Port of Shadows (1938)

Just what I expected

i must have seen a different film!!

A lot of fun.

This movie was so-so. It had it's moments, but wasn't the greatest.

Jean is a man of a few words, but his demeanor and his clothing talk loud enough about his condition, he's dressed as a soldier and aimlessly wonders somewhere out of the city, he's at the edge of the world and at the edge of himself. Although the word is never uttered in the film, but the innuendo are obvious, he's a deserter. He's not too proud of himself, some circumstances might have pushed him: malcontent disillusion, some existential sickness, but the movie doesn't give him excuses or alibis, his desertion isn't the end of the journey, but the starting point… or is it?Jean doesn't say much but doesn't refuse the cigarette a truck driver amiably offers, and with the cigarette butt stuck to the corner of his mouth, he utters brief and laconic responses, "not a talkative fellow" comments a driver who expected to break the serene monotony of his own routine. But if Jean isn't stingy on words, he knows how to act without asking for permission, he suddenly grabs the wheel and deviates the truck from the road, to spare a puppy dog from being crushed to death. How ironic that this seemingly careless man displays his first signs of interest for this frail little animal, there's still a heart beating behind that tough facade, and one's strength can be measured through his reaction in life-and-death situations, eventually, when the grateful puppy follows him, he coldly dismisses it. There is something in Jean Gabin that is inexplicably appealing, he's a man who exudes confidence and charisma even in situations of seemingly weaknesses or immobility, he never really acts and is rather static in many of his films, but it's not in quantity, he can take as many provocations as possible but one word too many against a woman he happens to life and you get the backhanded slap à la Bogart. Gabin is perhaps the first Bogart-figure before Bogart, a guy who acts and reacts but doesn't talk much. When it comes to talk, it's all in the characters gravitating around him that his films can inject their philosophy, about life, looks, love, everything. Jean is too stubborn, too earthly to think of the meaning of his life, he just wants to get the hell out of her, in the Port of Havres, some talk the talk, he walks the walk.But this is not any Port, it's a Port of shadow and foggy atmosphere, there's no clear visibility whatsoever in the future or the past, it's all in the present, a present incarnated by many shades of black, white and gray, or a present incarnated by the beautiful Nelly, played by Michèle Morgan. She's obviously not a lady of the world, she's young and looks sweet but she must have a past, too. And she does, she also flees a nasty godfather infatuated with her, played by Michel Simon, the most recognizable face of French cinema, with his ugly mug, he could be a sensitive teddy-bear or a cynical villain, he resents his ugliness but "better this face than no face at all", and the place Jean lands on is populated of these gray areas fellows, one of them is a small time crook, Lucien played by Pierre Brasseur, looking for Nelly's boyfriend one of his guys who disappeared.This little world evolves around the Port of Shadows and it's such a small one we expect the inevitable collisions, and not a happy ending, this is a film takes such a somber departure and there are not enough pixels to carry a rainbow. The film has been called somber by the New York Times, and guess how the word translates n French: noir, this film is perhaps one of the first and finest examples of pre-noir film, the kind of movies where you know as certitude that this port of shadow is a nasty place can be both an end or a start, some ships sail to Venezuela, and some gangster matters are handled in the port like in such films as "On the Waterfront". Meanwhile, Jean spends a nice evening with Nelly, they go to a café, to the carnival, and this is where they have the most famous exchange of French cinema, where Gabin, staring at Morgan tells her "you've got pretty eyes, you know". Her answer is as sweet as it is perfect, she asks for a kiss.This is the brief and enchanted parenthesis before the plot moves to its tragic destination, and I guess the film is so sad and dark, that it's no wonder the most remembered line was a happy one, that was Jean life's highest spot, before Karma could come back at him, and make him victim of his principles. Some 'heroes' just can't win, because they're doomed, because the ugliness of the world is just too great to sustain or because there is more poetry in losing and dying than just hiding somewhere like a rat, he couldn't go full deserter, he had to redeem that ugliness never explicated, that's the poetry. It is indeed funny that we refer to poetic justice for deadly events, but this is a poetry that forged the realism poetic genre in France and contributed to some of its great classics, directed by Marcel Carné and written, of all the authors, by poet Prévert.Jean Gabin would shoot Marcel Carné's "Daybreak" before war broke and end the first part of his career but Marcel Carné was still in a terrific streak that started with "Drole de Drame" and ended with "Children of Paradise" contributing to some of the greatest and most celebrated French films, "Port of Shadows" is one of the most emblematic, if not the most, it certainly has the most iconic kiss.

This is the newly digitally restored release, available from June 2012.Director Marcel Carne, here in just pre-war 1938, made many notable films but for many World Cinema devotees, he is an unknown, or in my case, a newcomer. His Les Enfants de Paradis (1946) is one of the most enchanting and beautiful of all French films, from any period and remains one of my all-time favourites.However, I find his feature films with Jean Gabin a rather jagged little pill. In both his later Le Jour Se Leve and here, Gabin plays rather unlikeable lead roles and I find him difficult to warm to. Though in this case, assisted by screenwriter Jacques Prévert, as army deserter "Jean", he certainly is a complex fellow, whose psyche snaps back and fore as his bewildered despondency on life puts up barriers and communication to others.There's a visual semblance in Gabin of a cross between Spencer Tracey and James Cagney (to my eyes) and also almost in their usual characters - the caring, humane Tracey and the snarling Cagney. Michelle Morgan plays the dark and beautiful Nelly and the two floating into love seems as fleeting and ephemeral as the shifting mists of the title - translated as 'Port Of Shadows'.That Port is Le Havre and the evocative cinematography is the film's finest feature, a real mood-piece that eschews a clammy emptiness. The tonal range of Eugen Schüfftan's black & white camera-work is superb and is fully realised by this digital restoration, without blemish or flaw.The dog that tags on is a nice touch and suits Gabin's character - restless, looking for both company and opportunity but I'm afraid I couldn't settle with the false-bearded Michel Simon, with that hair- piece visibly having gaps in it. A small point to moan about, if one is totally content with the rest of the film but when one isn't totally, these little things stick out like a sore thumb and become annoying.There is no doubt that Le Quai des Brumes is a very good film, that is loved by many and this release is the one to get, unless one goes for the blu-ray, of course. That it didn't totally do "it" for me is down to personal choice, though.

Jean Gabin and Michelle Morgan star in the stylish Marcel Carne film, "Port of Shadows," made in 1938. There is simply no one like Jean Gabin - Hollywood had no idea what to do with him - here he was, this amazing leading man who looked like a character actor. Thankfully, the French knew what they had and kept him busy for 48 years.Gabin plays Jean, a military deserter who comes into the French port of Le Havre, intending to leave aboard ship for Venezuela. He meets the beautiful Nelly and is adopted by a small dog. Nelly is a real man magnet; she has a boyfriend Maurice, a father figure who is in love with her named Zabel, and Lucien, a hood in love with her. She and Jean fall in love, even though in her heart she knows that he has to leave Le Havre.These French films out-noir American film noirs, and this is a stylish, dark film filled with sadness, with a depressing ambiance throughout. If you were miserable when you started watching it, you'll be a mess when it's over. What I've gone through for Gabin - he was in so many dark, depressing films! If you're a fan of film noir (and/or Gabin), this is for you.

I'm a rather big fan of noir. Outside of westerns it is my preferred genre of film. Maybe it's the hardboiled detective stories or the damsel in distress, Port of Shadows is a film that fills my carnal need for the darkness of cinema. The film follows Jean, a deserter from the military who arrives in a sleepy town La Havre. His goal is to leave the country but first he needs to find some civilian clothes among other things. Along the way he meets Nelly, a beautiful young woman whom he seems to fall in love with rather quick. Which is his biggest downfall and sort of a typical theme running through noir films, men who love too much too fast. Nelly is completely surrounded by men in her life. She has a boyfriend, a protector, and has interest from a local gangster. Well Jean has a something to say to all of them and doesn't waste time. Jean gets rid of the boyfriend, he hilariously rids her of the local gangster through a few slapping fights. This is a noir, but don't get me wrong, try not to laugh when Jean slaps Lucien the Gangster like a little girl. They come up with a plan to leave the country together. But of course this is noir, so the likely hood of this film ending happy isn't much of a spoiler. The visual look of the film is really what makes it so memorable. It is a beautiful dreary port town, the fog hovers over the city with weight. The fog hides the sins of Jean and Nelly alike but adds to the mystery. Jean's character is one who is easy to sympathize with but is also quite unique from the norm noir character. He like I mentioned is quick to love. He buys a gift for Nelly shortly after meeting her and wants to be with her enough to leave asking her to escape with him. But he also is quite a tough man ready to defend her a moment's notice. His strange psyche and personality really elevates the movie to something extraordinary.