MURNAU / BORZAGE BOX SET Is Well Done But It’s Too Much Of A Good Thing

It has taken forever for the Janet Gaynor/Charles Farrell silent classics 7TH HEAVEN and STREET ANGEL to make it to DVD but here they are as part of a monumental 12 DVD package devoted to Frank Borzage and F.W. Murnau and the films they made for William Fox before he lost control of his studio and it merged with Darryl F. Zanuck’s Twentieth Century Pictures. That story is covered in the special full length documentary MURNAU, BORZAGE, AND FOX. There’s also a softcover book of photos and stills from the films.

Of the 12 films included only two are by Murnau. They are the well known SUNRISE (already issued as a limited edition DVD) and the rarely seen CITY GIRL (originally called OUR DAILY BREAD) which proves to be a revelation despite studio interference that caused Murnau to leave after only his third film for the studio. There is also another softcover coffee table book on the filming and story of the missing Murnau film 4 DEVILS which was set in a circus and is very similar to E.A. Dupont’s German film VARIETY which was made at the same time.

While the Murnau offerings are highly prized, the 10 Borzage offerings aren’t exactly chopped liver. In addition to the Gaynor/Farrell films there’s THEY HAD TO SEE PARIS (Will Rogers), SONG O’ MY HEART (tenor John McCormack), YOUNG AMERICA (Spencer Tracy) and the Oscar winning BAD GIRL. There’s even a reconstruction of what may be his best silent feature, THE RIVER. Borzage was old Hollywood’s ultra-romantic and it’s great to have some of his movies back in circulation. All of the sound features are in surprisingly good condition while among the silents only 7TH HEAVEN and STREET ANGEL look rather worn but I’m sure they’re taken from the best available versions.

Last but not least is the packaging. Others have commented on it and I concur. While it’s great to have all this additional material, the giant scrapbook packaging and the cardboard DVD holders are totally unnecessary and will keep all but the most ardent fans (if they have the money) from seeing these classic films. Hopefully Fox will offer them separately before long so that they can reach a wider audience. Twentieth Century Fox is to be commended for finally releasing some of their pre-1936 Fox Films titles (like the earlier John Ford set) but it would seem to defeat the purpose if no one can afford to buy them.