Indiscretion of an American Wife/Terminal Station [Criterion Collection] [DVD]

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Criterion's side-by-side presentation of the two edits of Vittorio De Sica's Terminal Station -- the original European release and David O. Selznick's dumbed-down Hollywood hack job, Indiscretion of an American Wife -- provides a fascinating look at what is, in any version, one of the director's more intriguing minor efforts. Loaded with Freudian analysis, film scholar Leonard Leff's commentary is somewhat dry and academic, but he points up even the most minute differences between the two edits of the film, and is sure to include plenty of dishy anecdotes about leads Jennifer Jones and Montgomery Clift. (The best is Clift's remark comparing Jones to a faulty briefcase: "It's beautiful but it doesn't quite work.") As always, the transfer and sound mix of both versions are impeccable, and the trailers and promotional items point up the difficult marketing task posed by De Sica's subtle, contemplative film. Also included with the film is a two-song Patti Page musical prelude, which Selznick tacked on to U.S. prints of Indiscretion to pad out its scant length. Though corny and static, the songs are beautifully framed by master cinematographer James Wong Howe's inventive, high-contrast compositions.