Port of Shadows (1938)

4/5

Marcel Carné's Port of Shadows follows a military deserter as he enters the port city of Le Havre and finds himself entangled in criminal activity and forlorn love. It is a beautifully written and exquisitely filmed work of art. Jacques Prévert's dialogue rolls effortlessly off the actors' tongues, with layers of meaning and universal truth behind every perfectly-chosen word. The hangdog acting by Gabin is comparable to Bogart's best world-weary performance. The dreary, fog-filled atmosphere paralleling the characters' lives is perfectly evoked with its fluid cinematography. The camera itself is a choreographed dancer, as it floats effortlessly from one complex composition to another. Yet it is not flamboyant; Carné makes sure none of the individual elements distract from the main thematic message.

There were some aspects about the movie that rubbed me the wrong way. Much of the characters' backstories were extremely vague. They seemed more like representations of emotions than concrete beings with fleshed-out characteristics. In terms of editing, the piece felt a little stilted. There were a number of shots where Carné lingered for way too long (one time even breaking continuity because of it). Still, there are very few appreciable negatives with this movie. You really can't go wrong with Carné.

IMDb link: http://imdb.com/title/tt0030643/

Children of Paradise (1945)

5/5

Children of Paradise is wondrous. There are so many scenes of such magnificent power; it must be seen to be believed. From the opening shot of carnival (with undoubtedly 200+ extras), I knew I was in for a treat. It is one of the most engrossing movies I have ever seen. Funny at times, sad at others. And in just the right proportions. Unique yet universal. The three hour plus running time went by so fast; I would continue watching this if it were 24 hours long, or longer. The camerawork, dialogue, and acting in this movie carry themselves with such authority, you tell yourself that this is how movies are made. Every shot in this movie is so precise, so absolute--you can't possibly imagine it being better if anything had been changed.

The screenplay was written by the poet Jacques Prévert, and it shows. Every sentence is a poem. The acting matches, and acting of such high caliber by a cast as large and diverse as in this movie is a rarity. But Carné's work as director somehow manages to outshine even those aspects. He understands cinema so intimately. The framing, the timing, the background (in each shot and of each character), the movement (of the camera and the actors in front of it)--all are delivered with such pinpoint accuracy. The outward simplicity belies the necessary technical skill. But the movie is incredibly self-aware, an entity poking fun at itself while standing firm in its beliefs. And it is a veritable goldmine when it comes to analysis.

I really cannot think of any negatives. Like I said before, I can't possibly imagine it being better if anything had been changed. This movie is without a doubt a masterpiece of the classic style of filmmaking.

IMDb link: http://imdb.com/title/tt0037674/