1939 on 4K UHD

4 movies from 1939 on 4K Blu-ray, ranked S to D by transfer quality. 3 S-Tier picks including Mr. Smith Goes to Washington.

Mr. Smith Goes to Washington(1939)

7.8/10

dir. Frank Capra

S-Tier

S-Tier Sony 4K with Dolby Vision. Part of the Frank Capra at Columbia box set for the 100th anniversary, alongside It Happened One Night. The set is 20 films with 9 in 4K. People are waiting for 50% off sales but also feeling pressure to buy early to show demand for this kind of catalog deep dive from a major studio.

Sony Pictures · Frank Capra at Columbia

The Roaring Twenties(1939)

7.5/10

dir. Raoul Walsh

S-Tier

After World War I, Armistice Lloyd Hart goes back to practice law, former saloon keeper George Hally turns to bootlegging, and out-of-work Eddie Bartlett becomes a cab driver. Eddie builds a fleet of cabs through delivery of bootleg liquor and hires Lloyd as his lawyer. George becomes Eddie's partner and the rackets flourish until love and rivalry interfere.

Criterion Collection · 4K + Blu-ray

The Rules of the Game(1939)

7.5/10

dir. Jean Renoir

S-Tier

The Marquis de la Chesnaye and his wife host a weekend gala where a variety of complicated romantic and social entanglements between guests and servants lead to tragedy, all against the backdrop of a looming war.

ESC Editions · 4K + Blu-ray (France)

The Wizard of Oz(1939)

7.6/10

dir. Victor Fleming

A-Tier

The 4K scan brought back details the Blu-ray was flattening, particularly in the Technicolor sequences and the munchkin village. Gruv has the steelbook at $15 USD, and at that price it's hard to justify not owning a copy.

Warner Home Video · 4K + Blu-ray