Macao (Blu-ray)

Josef Von Sternberg, best known as the director of a series of exotic and visually memorable Marlene Dietrich films for Paramount, here directs Jane Russell and Robert Mitchum in a steamy RKO feature set in Macao. The two stars are well-matched and seem to have on-screen chemistry but apparently there were many altercations and on-set fights between the director and Russell and supporting actress Gloria Grahame. An uncredited Nicholas Ray was called in to retake a fight scene between Mitchum and Brad Dexter as Sternberg’s version was deemed “unsatisfactory”. As is usual with Warner Archive blu-rays, quality is the best it can be. A nice added extra is a Robert Osborne TCM interview with Mitchum and Russell and a commentary with Eddie Muller and screenwriter Stanley Rubin.