It's a Wise Child │ Warner Archive Collection

Courtesy of Warner Bros. Entertainment

by CHAD KENNERK

Marion Davies sparkles in the Pre-Code rarity It's a Wise Child, which finally makes its home video debut courtesy of the Warner Archive Collection after decades of obscurity. Never before released or broadcast on television, the long-lost comedy effectively vanished after its 1932 debut as the result of legal complications, not to mention the tightening grip of the Hays Code. The comedy of errors was written by Laurence E. Johnson, adapted and updated from his own hit 1928 Broadway play. After the playwright’s passing, all of Johnson's works were copyrighted by his wife. While Warner Bros. owned the physical distribution rights to the film, the studio couldn’t legally exhibit or license it without clearing the rights to the underlying play. Despite becoming a solid box-office success for Davies, the film was actually banned in several countries upon release and drew criticism from conservative groups, further contributing to its disappearance.

The resurrection of the Davies gem on Blu-ray is cause for celebration among classic film fans. As Warner Archive continues delivering long-unavailable studio titles, It's a Wise Child stands out as a rewarding rediscovery. Where some cinematic ‘holy grails’ have ultimately proved duds, It’s a Wise Child proves an entertaining, effervescent romp. Davies is charming as Joyce Stanton, whose innocent actions spark a town-wide scandal when she is mistakenly assumed pregnant out of wedlock. As every eligible bachelor becomes a suspected father, Joyce decides to let the misunderstanding play out in order to avoid an unwanted marriage to a wealthy suitor. Reliable MGM director Robert Z. Leonard keeps it brisk while giving Davies ample room to showcase impeccable comic timing.

Among the supporting cast is Sidney Blackmer, who appeared in more than sixty films during the 1930s alone, though he is likely best remembered today as the devilish Roman Castevet in Polanski’s 1968 horror classic Rosemary's Baby. Fans will also enjoy spotting Clara Blandick, forever immortalised as Aunt Em in The Wizard of Oz. Following its acclaimed 35mm screening at the Cinecon 61 Classic Film Festival, Warner Archive presents It's a Wise Child in a new 2026 1080p HD master sourced from a fresh 4K scan of the best surviving preservation elements. Special features include the comedy short The Rounder, featuring an early screen appearance by Jack Benny, and the musical short Crazy House, in which Benny Rubin tours ‘Lame Brain Sanitarium’ and encounters a series of eccentric patients performing musical numbers – including Earl ‘Snakehips’ Tucker performing his iconic Harlem dance. The package is completed by two vintage Bosko cartoons, Bosko's Fox Hunt and Bosko's Soda Fountain, showcasing the first recurring Looney Tunes star.

It’s a Wise Child is available on Blu-ray 26 May from Warner Archive Collection.
Order your copy from Movie Zyng

WARNER ARCHIVE COLLECTION offers thousands of film and TV series direct from Warner’s studio vault. With a particular emphasis on high-quality restorations and remasters on Blu-ray disc, Warner Archive Collection brings rare and hard-to-find classic motion pictures and television series to home video. Often appearing for the first time on Blu-ray, titles are chosen each month from the unparalleled library of Warner Bros. Entertainment, which spans more than 100 years of cinema history.

MOVIE ZYNG‍ ‍offers more than 37,000 in‑stock titles, carefully curated to make discovery easy, intuitive, and genuinely enjoyable. Instead of endless search results, Movie Zyng has organised their catalogue into thoughtful collections by genre, era, studio, filmmaker, format, and fan interest. Movie Zyng is designed to help you discover films you’ve never seen, rediscover favourites and build a collection. Remember the video store? That sense of discovery, excitement, and connection has largely disappeared from modern online shopping — and that’s exactly what Movie Zyng aims to bring back. Start your collection today!