It's a Wise Child (Blu-ray)

After 95 years in limbo, it's wonderful to see this film finally gain a release and find a new audience. Marion Davies was a gifted comedienne and a great screen presence, so this new Warner Archive BD was an instant buy for me.

The film itself isn't bad at all, but the plot is a bit silly and I don't think it's as good as half a dozen other Marion Davies movies. The topic of unmarried pregnancy seems very Pre-Code, but it's treated in a surprisingly coy way. 'It's A Wise Child' originated as a Broadway play, and the film adaptation hasn't deviated much from that: it's a very set-bound and stagey movie. Marion is delightful as always, though.

Definitely one for the fans.

The 4K scan of "best preservation elements" (a nitrate safety) looks excellent. The audio isn't amazing, but I suspect this has much more to do with primitive early sound techniques than the work done by Warner Archive.

Thanks George Feltenstein for getting this Pre-Code classic into circulation!

Marion Davies is great in this film. Great dialogue (... and lots of it) and chemistry with the whole cast. The situation has uneven pacing, but generally builds well. Some bits of absurdism, like an opening Buggy Ride, and the cutaways to get around MGM not being able to say pregnant even in the Pre-Code days, help to make the comedy feel fresh beyond the constant dialogue. Recommended to all interested in Pre-Code Comedies!