Dodsworth appears in an aspect ratio of approximately 1.37:1 on this Blu-ray Disc. This became an impressive presentation for an 84-year-old film.
Overall sharpness worked well. A smattering of shots looked a bit soft, but these failed to cause distractions, and the majority of the movie felt accurate and concise.
I saw no signs of jagged edges or shimmering, and edge haloes didn’t appear. In terms of print flaws, I saw nothing prominent.
With a nice layer of grain, I suspected no digital noise reduction. Blacks looked deep and dark, while shadows seemed smooth and clear, and the image boasted satisfying contrast. I felt very pleased with this age-defying transfer.
Though not as good, the movie’s DTS-HD MA monaural soundtrack worked fine for its age. Speech could be reedy but the lines lacked edginess and remained easily intelligible.
Both effects and music failed to deliver much dynamic range, but that was expected given their vintage. These elements still seemed clean and clear, without distortion or other concerns. For an 84-year-old track, this one felt more than satisfactory.
One extra appears here: an April 12, 1937 Lux Radio Theater adaptation of Dodsworth. It lasts 59 minutes, 31 seconds and brings back Walter Huston as the title character, with his real-life wife Nan Sunderland as Fran.
As usual, the radio adaptation provides a fairly bare-bones version of the tale, and it loses the development it needs. Fran comes across as less likable than in the film, and the story seems too superficial. While not an effective take on the narrative, this still acts as a cool addition to the set.
Though it works less well in its third act, Dodsworth mostly provides an insightful take on romantic relationships and how couples grow apart from each other. Without too much melodrama, it digs into the subject matter in an engaging manner. The Blu-ray brings very good picture, era-appropriate audio and one useful bonus feature. Despite some flaws, I think Dodsworth succeeds and remains relevant after 84 years.