Blu Ray review: You and Me (1938)

Newly released in a stunning 2K master from Kino Lorber, Fritz Lang’s You and Me is an offbeat crime drama that includes romance and social commentary. It was not a success when first released, being ahead of its time, and even Lang himself dismissed it as a flop. But over time the filmmaker’s vision has become clearer and the film’s reputation steadily grew.

George Raft stars in the film opposite Sylvia Sidney, and it is Ms Sidney who insisted Lang direct the film, having worked successfully with him on the MGM drama Fury which starred Spencer Tracy, and the Walter Wanger indie You Only Live Once with Henry Fonda.

Raft and Sidney play a couple who each have a nefarious past, but while she knows about his, he is unaware of hers. The narrative goes through many twists and turns with misunderstandings and bad decisions. Lang stated that he was influenced by Bertolt Brecht, and told the press at the time, “I wanted to make a didactic picture teaching the audience that crime doesn't pay, which is a lie, because crime pays very well. The message was spelled out at the end by Sylvia Sidney on a blackboard to a classroom of crooks.”

You and Me was perhaps too experimental for Hollywood at the time, but Raft and Sidney have good chemistry, and their scenes together are sweet and genuine. Raft plays the tough guy but still effectively showcases his emotional vulnerabilities. They are supported by some top level character actors, including Warren Hymer, Barton MacLane, Harry Carey, Adrian Morris, and George E. Stone.

Kino’s 2K remaster is a beautiful print and it benefits greatly from a typically excellent commentary track from film critic and author Simon Abrams, who offers a deeper look that is interesting and enlightening.

The blu ray can be purchased at this link: YOU AND ME