Film historians and critics will always argue over Preminger's "talents," but one thing they can't disagree over, is his ability to remain controversial.  Long before the ridiculous studio-spawned, marketing department "intentional" controversy of Sharon Stone crossing her legs in "BASIC INSTINCT" there used to be "legitimate" controversy. Based on the terrific novel by Henry Morton Robinson, fans of the novel were rightly upset about many excisions by Preminger, most of which dealt with Father Fermoyle's family. Still, the "THE CARDINAL," manages to cover such issues as racism, abortion, the church's intentional "blind eye" towards anti-semitism and facism, and much more. Realizing this film was made in 1963, way ahead of its time! 

Thomas Tryon is perfectly cast as Stephen Fermoylet, a young priest, whom we follow, as he rises to "Cardinal" and the real struggles he faces in remaining true to his conscience. As much as "THE CARDINAL" raises certain issues, it also honors the self-sacrifice and commitment of priests, and the majority should feel honored by this work. 

Preminger has put together an excellent cast here. In addition to Tryon, John Huston, Burgess Meredith and Carol Lynley give wonderful performances. Some audiences may not appreciate the flashback technique utilized in telling this epic story, but this reviewer felt it worked well.

WARNER BROS. has provided a wonderful transfer!  The original 2.35:1 aspect ratio is intact, with 16:9 enhancement.  The colors, especially in comparison to the laserdisc version, look wonderful. They're vibrant and without a hint of oversaturation.  This is a polished transfer!  The contrast is outstanding, offering deep blacks and grays.  There are no signs of noise or aging anywhere. 

WARNER BROS. has provide a surprisingly effective Dolby Digital 2.0 surround mix.  The musical score is stirring and it receives a respectful representation on this release, with all speakers boosting its prominence in just the right spots.  There are even a few creative ambient effects. Dialogue is always intelligible and free from distortion. 

While WARNER BROS. has presented this release with two discs, the only significant supplementary material is on the 2nd disc..  "PREMINGER: ANATOMY OF A  FILMMAKER" is a rather lengthy, though never dull, documentary about the director. In spite of its "ENTERTAINMENT TONIGHT" style of sensationalizing the director's famous personality, there's plenty of worthwhile recollections throughout the 2 hour running time.