Santa Fe Trail (Roan)

 

Picture: C     Sound: C     Extras: C-     Film: C

 

 

Michael Curtiz is the director who put Humphrey Bogart on the map, in part through roles that almost went to Ronald Reagan.  Both actors were at Warner Bros. and Reagan did work with Curtiz in a supporting role in Santa Fe Trail from 1940, here on DVD from Roan Group.

 

Can Errol Flynn, Reagan and Raymond Massey as John Brown free black slaves in America?  Of course, this film has become a big joke to political opponents of neo-Conservatism since they believe Reagan actually rolled back rights in his time, but the film has other issues and problems.  It is slow, silly, starchy, corny and dull.  Some consider this good Hollywood, but I was never impressed and the film is staler than ever.

 

The 1.33 X 1 image and Dolby Digital 2.0 Mono sound is about on par with the other versions on DVD to date, while the text about the film is a very limited extra.  This disc was issued in 1999, so some of the limits can be attributed to the transfer.  The print is in decent shape.  Considering Reagan is in it, should not all his films have some special film preservation program federally mandated by the U.S. Government?

 

 

-   Nicholas Sheffo