A Gentle Woman (1969) poster

3.8

A Gentle Woman (1969)

Une femme douce

Romance, Drama • 1h 25m

Director: Robert Bresson

Cast: Dominique Sanda, Guy Frangin, Jeanne Lobre, Claude Ollier, Jacques Kébadian, Gilles Sandier, Dorothée Blanck

3.8

Radiance Blu-ray

Best English-friendly & video release · updated 9 months ago

Video notes:

Upcoming Radiance Blu-ray is the only Blu-ray so far, although it's only an HD transfer, not 4K like other recent Bresson releases

Compare the discs

Blu-ray.com Criterion ForumPicture 9 · Audio 6 · Extras 8 slow.pics

Overview

When his young wife commits suicide with no explanation, an introspective pawnbroker looks back on their life together.

More from Robert Bresson

The Trial of Joan of Arc (1963)

Director: Robert Bresson

Best English-Friendly, Video & Audio:

Sources: Criterion Forum (opens in a new tab)

Video Notes:

Strong VDMS encode of a 4K scan.

No comparisons available against France Potemkine or Japan IVC. They are presumably from the same master, but do not feature English subs.

Audio Notes:

TBD: BFI Blu-ray’s mono sounds clean. No hiss but not noticeably muffled/filtered either. No known comparisons against older releases.

A Man Escaped (1956)

Director: Robert Bresson

Best English-Friendly:

Criterion Blu-ray

Sources: Criterion Forum (opens in a new tab)

Best Video:

Criterion Blu-ray, 2K restoration

Best Audio:

2004 New Yorker DVD

The Devil, Probably (1977)

Director: Robert Bresson

Best English-Friendly & Video:

France Gaumont Blu-ray

Video Notes:

Gaumont France is 4k transfer, not sure about Japan

Les Dames du bois de Boulogne (1945)

Director: Robert Bresson

Video format: UHD Blu-ray

Best English-Friendly:

Artificial Eye Blu-ray

Sources: Criterion Forum (opens in a new tab) · slow.pics (opens in a new tab)

Best Video:

France Rimini 4K Blu-ray

Video Notes:

France Rimini 4K Blu-ray see caps vs Artificial Eye Blu-ray

Four Nights of a Dreamer (1972)

Director: Robert Bresson

Video format: 1080p Blu-ray

Sources: slow.pics (opens in a new tab)

Best Video:

Potemkine France Blu-ray

Video Notes:

Potemkine France Blu-ray is a recent 4K restoration compared to the old Japan Imagica Blu-ray, it unfortunately also has the eclair teal https://slow.pics/c/BIIWAPtO

Given that it's a Janus theatrical release, an English-friendly and Criterion release can be expected in the near future.

Lancelot of the Lake (1974)

Director: Robert Bresson

Best English-Friendly:

France Gaumont Blu-ray

Best Video:

Germany/France/Japan

Video Notes:

Germany/France/Japan has Blu-ray, 4K restoration

L'Argent (1983)

Director: Robert Bresson

Best English-Friendly & Video:

Sources: Criterion Forum (opens in a new tab) · DVDBeaver (opens in a new tab)

Video Notes:

BFI Blu-ray is better than Criterion, see DVDBeaver comparison. 4K transfer, but has the eclair teal tint

Diary of a Country Priest (1951)

Director: Robert Bresson

Best English-Friendly:

No Blu-ray has EN subtitles, HD Streaming is the easiest way to watch

Best Video:

France StudioCanal or Kadokawa Blu-ray, 4K restoration

Best Audio:

France StudioCanal Blu-ray

Pickpocket (1959)

Director: Robert Bresson

Best English-Friendly & Video:

BFI Blu-ray/Criterion Blu-ray (preference)

Sources: Criterion Forum (opens in a new tab)

Video Notes:

BFI and Criterion BDs are same restoration, but BFI is much darker and Criterion is much brighter. Unsure which is correct.

Mouchette (1967)

Director: Robert Bresson

Best English-Friendly:

Criterion Blu-ray

Sources: Criterion Forum (opens in a new tab)

Best Video:

Criterion, 4k transfer

More from Radiance

Miracle Mile (1989)

Director: Steve De Jarnatt

Best English-Friendly & Video:

2024 Kino Lorber Blu-ray

Upcoming Release:

UK Transmission 4K Blu-ray in January 2027

Best Audio:

Either the 2015 Kino Lorber Blu-ray or the Arrow Blu-ray

Audio Notes:

The 2024 Kino Lorber Blu-ray is botched.

See You Friday, Robinson (2022)

Director: Mitra Farahani

Best English-Friendly & Video:

Radiance Treasures from the Golestan Film Studio Blu-ray

Harvest and Seed (1965)

Director: Ebrahim Golestan

Best English-Friendly & Video:

Radiance Treasures from the Golestan Film Studio Blu-ray

The Hills of Marlik (1964)

Director: Ebrahim Golestan

Best English-Friendly & Video:

Radiance Treasures from the Golestan Film Studio Blu-ray

Wave, Coral and Rock (1962)

Director: Ebrahim Golestan

Best English-Friendly & Video:

Radiance Treasures from the Golestan Film Studio Blu-ray

The Crown Jewels of Iran (1965)

Director: Ebrahim Golestan

Best English-Friendly & Video:

Radiance Treasures from the Golestan Film Studio Blu-ray

The House Is Black (1963)

Director: Forugh Farrokhzad

Best English-Friendly & Video:

Radiance Treasures from the Golestan Film Studio Blu-ray

Courtship (1961)

Director: Ebrahim Golestan

Best English-Friendly & Video:

Radiance Treasures from the Golestan Film Studio Blu-ray

Director: Ebrahim Golestan

Best English-Friendly & Video:

Radiance Treasures from the Golestan Film Studio Blu-ray

The Brick and the Mirror (1966)

Director: Ebrahim Golestan

Best English-Friendly & Video:

Radiance Treasures from the Golestan Film Studio Blu-ray

More Romance on Blu-ray

The Pride of the Clan (1917)

Director: Maurice Tourneur

Video format: 1080p Blu-ray

Upcoming Release:

VCI Blu-ray Dec 15th

The Night Porter (1974)

Director: Liliana Cavani

4K · Solid

Best English-Friendly & Video:

Wicked Vision Germany 4K Blu-ray

Sources: Criterion Forum (opens in a new tab)

The Band Wagon (1953)

Director: Vincente Minnelli

Best English-Friendly & Video:

Warner Archive Blu-ray

Best Audio:

1991 MGM LaserDisc

The Music Man (1962)

Director: Morton DaCosta

Best English-Friendly & Video:

Warner Bros Blu-ray

Upcoming Release:

Warner Archive 4K Blu-ray Nov 24th

Doctor Zhivago (1965)

Director: David Lean

Best English-Friendly & Video:

Upcoming Release:

Warner Archive 4K Blu-ray Dec 1st

The Red Shoes (1948)

Directors: Emeric Pressburger & Michael Powell

4K · Excellent

Best English-Friendly & Video:

Imprint 4K Blu-ray

Sources: Criterion Forum (opens in a new tab) · filmalert101.blogspot.com (opens in a new tab) · slow.pics (opens in a new tab)

Video Notes:

FiM encode and none of the low-pass filtering present on the Criterion 4K, resulting in more detail and better handling of highlights on Imprint
Review, comparisons

Best Audio:

ITV UK Blu-ray or Indigo DE Blu-ray

Audio Notes:

All HD and 4K sources use the same 2009 restoration. Criterion's master (also used by Imprint) is a bit more rolled off, though the difference is minor.

Skyscraper Souls (1932)

Director: Edgar Selwyn

Best English-Friendly & Video:

Warner Archive Blu-ray

Video Notes:

4K restoration

Bundle of Joy (1956)

Director: Norman Taurog

Best English-Friendly & Video:

Warner Archive Blu-ray

Video Notes:

4K restoration from Original Camera Negative

Dear Heart (1965)

Director: Delbert Mann

Best English-Friendly & Video:

Warner Archive Blu-ray

Video Notes:

4K restoration from Original Camera Negative

The Great Waltz (1938)

Director: Julien Duvivier

Best English-Friendly & Video:

Warner Archive Blu-ray

Video Notes:

4K restoration

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· last reviewed 9 months ago

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