'Anna Boleyn' (1920) Blu-Ray Review - Ernst Lubitsch Injects History With Life In Early Silent Effort (2024)

The tragic story of the second wife of England’s Henry VIII is dramatized on a grand scale by Ernst Lubitsch, utilizing the full resources of the Ufa Studios. Henny Porten (Kohlhiesel’s Daughters) gives a sensitive performance as the humble lady-in-waiting who ascends to the throne. But it is legendary actor Emil Jannings (The Last Laugh, The Blue Angel) who electrifies the film, depicting Henry’s decadent appetite for food, power, and women, without reducing the larger-than-life historical figure to caricature or villain. Showcasing interviews with daughter Nicola Lubitsch, historians, and filmmakers, the feature-length documentary Lubitsch in Berlind documents the life of the legendary filmmaker from his birth in 1892 to his departure for Hollywood in 1923.

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Video Quality

Anna Boleyn makes its Blu-Ray debut thanks to Kino Classics with a grand transfer from a restoration first performed by Friedrich-Wilhelm-Murnau-Stiftung in 2001 working from a camera negative and a color-tinted print. The photochemical preservation was the basis of this 2K restoration performed in 2014. This film is over 100 years old, but in many ways, it impresses more than many films released decades after this one. Stray, faint vertical lines make a quick appearance without intruding on the overall aesthetic of the film. The contrast is capably defined with no significant flicker or specks of damage to the print, especially compared to many films of this era.

The pleasant color-tinted photography impresses in high definition with consistent natural grain intact. You can observe a surprising amount of detail with subtle textures on the clothing and within the setting. The transfer unlocks an inviting amount of depth and enhanced detail within the film’s composition. The black levels deliver good depth with no major occurrence of crush or compression artifacts. The lighting in this effort is consistent so that nothing ever looks washed out. Kino Classics has treated this with great care.

Audio Quality

This Blu-Ray delivers the film with a DTS-HD 2.0 Master Audio track that realizes everything with finesse. This is a silent film, so the film is graced with an original score. This one comes from Javier Perez de Azpeitia and complements the story throughout to set the appropriate tone. The music is the only element of concern with this track, and it sounds vibrant and pleasing with no clipping or other such anomalies. Silent film fans will appreciate the sound quality of this track, as the score seems to accompany the thematic elements well. Optional English subtitles are provided.

Special Features

There are no special features provided on this disc.

Final Thoughts

Anna Boleyn is one of our favorite early Ernst Lubitsch outings that we have seen, as the master creates a grand sense of spectacle while keeping the momentum going throughout. The care put into the production design is never in doubt, and the performance from Henny Porten brings quite a bit of emotion to the title role. Historical films can be a bit of a snooze, but this one holds up really well. It is worth seeking out if you have enjoyed other films in this line from Lubitsch. Kino Classics has released a Blu-Ray with an admirable A/V presentation but no special features. If you are a Lubitsch fan looking to round out your collection, this label continues to deliver. Recommended

Anna Boleyn will be available to purchase on Blu-Ray, DVD, and Digital on June 18, 2024.

Note: Images presented in this review are not reflective of the image quality of the Blu-Ray.

Disclaimer: Kino Classics has supplied a copy of this disc free of charge for review purposes. All opinions in this review are the honest reactions of the author.