Blood and Sand

Tyrone Power was at the peak of his popularity when he starred in producer Darryl F. Zanuck's ornate but plodding 1941 sound-and-color remake of Rudolph Valentino's 1922 silent film. Power plays brash, arrogant matador Juan Gallardo, whose meteoric rise in the bullring ends when he's lured by a wealthy noblewoman away from his faithful wife into a life of frivolity and debt. Director Rouben Mamoulian seems more interested in the visuals than in bringing much dramatic urgency to the creaky plot. The result is beautiful—individual shots resemble the paintings of El Greco, Velásquez, and Goya that Mamoulian used as models, and the Technicolor image on this Blu-ray restoration is positively luminous (highlighting the work of Oscar-winning cinematographers Ernest Palmer and Ray Rennahan). But the film itself is overlong and sluggish (with too many musical interludes that even further slow the pace), and Power's one-note performance quickly grows tiresome, while Rita Hayworth is ludicrously miscast as the seductive Spanish siren, Dona Sol. On the other hand, Linda Darnell is appealing as the bullfighter's long-suffering wife, Carmen; and the supporting cast, including Alla Nazimova as the hero's mother and Anthony Quinn, John Carradine, J. Carrol Naish, Laird Cregar, and George Reeves in smaller roles, adds some zest to the proceedings. Extras include an audio commentary by cinematographer Richard Crudo. A strong optional purchase. (F. Swietek)