The Grand Manoeuvre (1955)
Les Grandes Manœuvres
Comedy, Romance • 1h 46m
Director: René Clair
Cast: Michèle Morgan, Gérard Philipe, Jean Desailly, Pierre Dux, Brigitte Bardot, Jacques François, Jacques Fabbri, Yves Robert, Claude Rich, Lise Delamare, Jacqueline Maillan, Magali Noël, Simone Valère, Catherine Anouilh, Madeleine Barbulée, Dany Carrel, Judith Magre, Arlette Thomas, Gabrielle Fontan, Viviane Gosset, Olivier Hussenot, Raymond Cordy, Daniel Sorano, Jacques Morel, Jacques Jouanneau, Pierre Palau, Madeleine Ganne, Michèle Grellier, Paul Préboist, Eugène Stuber, Colette Castel, Michel Piccoli, Hélène Duc, Clément Thierry, Daniel Ceccaldi, Bernard Dhéran, Robert Le Béal, Georges Bever, Charles Debert, Jean-Pierre Maurin, France Asselin, Jacqueline Marbaux, Paul Faivre, Robert Balpo, Georges Carrère, Jean Bayle, Guy Cosson, Jean Degrave, Georges Galley, Gilles Gaillon, Pierre Langlet, Pierre Roussel, Roger Vincent, Claude Magnier, Anne-Marie Mersen
Best video format
Overview
Armand, a boastful womaniser, makes a bet that he can seduce any girl he wants. He soon crosses paths with a beautiful Parisian divorcee, who is nothing like anyone he has ever met before.
Director: René Clair
Video format: 1080p Blu-ray
VCI US or Filmjuwelen Blu-ray
Sources: DVDBeaver (opens in a new tab) · Blu-ray.com (opens in a new tab) · caps-a-holic (opens in a new tab)
VCI US or Filmjuwelen Blu-ray are both MP2 encoded, most likely from the same master. Judging from the size and the caps from DVDBeaver or BR for VCI or caps-a-holic for Filmjuwelen, they are probably very similar.
Director: René Clair
Included as extras in Pathé Paris qui dort + Entr'acte Blu-ray
Sources: Blu-ray.com (opens in a new tab)
Director: René Clair
Video format: 1080p Blu-ray
Director: René Clair
Sources: silentfilm.org (opens in a new tab) · janusfilms.com (opens in a new tab)
The latest and best restoration from official screencaps are from Shout! Factory Silent Film Festival + Cinémathèque Française https://silentfilm.org/preservation/the-italian-straw-hat/ which is from Original Camera Negative and original France title negative. Janus seems to have acquired the rights https://www.janusfilms.com/films/2259 The Grapevine Blu-ray (including their updated 2K transfer) or the Flicker Alley DVD might be the ones referred in the above Shout! Factory Silent Film Festival as "US viewers have had to be satisfied with either the alternate version that was released in the United States in 1931, or hybrids that supplement the US version with additional footage"
Director: René Clair
Video format: 1080p Blu-ray
Director: René Clair
Video format: 1080p Blu-ray
Director: René Clair
More Comedy on Blu-ray
TV series
4K restoration from Original Camera Negative for all episodes
Director: Norman Taurog
4K restoration from Original Camera Negative
Director: Delbert Mann
4K restoration from Original Camera Negative
4K restoration from Original Camera Negative
Director: Garson Kanin
Video format: 1080p Blu-ray
Only Streaming has 1080p
Director: Preston Sturges
No information on French Elephant Films Blu-ray
Director: Ralph Bakshi
Director: Tommy O'Haver
Director: Peter Bogdanovich
Sources: Criterion Forum (opens in a new tab) · Blu-ray.com (opens in a new tab)
Eureka UK are considering doing a 4K and actively exploring the possibility: https://forum.blu-ray.com/showpost.php?p=24363810&postcount=264
Wonderful underlying remaster by Criterion and Resillion, but NexSpec encode has clipped highlights with the occasional blockiness. The Criterion Blu-Ray, sourced from their 4K remaster, ironically makes for a more consistent and overall pleasing experience.
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