Portrait in Black

Director– Michael Gordon

Starring – Lana Turner, Anthony Quinn, Richard Basehart

Country of Origin- U.S.
 

Distributor - Kino Lorber

Number of discs –  1

Reviewed by - David Steigman

Date- 07/03/2019

Considered to be a neo-Noir Portrait in Black is the tragic tale of adultery and a chain of horrible events that follow. Even though the film does have a Noir tone at some points, I don’t think it’s so much a Noir, but more of a soap opera style crime-drama thriller. Call it what you will, Portrait in Black packs a great cinematic punch.

Lana Turner stars as Sheila Cabot who, while taking care of her rich, albeit, sick verbally abusive, confrontational husband, Mathew Cabot (veteran actor Lloyd Nolan), has an affair with his doctor, Dr. David Rivera (Anthony Quinn). Their scheme begins with the death of Sheila’s husband, but it quickly backfires as leads to several happenings starting leading an investigation which in turn could ultimately lead to the downfall of Sheila and her love Dr. Rivera. The lovers go through hell and high water to conceal the affair and the murder, especially when they receive threats from someone who is aware of the crime they committed. Still worse, Sheila is being courted by Howard Mason (Richard Basehart) and wants to marry Sheila, who declines. The smug, plenteous Mason stating he usually gets what he wants will stop at nothing to have her. The fun doesn’t stop there, as another murder is committed and the lives of the Sheila Cabot and David Rivera continue to go on a downward spiral. 

Under the direction of Michael Gordon, Portrait in Black is a fantastic, highly enjoyable thriller. The acting is top notch, the storyline while perhaps being a bit far-fetched will hold your interest. The facial expressions of guilt and torment that both Lana Turner and Anthony Quinn’s characters show are priceless. Fans of cult-horror legend John Saxon should also take note as has a key role in the picture as well. And Anna May Wong, who had been acting in films since 1920, finishes her film career on a high note with this very film. Her final appearance in television would be on The Barbara Stanwyck Show.

Kino Lorber debuts Portrait in Black on Blu-ray and is satisfactory release. The image, in its original 2.00:1 aspect ratio is superb boasting bold, rich colors. Reds look especially lush. The indoor scenery such as an office setting boasts a lot of detail along with deep textures. Outdoor scenes also look ravishing. Black levels look balanced during the film’s evening scenes. There are a few spots of film grain and speckles during the presentation but nothing that will deter. Skin tones also look accurate.

The English DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0 track for Portrait in Black is strong with the dialog, music and other sounds coming in crisp. The excellent musical score by Frank Skinner sounds the most aggressive, particularly during the films’ most suspenseful moments.  Optional English SDH subtitles are offered for this release.

Extras are few but they are of great value. We get an audio commentary by film historians Lee Gambin and Emma Westwood, where they discuss the film at great lengths and is a fascinating listen. They also did a commentary for Madame X, another Kino Lorber release that also stars Lana Turner.

The other extras include a theatrical trailer for Portrait in Black as well as trailers for Madame X, Foxfire, Female on the Beach, and The Destructors.

Portrait in Black is a highly recommended film that should not be overlooked. Other similar thrillers also worth your time are Madame X, Midnight Lace, and 23 Paces to Baker Street