Bitrate: 26.68 Mbps Edition Details: • Audio Commentary by Film Historian Troy Howarth • Reversible Blu-ray Art • Portrait of Jennie trailer (1:43) 4 other trailers Standard Blu-ray case Blu-ray Release Date: October 24th, 2017 Chapters: 9

Comments:

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

ADDITION: Kino - Region 'A' - Blu-ray October 17': Kino's new Blu-ray transfer of, one of the most beloved fantasy-romance films of all time, Portrait of Jennie, on single-layered disc, advances beyond the SD image quality. It is lighter, more detailed and shows some consistent grain. It looks very appealing in-motion - it may not by dynamic but is a solid bump above the DVDs.

As covered very well in the Howarth commentary, Selznick had a 3 Channel Stereo incorporated - notably for the final storm sequence. Not all theatres had the ability to utilize it but some did and, as well as the option of a standard DTS-HD Master mono track (16-bit) we get a DTS-HD Master 5.1 surround choice and it has some separation that adds drama to the film late storm sequence. Good show! As for the score, after Bernard Herrmann quit, Dimitri Tiomkin (Angel Face, Strangers on a Train, The Men, Dial M For Murder, The Thing From Another World etc. etc.) took over although the former's Jennie's Song, as beautifully sung by Jennifer Jones, was still used in the film as well as Claude Debussy Arabesque No. 1 in E and Prélude à l'après-midi d'un faune as adapted by Tiomkin. The lossless sound quality on both track sounds fine. Thee are optional English subtitles (see sample below) on the Region 'A'-locked Blu-ray disc.

NOTE: The intentional 'gauzy' technique is used to represent an art canvas and the film's fantasy elements - seen many times in the film and the green tint and sepia tone is used for final reel, excluding the film's last shot.

I've been enjoying a few audio commentaries by film historian Troy Howarth lately and this is at the same high level filling the time with small, but interesting, details of the performers; Cotten, Jones, facts about Selznick etc. I found it excellent. The package has a reversible cover art (see bottom) and it has a Portrait of Jennie trailer (1:43), as well as 4 other trailers.

A favorite film and I'm thrilled to have it in 1080P. The surround audio option and commentary add further value and this Blu-ray has our very strong recommendation!

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ADDITION: MGM (Oct - 04) - I'm getting weary of looking at these images. I think the MGM and Anchor Bay give almost the same sharpness, but often I see the Anchor Bay as superior. The contrast on the MGM looks finer, but it may be only that it is darker overall. The MGM has included removable English subtitles. I am sticking with my Anchor Bay for the superior extras/menus and sharpness. MGM, as with their Duel in the Sun (originally released by Anchor Bay as well) missed another opportunity to better the initial release.... and they couldn't even bother to include a trailer as an extra. What fools. Stick with your OOP Anchor Bay - in my mind it is even more valuable now.

P.S. MGM have marketed one of the worst covers I have ever seen. Beautiful Jen Jones looks like an mannequin.

***

The 'Out of Print" Anchor Bay edition is far sharper than the Freemantle PAL version. You can even see a shade of film grain on the Anchor Bay. The only trouble with the NTSC disc is that it is unavailable and extremely costly 'used'. The Extras go toward the Anchor Bay too with a trailer and Photo gallery. The AB has no Extras. Buy the Anchor Bay if you ever see it anywhere.