Blu-ray Review: Lost Classic ‘Perfect Understanding’ Has Aged Dreadfully

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CHICAGO – It’s a cause for celebration amongst film buffs when any picture—however minor or unremarkable—is miraculously resurrected from the dead, enabling us to view a lost piece of cinema history. That being said, there are countless titles more worthy of being reborn than “Perfect Understanding,” the latest alleged classic released by Cohen Media Group.

At first glance, this 1933 talkie promises to be fascinating. After making the intimidating transition to sound, while scoring two Oscar nominations in the process, one would imagine that Gloria Swanson’s career was on fire. Yet her popularity was waning with audiences, inspiring the star to form her own production company to make this comeback vehicle with a young up-and-comer named Laurence Olivier. Apparently the film fizzled during its initial release, inspiring Swanson to make only two more pictures before disappearing for nearly a decade.

Blu-ray Rating: 1.5/5.0

It wasn’t until 1950 when Swanson truly made a comeback in Billy Wilder’s “Sunset Boulevard,” in which she delivered one of the greatest and most galvanizing performances in the history of cinema. It’s impossible not to think of Swanson’s aging screen siren, Norma Desmond, while watching the actress struggle to reign in the theatrical mannerisms that brought her success during the silent era. In “Boulevard,” Swanson’s over-the-top expressions were entirely fitting, as her frighteningly delusional character spiraled deeper into insanity. But in a bland vehicle like “Perfect Understanding” (directed by disfigured former actor Cyril Gardner), Swanson’s extravagant posturing coupled with flat line readings is disastrous. There isn’t a single instant of her performance that registers as authentic or believable, and Olivier’s mumbly moping fares no better. As a married couple who find themselves attracted to other potential partners, Swanson and Olivier lack any semblance of a spark. Their promise to retain the roles of “lover and mistress” even after embracing the bonds of matrimony certainly doesn’t bode well for their future together. Olivier comes off as a self-involved sleaze, while Swanson frets, flits and makes grand statements (such as “I hate you!”) that are routinely punctuated by the melodramatic swell of a 70-piece orchestra.

Perfect Understanding was released on Blu-ray and DVD on June 4th, 2013.
Photo credit: Cohen Media Group

Though the film is billed as a romantic comedy, I didn’t count a single laugh, not even when Olivier partakes in an idiotic boat race that requires its participants to down loads of cocktails (naturally, there’s a crash). The script was allegedly co-authored by an uncredited Michael Powell, but contains none of his trademark wit or visionary ambition. While it’s certainly nice to see an 80-year-old film preserved for future generations to observe and analyze, I doubt that anyone would’ve missed this tedious bore had it remained lost.
 
“Perfect Understanding” is presented in 1080p High Definition (with a 1.33:1 aspect ratio) and is marred by poor audio that occasionally renders the un-subtitled dialogue incoherent. No extras are included (not even an essay) to provide any insight into this picture, or why it’s deserving of a second look. Only two Max Sennett comic shorts (starring Walter Catlett of “Bringing Up Baby” fame) are featured as a side dish to the feature. They are mildly amusing at best and obnoxiously insipid at worst, but unlike “Perfect Understanding,” they do admittedly fit within the category of “comedy.”

By MATT FAGERHOLM Staff Writer HollywoodChicago.com [email protected]