Blu-ray Movie Reviews

Universal Movie ••½ Picture ••••½ Sound •••½ Extras •••

Were you to first watch the deleted scenes included on this DVD, you'd surely miss them when viewing the movie itself. What were the filmmakers thinking? This is one time when deleted scenes didn't deserve to be jettisoned, as they help immensely with character development and plot clarification. What's left is a consciously clever, often charming, but somewhat arid comedy of manners.

It stars American actress Frances McDormand in a role that one feels was surely intended for a Brit like Emma Thompson, as the film is set in London in 1939. The character is Miss Pettigrew, a housekeeper fired from her employment agency. She fakes an appointment with singer Delysia Lafosse (Amy Adams, in a PG-13-rated variation on her Enchanted character) and spends a significant day as her social secretary. The first third of the film is okay and the last third brilliant, but the middle is tedious and talky.

It all looks fab, though, thanks to a DVD transfer that pushes the standard-def envelope in displaying period details on the eve of World War II. The intricate, hand-painted wallpaper of Delysia's apartment is a special delight. The Dolby Digital 5.1 sound is quite good, balancing dialogue, music, and Foley effects with ease.

The remaining extras include a dry commentary by director Bharat Nalluri, a typical production featurette, and a tidy, informative little piece on lovely Winifrid Watson, the author of the book on which the film is based. The disc is a "flipper," with the widescreen edition on one side and a full-frame version on the other. The extras are split between them.