Sorry, Wrong Number

In 2002, Paramount released the 1948 film noir ‘Sorry, Wrong Number’ on DVD.This Blu-ray from [Imprint] (the brackets are part of the name) makes no claim to be a new 2-K or 4-K digital transfer.Even so, you can make out details not apparent on DVD.I am generally pleased with the picture.[Imprint] is an Australian company, but their Blu-ray is region-free.The only thing really wrong with it is that it is ridiculously expensive ($45).Disney Blu-rays cost more, but they at least are new 4-K transfers.Blu-ray Bonus Features:--- new audio commentary by Alan K. Rode of the Film Noir Foundation.--- new introduction by TCM Noir Alley host Eddie Muller (2:30)--- new documentary about the making of ‘Sorry Wrong Number’ (31:30) *--- radio show from 1950 with Barbara Stanwyck & Burt Lancaster (60:00)--- new staged dramatization of the original radio play (28:30) *--- movie trailer - also on the old DVD--- English SDH subtitles - also on the old DVD* mystery: the documentary and the staged dramatization of the radio play are copyrighted 2009 by Paramount.Perhaps they were part a planned DVD/Blu-ray release in 2009 that never happened.I wouldn’t be surprised to learn that the transfer of the new [Impact] Blu-ray also dates to 2009, but I’m just guessing.‘Sorry, Wrong Number’ is based on a 28-minute radio play starring Agnes Moorehead - essentially a one-woman show, broadcast on the CBS radio program ‘Suspense’, in 1943.It created a national sensation, and was rebroadcast an additional seventimes before the final broadcast in 1960, each time starring Agnes Moorehead.Orson Welles called ‘Sorry, Wrong Number’ “the greatest single radio script ever written.”28 minutes is too short for a movie, so Paramount hired the author, Lucille Fletcher, to turn it into a 90 minute film, by fleshing out and adding supporting characters - in particular, Barbara Stanwyck’s courtship of husband Burt Lancaster is told in extended flashback.Fletcher also devised a motive for the planned murder - illicit drug dealing by employees of Stanwyck’s father’s pharmaceutical business.But the censor wouldn’t allow any mention of drugs.This handicaps the film, resulting in a confusing plot.‘Sorry, Wrong Number’ is an entertaining 90-minute film, but the radio play is a 28-minute masterpiece.As a bonus feature, [Image] could have included one of Moorehead’s radio broadcasts (available on YouTube), but instead they chose a 1950 Lux Radio Theater broadcast with Stanwyck and Lancaster.The 28-minute radio show was expanded to a full hour, but this is unnecessary padding.In compensation, the [Impact] Blu-ray includes a 2009 filmed re-creation of the 28-minute radio broadcast starring Sandy York with the Shadowland Theatre (see color photo).Very suspenseful.Never thought I’d say this, but I recommend that you listen to (and watch) the 28-minute Shadowland Theatre staging of the original radio script before you watch the movie.BURT LANCASTER FILM NOIR CHECKLIST:Between 1946 and 1949, Burt Lancaster starred in eight films noir, but avoided the genre completely in the ‘50s and ‘60s, branching out into adventure films, westerns and straight dramas.[IMDB considers ‘Sweet Smell of Success’ (1957) to be film noir, but I have my doubts - it’s a showbiz melodrama, much like ‘Sunset Boulevard’ or ‘A Star Is Born’.]All eight Burt Lancaster films noir are on Blu-ray.The film titles in blue are Amazon links.For the rest, enter the film title in the Amazon search bar.1946: The Killers [Blu-ray] (Criterion Collection)] with Ava Gardner, Edmond O’Brien, music by Miklós Rózsa - directed by Robert Siodmak1947: Brute Force [Blu-ray] (Criterion Collection) with Hume Cronyn, Charles Bickford, music by Miklós Rózsa - directed by Jules Dassin (prison picture; actresses only appear in flashbacks)1947: Desert Fury [Blu-ray] with Lizabeth Scott, John Hodiak, music by Miklós Rózsa - directed by Lewis Allen (rare example of film noir in color)1948: I Walk Alone [Blu-ray] with Lizabeth Scott, Kirk Douglas, music by Victor Young - directed by Byron Haskins1948: Sorry, Wrong Number [Blu-ray] with Barbara Stanwyck, William Conrad, music by Franz Waxman - directed by Anatole Litvak1948: Kiss the Blood Off My Hands [Blu-ray] with Joan Fontaine, Robert Newton, music by Miklós Rózsa - directed by Norman Foster1949: Criss Cross [Blu-ray] with Yvonne DeCarlo, Dan Duryea, music by Miklós Rózsa - directed by Robert Siodmak1949: Rope of Sand [Blu-ray] with Corinne Calvet, Paul Henreid, Claude Rains, music by Franz Waxman - directed by William Dieterle

Loved everything about this product.

Scream Factory releases on Blu-ray this memorable 1948 film adaptation of the famous radio play by Lucille Fletcher, based on the immensely popular episode of "Suspense" that had starred Agnes Moorehead (broadcasted a record 8 separate times in all!), but here was recast for Barbara Stanwyck playing the bedridden neurotic housewife and heiress who accidentally overhears two killers planning a murder of a woman that night over the phone, and having to endure the ensuing 88 minutes realizing to her horror who the intended victim really is, and how it involves her husband (played by Burt Lancaster)...Looking quite good in HD, and upgrade from the previous 2002 Paramount Studios DVD, porting over the theatrical trailer but now including a photo gallery, 1950 radio adaptation with the two stars, a modern filmed performance of the radio play, a making of featurette, intro by genre historian Eddie Muller, and two audio commentaries, one with Film Noir Foundation board member Alan K Rode, the other with Film and Pop Culture Podcasters Sam Hurley and Emily HigginsGood film overall is suspenseful, well directed by Anatole Litvak and acted by the entire cast. Works for the most part as it had to expand by an hour with new material to fill out the feature runtime by including extensive character backstories utilizing numerous flashbacks, though some padding and contrivances are obvious, it still doesn't cop out, and leaves the chilling ending intact.

I will make this one short due to having slightly mixed feelings about this film. I have watched it 2 times and will wait awhile and update this after a few more viewings-I really like Stanweck in general and like how her character is in a helpless type of situation but is rendered helpless rather than being that way from the beginning therefore shifting the norm when dealing with this type of suspense. First off the photography is great and that long tracking shot that goes from Stanwecks room down the staircase through rooms and to the point of camera focus-- is way ahead of its time and marks a technique that will become standard with cgi implementation. Here we really see a camera move from the top of the house to the bottom and into the kitchen. Just for that scene this film is historically relevant.I like how the film is structured meaning it starts off showcasing Stanweck then about halfway through shifts focus to the Lancaster character. This is creative due to most films - even today mix the main characters. It is interesting to note that due to both main leads being each undesirable and not the best people it is as if right when you are getting a little fed up with one it shifts just in time to the other and keeps the audience attention focused. There are a few minor characters that take over this pattern leading to very good character development. I feel the "terror" buildup is overrated while something even better is going on. We get nothing but character development of the Burt Lancaster character rather than Stanweck and are forced to somewhat sympathize with him as well as Stanweck-- the dark mischievousness of the script is that both of the leads are not the best people. Stanweck is a spoiled unpleasant type while Lancaster will step on whoever he has to to get to the top. Lancaster is dealing with character defects in that his masculinity/male stereotype issues are so strong he will not be taken care of by his wife. This dynamic actually asks the audience to pick from the lesser of the 2 undesirable personalities or antiheroes making Stanweck appear as the best option.This is more of a good character study rather than sheer terror which is how it is advertised from the ads from the time. The ending is what saves this and sends it into a classic category. I feel this film was watered down intentionally like a lot of commercial films were. I f Hitchcock directed it there would of not been and lagging.I highly recommend this one.

Sometimes, when a 35mm film print is transferred to BluRay disc, the contrast (between black and white) is exaggerated. That is not the case here. The image really looks like film.

Volevo soprattutto fare una recensione positiva al venditore per la celerità la serietà e soprattutto omaggiandomi di un di di un augurio scritto e di un regalo il film bellissimo genere noir che piace a me in bianco e nero più che soddisfatta soddisfatto

»Sorry, Wrong Number« hat den durchaus passenden deutschen Titel »Du lebst noch 105 Minuten«. Die momentan verfügbare deutsche DVD-Ausgabe wird vielfach als ziemlich miserabel bewertet (»Du lebst noch 105 Minuten«), so dass es sich anbietet, auf die hier vorliegende US-amerikanische Veröffentlichung zurückzugreifen (also: Regionalcode 1). Die Ausstattung ist eher mager: neben dem englischen auch französischer Ton, englische Untertitel und der übliche Trailer. Aber, und das war mir die Hauptsache: Bild und Ton sind einwandfrei.Der gebürtige Ukrainer Anatole Litvak (1902-1974) hat diesen Film 1948 inszeniert, das Drehbuch beruht auf einem nur 22-minütigen Hörspiel. Der Film hat einen über weite Strecken kammerspielartigen Charakter, in mehreren Rückblenden springt die Handlung aber auch an diverse andere Orte. Ob man den Film als Film noir klassifizieren kann, scheint mir etwas unsicher, aber die intensive Schwarzweißfotografie und der in der Handlung zum Ausdruck kommende Fatalismus sprächen immerhin dafür.Die Handlung: Leona Stevenson (Barbara Stanwyck) ist eine offenbar wohlhabende, aber bettlägerige Frau. Sie erwartet ihren Mann (Burt Lancaster), der jedoch aus unerfindlichen Gründen nicht heimkommt. Als sie telefoniert, wird sie irrtümlich falsch verbunden und dadurch Ohrenzeugin eines Mordkomplotts gegen eine Frau. Sie versucht die Polizei zu informieren, die aber aufgrund der Vagheit der Hinweise abwinkt. Nach weiteren Telefonaten beginnt ihr zu dämmern, dass sie selbst das Opfer des Mordanschlags sein soll.Reizvoll ist insbesondere, dass Leona Stevenson keineswegs ein bloß bedauernswertes hilfloses Opfer ist. In Rückblenden erfahren wir immer mehr über ihren zweifelhaften und wohl teilweise pathologischen Charakter. Stanwyck zieht alle Register von hysterisch über verführerisch bis hin zu kaltblütig. Starke Leistung!Fazit: Die Story mag etwas arg konstruiert wirken, aber Stanwyck und Lancaster füllen die Charaktere mit Leben. Dazu eine packende Inszenierung und eine bravouröse Kameraarbeit von Sol Polito.

I love the movie! I love watching black and white movies and this was suspenseful!

This is the sort of film that you can watch over and over, even when you know the ending. It is very atmospheric and evocative of the era. Not a 'Who Done It' rather a 'Who's Going to do It.'