Composer Alfred Newman delivered a dynamic and emotive score, but some of the softer dialogue gets lost in the music. Film composer David Newman and film historians Jon Burlingame, Julie Kirgo, and Nick Redman deliver the commentary track and devote time to Newman’s work, which can be fully appreciated with the isolated audio track option.
Regardless of the flaws with the film and its presentation are, Fox deserves high marks for the Special Features created for this historically significant film. “The Making of The Robe” offers a very in-depth featurette about the film and is filled with a lot of interviews. “The Cinemascope Story” is for serious film technology geeks. “From Scripture to Script: The Bible and Hollywood” finds religious scholars mainly focusing on The Robe. Courtesy of his family, screenwriter Phillip Dunne can be heard in what is labeled an “Audio Interview” but it’s really much more of a rather dry monologue.
There are two BONUSVIEW Picture-in-Picture features. In “The Robe Times Two: A Comparison of Widescreen and Standard Versions” it is amazing to see the differences in the presentations. There’s a great deal lost with the pan and scan of the image and the extra inserts required. It’s a perfect illustration against those who argue in favor of fullscreen over letterboxing. “A Seamless Faith: The Real-Life Search For The Robe” presents a historical look at the events and the film. This feature can be accessed on its own.
“Advertising The Robe” has celebrity introductions by actors like Robert Wagner, Susan Hayward, and Clifton Webb recommending the film even though they have nothing to do with it. There are also Movietone News, Trailers and TV spots, an interactive pressbook, a poster gallery, lobby cards, and publicity stills to feast upon.
While The Robe and its presentation make me want to discourage people from buying it, there’s no denying how well done the Special Features are and what they have to offer classic Hollywood fans. Renting it first might be a sound investment.
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