Best Blurays IconBest Blurays
Films
/
The Roaring Twenties (1939)
The Roaring Twenties (1939) poster
Letterboxd

4.0

The Roaring Twenties (1939)

Crime, Drama, Thriller • 1h 44m

Overview

After World War I, Armistice Lloyd Hart goes back to practice law, former saloon keeper George Hally turns to bootlegging, and out-of-work Eddie Bartlett becomes a cab driver. Eddie builds a fleet of cabs through delivery of bootleg liquor and hires Lloyd as his lawyer. George becomes Eddie's partner and the rackets flourish until love and rivalry interfere.

Director: Raoul Walsh

Cast: James Cagney, Priscilla Lane, Humphrey Bogart, Gladys George, Jeffrey Lynn, Frank McHugh, Paul Kelly, Elisabeth Risdon, Edward Keane, Joe Sawyer, Joseph Crehan, George Meeker, John Hamilton, Robert Elliott, Eddy Chandler, Abner Biberman, Vera Lewis, John Deering, Eddie Acuff, Ernie Alexander, Murray Alper, Robert Armstrong, Raymond Bailey, Brooks Benedict, James Blaine, Max Blum, Wade Boteler, Harry C. Bradley, Al Bridge, Paul Bryar, Nat Carr, Glen Cavender, Clay Clement, Ann Codee, James Conaty, Ray Cooke, Calvin Coolidge, Charles Corrigan, Maurice Costello, Kernan Cripps, Alan Davis, Sayre Dearing, Joe Devlin, Bill Elliott, James Flavin, Bess Flowers, Curt Furburg, Fred Graham, Creighton Hale, Bert Hanlon, Carl Harbaugh, Sam Harris, John Harron, Eddie Hart, Lew Harvey, Oscar 'Dutch' Hendrian, Al Herman, Herbert Heywood, Al Hill, Adolf Hitler, Harry Hollingsworth, Stuart Holmes, Herbert Hoover, George Humbert, Lloyd Ingraham, Michael Jeffers, Jane Jones, Mel Kalish, Don Thaddeus Kerr, Donald Kerr, Milton Kibbee, Reid Kilpatrick, Mike Lally, Alfred Linder, George Lloyd, Arthur Loft, Charles Marsh, Frank Mayo, King Mojave, Philip Morris, Jack Mower, Benito Mussolini, Wendell Niles, Field Norton, Jack Norton, Wedgwood Nowell, Pat O'Malley, Oscar O'Shea, David Oliver, Emory Parnell, William Pawley, Lee Phelps, Paul Phillips, John J. Richardson, John Ridgely, Cyril Ring, Warren Rock, Franklin D. Roosevelt, Don Rowan, Hector V. Sarno, Cliff Saum, Jeffrey Sayre, Bruce Sidney, John St. Clair, Amzie Strickland, Charles Sullivan, Elliott Sullivan, Westbrook Van Voorhis, Max Wagner, Billy Wayne, Ben Welden, Dick Wessel, Leo White, Frank Wilcox, Lottie Williams, Norman Willis, Charles C. Wilson, Robert Dobson

Best English-Friendly Release

Best Video Release

Format

UHD Blu-ray

UHD Tiers

Excellent
Criterion:

review

Criterion Forum

Review

Picture: 9, Audio: 7, Extras: 7

Length

104 mins

Type

Movie

Last Updated

8 months ago

Contributors

Best English-Friendly Release
Best Video Release
Format
UHD Blu-ray
UHD Tiers
Excellent
Criterion:

review

Criterion Forum
Review

Picture: 9, Audio: 7, Extras: 7

Length
104 mins
Type
Movie
Last Updated
8 months ago
Contributors

More from Raoul Walsh

See more →
Captain Horatio Hornblower R.N. poster
1080p Blu-ray
Best English-Friendly:

Warner Archive Blu-ray

Best Video:

Warner Archive Blu-ray 4K restoration from original technicolor negatives

Best English-Friendly:

Warner Archive Blu-ray

Best Video:

Warner Archive Blu-ray 4K restoration from original technicolor negatives

Manpower poster
1080p Blu-ray
Best English-Friendly:

Warner Archive Blu-ray

Best Video:

Warner Archive Blu-ray 4K restoration from Original Camera Negative

Manpower poster
1080p Blu-ray
Best English-Friendly:

Warner Archive Blu-ray

Best Video:

Warner Archive Blu-ray 4K restoration from Original Camera Negative

Artists & Models poster
1080p Blu-ray
Best English-Friendly:

Kino Lorber Blu-ray

Best Video:

Kino Lorber Blu-ray

Artists & Models poster
1080p Blu-ray
Best English-Friendly:

Kino Lorber Blu-ray

Best Video:

Kino Lorber Blu-ray

What Price Glory poster
1080p Blu-ray
Best English-Friendly:

Grapevine OOP Blu-ray

Upcoming Release:

New restoration by MoMA and Film Foundation https://www.moma.org/calendar/events/11558 no release yet

Best Video:

Grapevine OOP Blu-ray

What Price Glory poster
1080p Blu-ray
Best English-Friendly:

Grapevine OOP Blu-ray

Upcoming Release:

New restoration by MoMA and Film Foundation https://www.moma.org/calendar/events/11558 no release yet

Best Video:

Grapevine OOP Blu-ray

Big Brown Eyes poster
1080p Blu-ray
Best English-Friendly:

Kino Lorber Cary Grant Collection Blu-ray

Best Video:

Kino Lorber Cary Grant Collection Blu-ray

Big Brown Eyes poster
1080p Blu-ray
Best English-Friendly:

Kino Lorber Cary Grant Collection Blu-ray

Best Video:

Kino Lorber Cary Grant Collection Blu-ray

The Thief of Bagdad poster
1080p Blu-ray
Best English-Friendly:

MoC Blu-ray

Best Video:

MoC Blu-ray > Cohen Blu-ray, same restoration but better encoding see DVDBeaver caps

Best English-Friendly:

MoC Blu-ray

Best Video:

MoC Blu-ray > Cohen Blu-ray, same restoration but better encoding see DVDBeaver caps

The Big Trail poster
1080p Blu-ray
Best English-Friendly:

Fox Blu-ray

Best Video:

US Fox Blu-ray > France Blu-ray see DVDBeaver review, no comparison available with Germany Plaion Blu-ray

The Big Trail poster
1080p Blu-ray
Best English-Friendly:

Fox Blu-ray

Best Video:

US Fox Blu-ray > France Blu-ray see DVDBeaver review, no comparison available with Germany Plaion Blu-ray

Silver River poster
1080p Blu-ray
Best English-Friendly:

Warner Archive Blu-ray

Silver River poster
1080p Blu-ray
Best English-Friendly:

Warner Archive Blu-ray

The Man I Love poster
1080p Blu-ray
Best English-Friendly:

Warner Archive Blu-ray

The Man I Love poster
1080p Blu-ray
Best English-Friendly:

Warner Archive Blu-ray

More from Criterion

See more →
Sweet Movie poster
UHD Blu-ray
Best English-Friendly:

Transgressive Visions German 4K Blu-ray

Best Audio:

Criterion NTSC DVD

The UHD has audible artifacting and sounds metallic.

Best English-Friendly:

Transgressive Visions German 4K Blu-ray

Best Audio:

Criterion NTSC DVD

The UHD has audible artifacting and sounds metallic.

Nouvelle Vague poster
UHD Blu-ray
Best English-Friendly:

Criterion 4K Blu-ray

Best Video:

Criterion 4K Blu-ray

Best Audio:

Criterion 4K Blu-ray

Additional Info:

Criterion has English subtitles burned in for the entire film, stylized to look like an old film print.

Best English-Friendly:

Criterion 4K Blu-ray

Best Video:

Criterion 4K Blu-ray

Best Audio:

Criterion 4K Blu-ray

Additional Info:

Criterion has English subtitles burned in for the entire film, stylized to look like an old film print.

Hud poster
UHD Blu-ray
Best English-Friendly:

Criterion 4K Blu-ray

Best Video:

Criterion 4K Blu-ray

Hud poster
UHD Blu-ray
Best English-Friendly:

Criterion 4K Blu-ray

Best Video:

Criterion 4K Blu-ray

Exotica poster
1080p Blu-ray
Best English-Friendly:

Criterion Blu-ray

Best Video:

Criterion Blu-ray: from 4K restoration but exhibits compression artifacts

Exotica poster
1080p Blu-ray
Best English-Friendly:

Criterion Blu-ray

Best Video:

Criterion Blu-ray: from 4K restoration but exhibits compression artifacts

Shadows poster
1080p Blu-ray
Best English-Friendly:

BFI Blu-ray

Best Video:

Criterion = BFI, both HD resto: source

Best Audio:

BFI Blu-ray (slightly)

Shadows poster
1080p Blu-ray
Best English-Friendly:

BFI Blu-ray

Best Video:

Criterion = BFI, both HD resto: source

Best Audio:

BFI Blu-ray (slightly)

Seconds poster
1080p Blu-ray
Best English-Friendly:

UK MoC Blu-ray

Best Video:

UK MoC Blu-ray uses the same restoration as Criterion but has more natural contrast and more organic grains see caps

Best Audio:

MoC Blu-ray has the exactly same audio as Criterion Blu-ray

Seconds poster
1080p Blu-ray
Best English-Friendly:

UK MoC Blu-ray

Best Video:

UK MoC Blu-ray uses the same restoration as Criterion but has more natural contrast and more organic grains see caps

Best Audio:

MoC Blu-ray has the exactly same audio as Criterion Blu-ray

Sansho the Bailiff poster
1080p Blu-ray
Best English-Friendly:

Criterion Blu-ray

Best Video:

Kadokawa Blu-ray is new 4K restoration

Best Audio:

1991 Daiei LaserDisc

Best English-Friendly:

Criterion Blu-ray

Best Video:

Kadokawa Blu-ray is new 4K restoration

Best Audio:

1991 Daiei LaserDisc

Sanjuro poster
UHD Blu-ray
Best English-Friendly:

Criterion 4K Blu-ray

Best Video:

Criterion 4K Blu-ray: intact grain compared to Toho/BFI UHDs' DNR'd master

Best Audio:

Criterion 4K Blu-ray is good, derived from the 1995 Criterion LaserDisc (which would be minimally better due to its lack of filtering) see blah-ray

Sanjuro poster
UHD Blu-ray
Best English-Friendly:

Criterion 4K Blu-ray

Best Video:

Criterion 4K Blu-ray: intact grain compared to Toho/BFI UHDs' DNR'd master

Best Audio:

Criterion 4K Blu-ray is good, derived from the 1995 Criterion LaserDisc (which would be minimally better due to its lack of filtering) see blah-ray

Harlan County U.S.A. poster
UHD Blu-ray
Best English-Friendly:

Criterion 4K Blu-ray

Best Video:

Criterion 4K Blu-ray

Best English-Friendly:

Criterion 4K Blu-ray

Best Video:

Criterion 4K Blu-ray

Before Sunrise poster
UHD Blu-ray
Best Video:

Germany Blu-ray and Criterion Paramount no difference, just get Criterion https://caps-a-holic.com/c.php?d1=11014&d2=10022&c=4022

Additional Info:

Germany Blu-ray has English audio

Best Video:

Germany Blu-ray and Criterion Paramount no difference, just get Criterion https://caps-a-holic.com/c.php?d1=11014&d2=10022&c=4022

Additional Info:

Germany Blu-ray has English audio

More Crime on Blu-ray

Tequila Sunrise poster
UHD Blu-ray
Best Video:

Arrow 4K Blu-ray

Best Audio:

Arrow 4K Blu-ray

Additional Info:

Arrow includes the original Dolby Stereo mix in a matrixed stereo form, as well as a discrete 4.0 track.

Best Video:

Arrow 4K Blu-ray

Best Audio:

Arrow 4K Blu-ray

Additional Info:

Arrow includes the original Dolby Stereo mix in a matrixed stereo form, as well as a discrete 4.0 track.

The Ringer poster
1080p Blu-ray
Best Video:

Kino Lorber US Blu-ray - Brit Noir: Collection I set

Best Audio:

Network UK PAL DVD

Both DVD and BD use the same transfer. Blu-ray is more cleaned up (hiss, clicks, pops) but loses detail in quiet moments due to noise gating and sounds less natural throughout.

The Ringer poster
1080p Blu-ray
Best Video:

Kino Lorber US Blu-ray - Brit Noir: Collection I set

Best Audio:

Network UK PAL DVD

Both DVD and BD use the same transfer. Blu-ray is more cleaned up (hiss, clicks, pops) but loses detail in quiet moments due to noise gating and sounds less natural throughout.

West Side Story poster
UHD Blu-ray
Best English-Friendly:

Germany Capelight 4K Blu-ray

Best Audio:

Capelight's 5.1 is sourced from the original 6-track. The fidelity is comparable to the 4.0 from the 4-track available on previous BDs.
An alternate 5.1 mix was created for the 1999 MGM DVD / LaserDisc, It boasts better high end detail throughout, but the trade off is reduced bass.

See additional info for more detail.

Additional Info:

West Side Story was produced as a 70mm Todd-AO presentation, with an accompanying 6-track audio mix in the following channel configuration: see diagram. 35mm presentations used a 4-track or a mono mixdown instead.

The original 6-track elements were thought to have been lost until they were recovered and restored in 2010. In 1981, for the film's 20th anniversary, a new 6-track mix was created by upmixing the available 4-track elements.

Capelight's release is sourced from original 6-track elements uncovered in 2010, but unfortunately it's not as detailed as it should be, owing to unnecessary noise reduction. It's by no means bad, but it could be better. As the Lc/Rc channels are mixed into into L/C/R, it's also essentially no different to a 4-track fold-down. This isn't exactly an issue as left/right center channels mix down to L/C/R very well, but a better way of handling this would be to use Atmos objects to position those channels where they should be, as Disney did on The Sound of Music.

The 4-track mix was included in a discrete form on MGM's previous BD, it trades blows with Capelight's 6-track-derived 5.1.

Interestingly, the 1999 MGM LaserDisc/DVD release includes a different 5.1 mix, which sounds a bit more detailed than the two other tracks. It's sound signature is on the brighter side, with a slight emphasis on the treble instead of bass like other releases. Although that accounts for some of the perceived detail, even after matching EQ there are spots where Capelight loses out. It's a slight upmix, with split surrounds and LFE. Whether it was derived from 4-track or 6-track elements is not clear, though it matters little, as the end result would have been very similar in either case. There are no booklet notes stating the source used, but it sounds very similar to the matrixed 1992 LD, which was attributed to the 6-track. Still, given that the original elements were thought to have been lost, I would assume that this refers to the 1981 mix.

Previous LaserDisc releases are similar to the discrete 1999 track. All LD releases are missing the intermission music and a brief whistling sequence.

The 7.1 upmix on MGM's Blu-ray offers little of value.

Best English-Friendly:

Germany Capelight 4K Blu-ray

Best Audio:

Capelight's 5.1 is sourced from the original 6-track. The fidelity is comparable to the 4.0 from the 4-track available on previous BDs.
An alternate 5.1 mix was created for the 1999 MGM DVD / LaserDisc, It boasts better high end detail throughout, but the trade off is reduced bass.

See additional info for more detail.

Additional Info:

West Side Story was produced as a 70mm Todd-AO presentation, with an accompanying 6-track audio mix in the following channel configuration: see diagram. 35mm presentations used a 4-track or a mono mixdown instead.

The original 6-track elements were thought to have been lost until they were recovered and restored in 2010. In 1981, for the film's 20th anniversary, a new 6-track mix was created by upmixing the available 4-track elements.

Capelight's release is sourced from original 6-track elements uncovered in 2010, but unfortunately it's not as detailed as it should be, owing to unnecessary noise reduction. It's by no means bad, but it could be better. As the Lc/Rc channels are mixed into into L/C/R, it's also essentially no different to a 4-track fold-down. This isn't exactly an issue as left/right center channels mix down to L/C/R very well, but a better way of handling this would be to use Atmos objects to position those channels where they should be, as Disney did on The Sound of Music.

The 4-track mix was included in a discrete form on MGM's previous BD, it trades blows with Capelight's 6-track-derived 5.1.

Interestingly, the 1999 MGM LaserDisc/DVD release includes a different 5.1 mix, which sounds a bit more detailed than the two other tracks. It's sound signature is on the brighter side, with a slight emphasis on the treble instead of bass like other releases. Although that accounts for some of the perceived detail, even after matching EQ there are spots where Capelight loses out. It's a slight upmix, with split surrounds and LFE. Whether it was derived from 4-track or 6-track elements is not clear, though it matters little, as the end result would have been very similar in either case. There are no booklet notes stating the source used, but it sounds very similar to the matrixed 1992 LD, which was attributed to the 6-track. Still, given that the original elements were thought to have been lost, I would assume that this refers to the 1981 mix.

Previous LaserDisc releases are similar to the discrete 1999 track. All LD releases are missing the intermission music and a brief whistling sequence.

The 7.1 upmix on MGM's Blu-ray offers little of value.

The Hot Spot poster
UHD Blu-ray
Best English-Friendly:

2026 Radiance 4K Blu-ray

Best Video:

2026 Radiance 4K Blu-ray

Best English-Friendly:

2026 Radiance 4K Blu-ray

Best Video:

2026 Radiance 4K Blu-ray

Damnation poster
UHD Blu-ray
Best English-Friendly:

Curzon 4K Blu-ray

Best Video:

Curzon 4K Blu-ray see caps

For BD, Curzon Blu-ray is similar to Arbelos Blu-ray

Damnation poster
UHD Blu-ray
Best English-Friendly:

Curzon 4K Blu-ray

Best Video:

Curzon 4K Blu-ray see caps

For BD, Curzon Blu-ray is similar to Arbelos Blu-ray

Scream poster
UHD Blu-ray
Best English-Friendly:

Theatrical: Paramount 4K Blu-ray
Uncut Director's Cut: Either the Germany Kinowelt DVD, the Japan DVD, the Scandinavian DVD, or the US LaserDisc. Fan preservation is likely better quality.

Best Video:

Theatrical: Paramount 4K Blu-ray
Uncut Director's Cut: Either the Germany Kinowelt DVD, the Japan DVD, the Scandinavian DVD, or the US LaserDisc. Fan preservation is likely better quality.

Best Audio:

2011 Blu-ray/2021 4K Blu-ray

Additional Info:

The 2011 Lionsgate Blu-ray is incredibly poor for every Original Trilogy film; older processed older DVD-era masters with heavy use of DNR, sharpening and edge enhancement with a really dull color grade. The 4K Blu-ray is miles better. The DTS-HD 5.1 across all three films appears to be the same on both the Blu-ray and 4K Blu-ray, and they appear to be the untouched theatrical 5.1 mixes. 

The Uncut version has more violence: https://www.movie-censorship.com/report.php?ID=256325

Scream poster
UHD Blu-ray
Best English-Friendly:

Theatrical: Paramount 4K Blu-ray
Uncut Director's Cut: Either the Germany Kinowelt DVD, the Japan DVD, the Scandinavian DVD, or the US LaserDisc. Fan preservation is likely better quality.

Best Video:

Theatrical: Paramount 4K Blu-ray
Uncut Director's Cut: Either the Germany Kinowelt DVD, the Japan DVD, the Scandinavian DVD, or the US LaserDisc. Fan preservation is likely better quality.

Best Audio:

2011 Blu-ray/2021 4K Blu-ray

Additional Info:

The 2011 Lionsgate Blu-ray is incredibly poor for every Original Trilogy film; older processed older DVD-era masters with heavy use of DNR, sharpening and edge enhancement with a really dull color grade. The 4K Blu-ray is miles better. The DTS-HD 5.1 across all three films appears to be the same on both the Blu-ray and 4K Blu-ray, and they appear to be the untouched theatrical 5.1 mixes. 

The Uncut version has more violence: https://www.movie-censorship.com/report.php?ID=256325

Batman: Year One poster
UHD Blu-ray
Best English-Friendly:

Warner Bros 4K Blu-ray

Best English-Friendly:

Warner Bros 4K Blu-ray

Death Warrant poster
UHD Blu-ray
Best English-Friendly:

MVD 4K Blu-ray

Upcoming Release:

88 Films Blu-ray in November

Best Video:

MVD 4K Blu-ray beautiful remaster but with frame rate skips (encoding error)

Best English-Friendly:

MVD 4K Blu-ray

Upcoming Release:

88 Films Blu-ray in November

Best Video:

MVD 4K Blu-ray beautiful remaster but with frame rate skips (encoding error)

Shallow Grave poster
1080p Blu-ray
Best English-Friendly:

Criterion OOP Blu-ray

Best Video:

Criterion OOP Blu-ray. Film4/Spirit Blu-ray has worse encoding, presented in 1.78:1 and is from an older master caps

Shallow Grave poster
1080p Blu-ray
Best English-Friendly:

Criterion OOP Blu-ray

Best Video:

Criterion OOP Blu-ray. Film4/Spirit Blu-ray has worse encoding, presented in 1.78:1 and is from an older master caps

Edit History

2 edits
The Roaring Twenties (1939) backdrop