Dangerous When Wet appears in an aspect ratio of approximately 1.37:1 on this Blu-ray Disc. This became a fine presentation, especially given the film’s age.
In terms of sharpness, the movie usually demonstrated nice delineation. Some softness crept in at times, partly as an attempt to hide the age of a few actors, I suspect.
Nonetheless, definition felt solid the majority of the time, and no issues with jagged edges, shimmering or edge haloes became apparent. Grain remained appropriate, and no specks, marks or other defects showed up at any time in this fresh presentation.
Hues were strong, as the Technicolor presentation gave the palette solid range. The hues tended to be vivid and full.
Blacks seemed deep and dense without too much heaviness. Shadow detail worked similarly well, as dimly-lit shots were appropriately clear and thick. I found little about which to complain here and thought the Blu-ray brought the movie to life in a positive manner.
The DTS-HD MA monaural audio of Wet appeared fine for its era, and speech was appropriate. The lines showed age-related thinness, but they were always perfectly intelligible and without edginess.
Effects became a minor aspect of the track, and they resembled the dialogue. Those elements lacked much depth but they were without notable problems.
Music was acceptable for its age, as the songs and score tended to be a bit tinny. There wasn’t much range to the music, but again, that stemmed from the limitations of the very old source. This became a perfectly adequate mix for its vintage.
A few extras flesh out the disc, and we find an unused musical outtake. Called “C’est La Guerre”, it runs two minutes, 52 seconds.
If you wondered why Andre and Gigi don’t hook up, the song explains – sort of. I suspect it got the boot because it took the focus away from Katie for too long, but the number does fill in some narrative gaps.
Two theatrical shorts follow. We get 1949’s The Cat and the Mermouse (7:40) and 1953’s This Is A Living? (9:19).
A Tom & Jerry effort, Mermouse involves our leads as they tangle on the beach and in the ocean. Like most T&J, it seems more cute than funny, but it comes with some inventive moments.
From the “Pete Smith” series, Living? concentrates on people with unusual jobs. It offers minor curiosity value.
Next we find a collection of Demo Recordings by songwriter Johnny Mercer. This compilation spans 11 minutes, four seconds and involves three tracks. We get a good look at the basic tunes here.
In addition to the film’s trailer, we conclude with an audio-only Interview with Esther Williams and Dick Simmons. It spans four minutes, 51 seconds.
Williams discusses basics about swimming to educate the public. She tells us nothing about Wet but she makes this an interesting oddity.
Maybe someday I will find an Esther Williams movie that charms me, but Dangerous When Wet fails to become that flick. Slow and without much personality, Wet becomes a forgettable mix of comedy, romance and athletics. The Blu-ray offers positive picture and audio as well as a modest mix of bonus materials. Nothing here turns Wet into a bad movie, but it just seems inert.