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Shepherd of the Hills (The) (Blu-ray)
[Blu-ray]
Blu-ray B - United Kingdom - Powerhouse Films Review written by and copyright: Rick Curzon (20th December 2024). |
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The Film
 Henry Hathaway (Go West Young Man) directs John Wayne (Jet Pilot), Betty Field (7 Women), Harry Carey (You and Me), and Beulah Bondi (Remember the Night) in the classic 1941 melodrama The Shepherd of the Hills. When Daniel Howitt (Carey), a kindly stranger, arrives in a remote Ozark community riven by hatred, he befriends young Sammy (Field) and raises the ire of her fiancé, Matt (Wayne), a bitter moonshiner who has sworn to kill his own father. Based on the best-selling novel by Harold Bell Wright, and boasting ravishing cinematography by Charles Lang (The Long Gray Line) and W Howard Greene (The Magnificent Seven), Hathaway’s version of The Shepherd of the Hills was the third of no fewer than four big-screen adaptations, and was Wayne’s first film in Technicolor.
Video
An odd film, one in which one can see why it's generally liked but at the same time it's somewhat confusing. I never quite got what the "curse" was all about the drove Wayne to do what he does in the film, and what everyone talks about. It's also a very loose adaptation of Harold Bell Wright's 1907 book so devotes of that work castigate the film. It was also shot in California and not the actual Ozarks so anyone familiar with the fauna of that area will notice how different it looks. In any case, it's beautifully made and well acted even if the script was a tad confusing at times (some of the redneck dialogue is difficult to follow occasionally). From the booklet: The Shepherd of the Hills was sourced from Universal’s HD remaster. The film’s original mono soundtrack was remastered at the same time.Naturalistic despite the technicolor hues. Fleshtones not tanned, natural. No registration issues 1080p24 / AVC MPEG-4 / BD50 / 1.37:1 / 97:53
Audio
English LPCM 1.0 (48kHz, 24-bit) Subtitles: English HoH A pretty standard mono track of the period. It lacks great depth and range but is professional with clear dialogue and gets the job done. I noticed no major distortion, some mild hiss when the volume was increased higher than normal but that was about it. No pops or clicks, a clean presentation. The hard of hearing English subtitles are comprehensive and accurate to the onscreen dialogue ('B').
Extras
Audio commentary with film historian Eloise Ross (2024) Eloise Ross is a co-curator of the Melbourne Cinémathèque and offers a very comprehensive and fact filled yaktrak. She covers the literary source, the adaptation, the cast, the key crew, characters, themes, locations, technical aspects etc. Presented in lossy English Dolby 2.0 mono (48kHz, 112Kbps). "The Shepherd of the Hills: The Return of the Exile" 2017 interview with Bertrand Tavenier (35:06) Tavenier (1941-2021) is obviously a fan of the film and of director Hathaway, feeling that he made a very personal film with this adaptation of the 1907 book. He also focuses on the story, the cast and the relationship between Wayne and Hathaway who worked together many times. Presented in 1080p24 1.78:1 with lossy French Dolby Digital 2.0 stereo (48kHz 112Kbps) with optional English subtitles. Theatrical Trailer (2:16) Vintage promo presented in 1080p24 1.37:1 with lossy English Dolby Digital 1.0 (48kHz, 192Kbps) and no subtitles. The Shepherd of the Hills Image Gallery: Original Promotional Material (46 images) 40-page liner notes booklet with a new essay by Rick Burin, an archival report on the film and source novel’s Ozark setting, an extract from an interview with Henry Hathaway, an overview of contemporary critical responses and full film credits The usual excellent booklet with plenty of contextual added value in support of the film.
Packaging
Not sent for review.
Overall
A John Wayne-Henry Hathaway classic from 1941 gets a nice special edition with topnotch picture and sound quality. Extras are satisfying, informative if not comprehensive. Recommended ('B+').
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