Synopsis:

Set in Pre-World War II America, Mr. And Mrs. Bridge is a picture of dysfunction on a fairly high scale. Mr. Bridge (Paul Newman) is an accomplished attorney with his own firm. Mrs. Bridge (Joanne Woodward) is a housewife and mother who, makes her decisions on the right and wrongs of things based upon her husbands' stand on the issue. Their children are all relatively grown and the Bridges continue in their efforts to put a good face on an obviously strained marriage. For one, Mr. Bridge is a workaholic. Whether it's to maintain the status quo of their wealthy lifestyle or, to stay as far away from Mrs. Bridge for as long as possible, it's never quite explained. Furthermore, Mr. Bridge believes he should have the right to not only run the family but also determine how and when emotions should be employed in any given situation. The kids as a result are all in world's of their own. Their eldest daughter is a bit of a floozy and aspiring actress; their youngest daughter is away at school and returns early from school with the news that she's to be married. Having only known her fiancée' for a portion of a school term…Aaaah youth! Lastly, their son, having watched his father manage his emotions so stringently throughout his youth, has grown estranged from his mother in such a way that he can barely stand to be in the same room with her for more than a few seconds at most. Lastly, Mrs. Bridge is desperately trying to appear versed in literature and prose by reading the works of suggested authors. More often than not, when the subject of literature is broached with her terribly opinionated husband, Mrs. Bridge is left feeling sullied and unimportant. If you'd like a road map to all things dysfunctional, Mr. And Mrs. Bridge will get you on the right track.

Audio/Video:

The audio for the film is presented in a very appropriate Dolby Stereo Surround platform. Occupying only the front speakers, it conveyed all of the film's dialogue and minor effects with clarity and accuracy. The one point in the film where a 5.1 platform would have added a measure of intensity would have been the Tornado segment of Chapter 5. The visuals were fairly intense and a beefed up audio presentation, would have definitely added to the film's flair at that point. The video is a nicely colored widescreen transfer that suffers from flecks of white throughout it's presentation. The overall textures are rich and beautifully rendered. The interiors are exceptionally well presented. Mr. Bridges' office has rich cherry wood that is so dark and beautiful, it's luxuriant in its appearance. The video is decently produced but not on the same level as other HBO releases. If I had to rate this against the balance of their currently issued discs, I'd have to say this is the least impressive visual presentation in their coda of releases. Those releases being, From the Earth to the Moon, Introducing Dorothy Dandridge, A Lesson Before Dying, Soul of the Game, and The Tuskegee Airmen.

Extras:

Other than cast and crew bios, the extras segment is bare.

Overall:

This is one of those films that critics acclaim and average film loving people hate. I am a part of the latter for the record. While Woodward and Newman are exceptional actors, this film suffered from a deplorable lack of both plot and point. At the close of the movie you are left with that "why-did-they-make-this-film?" kind of vibe. I found it to be an experiment in mind-boggling expression and couldn't recommend it to anyone.