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By
NICK ZEGARAC
Stanley Donen's charming romance "Indiscreet" finds Cary Grant as the seemingly stuffy monetary funds diplomat, Philip Adams, who turns out to be quite charming and suave. He's also quite married -- much to the chagrin of intercontinental stage star, Anne Kalman (Ingrid Bergman). But despite his supposedly loveless marriage, Philip and Anne become weekend lovers. What sets Donen's film apart from like-minded fare is not so much the chemistry between the two stars -- which is palpable and electrifying -- but the very mature handling of the romance. It never seems contrived, forced or deliberately staged. Of course, neither Grant nor Bergman were spring chickens at the time the film was made. But Donen never allows the movie to be swayed by that schlocky sort of sentiment that often plagues films about love and lovers. At this age it is far more affecting and poignant to observe Philip and Anne in their throws of sublime passion because there is so much more at stake for them both.
The transfer is somewhat of a disappointment. Though presented in a letterbox widescreen format, Artisan has not enhanced the film for widescreen televisions -- hence the overall resolution of the picture is diminished. The picture exhibits a solid, though somewhat dated characteristic. The opening credits are slightly out of focus and rather harsh on the eyes. But once the film gets underway, the image quality veers moderately from sharpness to soft focus. Colors are generally rich and vibrant, though in some cases slightly faded. Blacks are deep and solid. Contrast is generally good. There is some severe aliasing and edge enhancement in several scenes -- but most of the film is free of these distractions. The audio is mono and sounding rather strident in spots. This is a sublimely visceral romantic movie that deserves a better transfer.
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