A magnificent acheivement by Powell and Pressburger, full of the mysterious atmosphere of the Welsh Marches. Sadly, it was butchered before release - just 35 minutes remained in the 1950 cinema release. This DVD is the full 110 minute restored version, and the DVD transfer is superb for a film of this age. The audio is also excellent. There are even good extras, rare in a budget British DVD.

The outdoor shots are superb, and thankfully there are only a few seconds of back-projection here and there. If you like P&P's work (I Know Where I'm Going, Colonel Blimp, A Canterbury Tale), then you'll love this. Also a 'must' for Kilvert's Diary lovers.

It seems the DVD pack designer was just handed a few old black & white film stills and didn't even watch the film. This is because the front image and the rear three stills are all in black & white! It would be a shame if this put off potential viewers - as it's actually in georgeous, subtle technicolour.

The only (slight) let down is the sharpness and suddenness of the ending. Buy & enjoy!

British Film at its best
Review date: 2004-09-22 Rating: 10 out of 10

All Powell and Pressburgers' films have a magic about them that delights us. "Gone to Earth" is one of their finest as it centres on our relationship with the landscape around us. We follow the heroine through her courtships knowing that her real love is the world she inhabits rather than people. This allows P & P to follow some familiar paths as they introduce us to a range of eccentric, thoroughly British charchters, who both shock and amuse the Gypsy girl and ultimately cause her destruction. P & P make the familiar British landscape haunting and magical. Not to be missed.

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