A Farewell to Arms: Kino Classics Edition [Blu-ray]

Blu-ray Upgrade Well Worth It!
For years this film was shown in badly duped shortened prints that did nothing to show the beauty of its Academy Award winning cinematography by Charles Lang. Kino's Blu-ray offering showcases Lang's still outstanding work in what hast to be one of director Frank Borzage's finest films. Gary Cooper and Helen Hayes are both excellent as is Adolphe Menjou. The only thing that dates this film is the music score. When the film was re-issued the newly formed censorship caused the film to be cut from 89 minutes down to 78 minutes. Many scenes had a only few seconds cut out of them while others were clipped more severely. Warner Bros. bought the rights to the Ernest Hemingway material from Paramount and re-issued the film with new main and end titles in the censored version around 1950. That edition appeared as a Laser Disc and was the first decent picture quality available for home use. Later David O. Selznick acquired the rights from WB in order to remake the film. The uncut version of the...

My review of the KINO DVD release of "A Farewell to Arms" (1932, 89 mins.).
First off, I want to make clear that, despite what the Amazon product description for this DVD presently (on 2/27/13) indicates, this movie, in this DVD release, is 89 mins. in length, not 80. I notified Amazon of the error a short while ago, so hopefully the correction will be reflected soon.

Secondly, I wish to COMPLETELY disagree with the product review posted by BAILADORA FINA on 1/7/13. I own a KINO DVD of "A Farewell to Arms". KINO released this movie as a new HD master, NOT as a restoration. Master means a best-possible straight HD reproduction from the best available picture and audio elements. A restoration, on the other hand, is when imperfections in picture and sound are corrected, as well as is reasonably possible.

As a new HD master, I consider this KINO DVD to be excellent, with overall clear, clean picture and sound, and with nicely balanced greyscale contrast.

I realize there is a conspicuous editing jump in one place, that makes it...

Part of American and European History
Good to watch to understand the impact of WW1
Hemingway is dismissed too often, as is WW1, but it lives today, and we need to understand it.
It led to WW2 and the holocaust

Click to Editorial Reviews