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

ADDITION: Kino Blu-ray (January 2026): Kino have transferred George Marshall's Hold That Blonde! to Blu-ray. It features a new 2K restoration sourced from a 35mm fine-grain element, presenting the film in its original 1.37:1 aspect ratio in 1080P resolution, delivering an effective and detailed black-and-white image. The film was lensed by cinematographer Daniel L. Fapp (West Side Story, The Great Escape, Marooned, Ice Station Zebra, 5 Card Stud, Our Man Flint, One, Two, Three,) who employs a high-contrast, high-key lighting style typical of Paramount's postwar output, illuminating the opulent high-society settings and slapstick antics with clarity and depth to heighten the comedic timing. Fapp's framing often favors medium shots and quick cuts during physical comedy sequences. The HD presentation, maintaining a natural film grain structure, highlights the era's glamorous sets and costumes. This single-layered rendering offers clean and consistent video.

NOTE: We have added 60 more large resolution Blu-ray captures (in lossless PNG format) for DVDBeaver Patrons HERE

On their Blu-ray, Kino use a DTS-HD Master dual-mono track (24-bit) in the original English language. The sound department, led by Don Johnson (Make Way for Tomorrow, The Lady Eve) and Gene Merritt (A Place in the Sun, When Worlds Collide,) incorporates crisp foley effects for comedic punctuation, such as the slap of a stolen banana peel hitting the ground or the clatter of jewelry during heists. The sound mix balances vocal clarity with comedic sound effects and orchestral cues effectively, avoiding distortion in higher volumes during chaotic sequences. Composer Werner R. Heymann's (Lubitsch's The Shop Around the Corner, Angel and Bluebeard's Eighth Wife) score provides a whimsical underscore, blending light orchestral motifs with jazzy flourishes to mirror the film's romantic and chaotic shifts; his work, influenced by his collaborations with Ernst Lubitsch, infuses scenes with playful strings and brass stings that heighten the absurdity without overpowering the dialogue, creating an auditory layer that feels buoyant and period-appropriate. The lossless track remains faithful to the 1945 production's audio design, offering a solid listening experience that complements the film's lighthearted tone Kino offer optional English subtitles on their Region 'A' Blu-ray.

The Kino Blu-ray offers a new commentary by Film Historian/Writer Julie Kirgo (author of Becoming John Ford) and Writer/Filmmaker Peter Hankoff (Producer of The Cold Blue) who provide insightful analysis on the film's production history, George Marshall's direction, the performances of Eddie Bracken (Broadway origins) and Veronica Lake (iconic peek-a-boo hairstyle influencing wartime safety campaigns,) Albert Dekker, Willie Best, including its roots as a remake of the 1925 silent film Paths to Paradise and the film's place within 1940s screwball comedy traditions, blending anecdotes with contextual details that enrich repeat viewings. There are also a handful of trailers for other films; Caught in the Draft, So Proudly We Hail, The Hour Before the Dawn, Saigon, You Can't Cheat an Honest Man, The Ghost Breakers, Murder, He Says, and Fancy Pants.

George Marshall's Hold That Blonde! blends elements of romance, crime caper, and physical slapstick, drawing from earlier cinematic traditions like Harold Lloyd's high-wire antics while reflecting the lighthearted escapism of post-World War II Hollywood. The narrative builds to a frenzied climax of cops, crooks, and romantic resolutions, all tied together with slapstick gags such as Ogden stealing a banana from a policeman and leaving the peel behind, or cradling a dog like a baby, emphasizing the film's reliance on visual humor and escalating absurdity. Eddie Bracken channels a mix of Harold Lloyd's daring physicality and Preston Sturges' hapless protagonists, making Ogden both endearingly flawed and comically resilient, though some critics note his routines can become grating when overextended. Veronica Lake's Sally, with her sultry demeanor, serves as the straight woman to Ogden's chaos, her role as a thief adding a layer of intrigue, but reviewers often lament her underutilization, wishing for more of her sharp comedic timing seen in films like Sullivan’s Travels. Motifs of theft extend beyond literal stealing to "stealing" hearts and opportunities, underscoring the film's breezy take on morality in a post-war era craving optimism. The style evokes Preston Sturges' influence - both Bracken and Lake had worked with him - but lacks his polish, resulting in a strained script with unoriginal gags like flagpole bits that some find laborious. While not a lavish special edition, Kino Blu-rays's focus on a quality presentation ensures this zany heist-romance shines brightly, offering solid value at its price point. Cute, fun and worth a spin or two.

Gary Tooze