Street with No Name (The)
R2 - United Kingdom - Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment
Review written by and copyright: Samuel Scott (18th October 2013).
The Film

***This is a technical review only. For reviews on the movie from various critics, we recommend visiting HERE.***

The FBI goes undercover to nab a coldhearted killer in this all-star crime thriller with a unique storytelling twist.

In one of his most chilling performances, Richard Widmark stars as Stiles, an up and coming crime boss trying to stake his claim in the criminal underworld. The FBI files are filled with many lurid crime stories. One case in particular baffles FBI Inspector Briggs (Loyed Nolan). It involves the murders of a housewife and a bank guard. Both were killed by the same gun, yet there isn't any connection between the victims. Determined to get to the bottom of the crime, Briggs sends his best agent undercover to penetrate the inner circle of the notorious Stiles gang. Everything goes according to plan, until an informant inside the police department tips off Stiles. Now the enraged crime boss targets the agent for murder.

Using documentary-style drama, director William Keighley ("The Man Who Came to Dinner") creates a vivid story of crime, corruption and revenge.

Video

Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment release the 1940s noir film The Street with No Name as part of their Studio Classics range. The transfer is in the original aspect ratio of 1.33:1 and has certainly seen better days.

There are a lot scratches in this print running vertically down the screen, mainly sticking to the left and right sides of the screen. Contrast is a little bit of a problem, and shades are often uneven. That isn't to say the print is particularly bad, but I'd guess that the original negative is lost as the source seems to be the main cause for the problems on show here. Detail is okay, shadow detail non-existent, but clothing and hair are easy highlights. It would be nice to see this title be restored to its full glory one day, but for now, I guess this disappointing effort will have to suffice.

The disc is PAL, and the feature runs 87:29.

Audio

There are several options available here:
- English Dolby Digital 2.0 Dual Mono
- German Dolby Digital 2.0 Dual Mono
- Spanish Dolby Digital 2.0 Dual Mono

Naturally, I opted for the original English language track which was overall adequate, but at times a little uneven. The source used has, like the transfer, seen better days and lacks a certain clarity, leaving some effects to sound tinny and some of the dialogue to sound slightly restrained. Still, the dialogue is clear at all times, and there are no audio dropouts or any scratches that I noticed.

Optional subtitles are available in Dutch, English, French, German and Spanish.

Extras

Start-up Trailers:
- "Fox Studio Classics Collection" (1:51)
Theatrical Trailer (2:26)

Overall

The Film: B+ Video: C- Audio: C+ Extras: E Overall: C

 


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