Let me get this off my chest. I love films from the Criterion collection, they are my Achilles heel, but unlike modern cinema, they are not to be watched daily for fear of loosing that aura of greatness. Port of Shadows best exemplifies this idea because of how droll director Marcel Carne's vision is. From the beginning, with our Jean hitchhiking away from some unknown disaster, we know that we are going to be rooting for the dark horse. As we follow him, he leads us through the blemished areas of France, especially around their port areas. Carne's vision is vivid, creating some iconic images with the bar known as Panamas and those gut-wrenching slaps that Jean produces to intimidate Lucian - a local hood that has a short fuse temper. From Nelly's "guardian" to that moment where Michel decides to swim out into the ocean to escape, Carne builds a city where there are more than one story floating around - the idea of lost souls suffering through - searching for an escape. Considered by many to be "poetic realism", Port of Shadows is everything you want in a film like this. We want love, escapism, revenge, the unknown and with this film we have it. We have it all - but is it a good thing?Port of Shadows is a difficult film for me to stand behind because of Carne's lack of excitement behind the camera. Sure, it has everything we want - and it has some amazing (like never-forgotten) moments in cinema, but as we begin to conclude our saga - this is where Carne lost me. The one-night stand between Jean and Nelly seemed forced and rushed, void of passion to say the least. I couldn't feel the connection between the two at that time. I saw it during the fight moment and the night at Panama's, but that final scene just felt like it was placed to appease audiences. I wanted Jean to really prove his love for Nelly, not just bed her and run. Thinking back, this was the only element I didn't enjoy - there were parts that I need to watch again to understand (ie the item found by Nelly in the basement AND what happened to the money in Jean's jacket), but it does still make me want to watch this film again. I loved so many of the angels, the introduction of the dog character to bring a level of humanism to Jean, and that breathtaking finale where we are ready for him to make it leap, but gets cut down too soon. Again, iconic images in cinema - but does it last?
Riding the high of this film, it isn't the same as I felt with Quai Des Orfevres, the other Criterion explored this month. While two seperate films, I wasn't ready to rewatch Port of Shadows right away. This is a simmering film, one that needs to be enjoyed, placed into the freezer for later, and then enjoyed again. I liked the vision, the actors, and the story - but perhaps it was the language brining me down this time. Whatever it was, Port of Shadows just didn't feel perfect. I liked it, but didn't love it. It was the same reaction I had with Carne's other work - Children of Paradise - it was good, but not an immediate gratification. I will wait a couple of weeks and rewatch - perhaps the spark just needs to be tried a couple of more times.
FAVORITE SCENE: Hands down, the bumper car scene. Brilliant from the beginning, a personal saving moment for me on this film.
Found in the TIME OUT FILM GUIDE #9, this concludes my "Q" adventure. It is now onto the "J", where we will battle classics with modern - a match up I am eager to see.
Port of Shadows was recently re-released via Criterion at spine #245.
Final decision - it is going to get a pink mark. Again, good, but not the greatest. I will watch this movie again.
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