One of the great directors of melodrama films in our history is German turned Hollywood director Douglas Sirk. He was a marvelous director, mainly known for his stylish dramas and romance themed films, particularly in the 1950s.

Sirk’s career in filmmaking began in Germany during the 1930s. In 1937, Sirk left Germany not just to direct films in Hollywood, but also because he was married to a Jewish woman and was treated with hostility by Nazi Germany. And it was in Hollywood that his career blossomed and became a cornerstone in American filmmaking. During his peak in the fifties, he arguably directed some of the best melodramas ever made. Among his great works are Magnificent Obsession, Written on the Wind and All I Desire.  

All I Desire is a tale about a woman who leaves her husband and family behind to seek a career being a stage actress who returns ten years later to see her ambitious daughter in a play. It all began in 1900, in Riverdale, Wisconsin, where disenchanted wife Naomi Murdoch (Barbara Stanwyck, Baby Face, Double Indemnity) leaves husband Henry Murdoch (Richard Carlson, The Maze, Earth vs. The Flying Saucers) family to be a successful vaudeville actress. Ten years later, Naomi’s daughter Lily (the recently deceased Lori Nelson, Bend of the River, Day the World Ended) sends an invitation to her long-lost mother to see her in the Riverdale high school play. She returns, which creates quite the stir in town, including tension within her own family as they have moved on without her, and have deep resentment. Joyce Murdoch (Marcia Henderson, Naked Alibi, Thunder Bay) the eldest daughter despises her, wishing she never came back and would just go away. Even Henry is conflicted as he is involved with another woman, Sara Harper (Maureen O’Sullivan, Tarzan the Ape Man, The Thin Man). The only family member that is happy about Naomi’s return is aspiring actress Lily, who practically worships what she thinks is her “famous” mother and wants that some notoriety. Naomi’s former lover, Dutch Heineman (Lyle Bettger, The Greatest Show on Earth) after all these years is still interested in her, wanting to take her away from her estranged husband. Naomi has other plans which keep changing because of how she feels about her family. She does learn that, to coin a phrase, you can come home again

All I Desire is a terrific film with a great story and acting and brilliant direction, everything you can ask for in a melodrama. The performances by the mostly veteran cast are top-notch. A lot of fans may recognize Richard Carlson as a B-movie actor, which he was, but he was in his share of many classics before he ventured into the science fiction universe. All I Desire was one of four films in 1953 that he acted in.

What else can be said about Barbara Stanwyck? She was an iconic actress whose career spanned over 40 years who worked with some of the most legendary directors and actors with a long list of acting in plenty of timeless classics

And no, we will not neglect Maureen O’Sullivan, a mighty fine actress in her on right. Mainly recognized for being Jane in the Tarzan series starring Johnny Weissmuller, she continued to perform until the 1980s. She is also the mother actresses Mia and Tisa Farrow, two well-known actresses in their own right.

Arriving on Blu-ray courtesy of Kino Lorber All I Desire has been given a robust 1080p transfer on a dual layered BD-50 disc. I was amazed just how gorgeous this black and feature looks. Black levels are rich and bold, scenery is highly detailed, looking smooth all the way through with a balanced grey scale.  Film grain is present, maintaining a film-like appearance and no DNR appears to have been applied in this presentation.

The English DTS-HD master audio 2.0 track is also solid. The lossless track enables the dialog to sound as rich as it ever has, while the musical scores all coming in clear with no drop-offs or defects detected. English subtitles are offered.

As with most Kino recent releases, they have a pattern of sorts for many of their Blu-ray packages. Included are a pair of features, usually a commentary and some trailers. This release is no different as there is an audio commentary by Imogen Sara Smith, who as one would expect focuses on the lead Barbara Stanwyck and director Douglas Sirk. This is another worthwhile professional commentary!  

Trailers for Kino Lorber catalog releases is the other supplement. All I Desire, The Great Mans Lady, The Bride Wore Boots, Witness to Murder, There’s Always Tomorrow, Tarnished Angels, and The Magnetic Monster are the ones you get to see in this release.

All I Desire is a highly recommended film, and a highly recommended release. The clarity of the audio and video, along with a strong commentary make this release a must have for fans of the classics!

All I Desire

Director- Douglas Sirk

Cast- Barbara Stanwyck, Richard Carlson

Country of Origin- US

Distributor – Kino Lorber

Number of Discs – 1

Reviewed by – David Steigman

Date- 8/27/20