For the final day of ICM's poll on the best films of 1939,I decided to watch one of the two films made in 1939 by one of my favourite film makers: Julien Duvivier. Aware of (but never having seen) any adaptation of Selma Lagerlöf's novel The Phantom Carriage,I decided that it was to step on Duvivier's wagon.
View on the film:
Doubting Édith's chances of her help being accepted, the graceful Marie Bell gives a very good performance as Maria,with Bell expressing Maria's concern each time Édith offers her help. Keeping her hands out no matter how many times Holm's pushes them away, Micheline Francey (who sadly died at just age 49) gives an angelic performance as Édith,whose warmth Francey keeps vivid even when all else is snowed in.
Sweeping aside all attempts to help him get on the right path, Pierre Fresnay (who reunited with Francey in Le Corbeau) gives an explosive performance as Holm,whose drunken anger Fresnay sends out rolling with the punches,that bruise the heart Édith wants to free.
Making his last work in France before fleeing from the oncoming Nazis, the screenplay by co-writer/(with Alexandre Arnoux) director Julien Duvivier (whose brother Pierre was Assistant Director) adapts Selma Lagerlöf's novel with a striking optimism of there being light at the very end of this long period of darkness. Dressing Édith in purity, the writers weave a rich Melodrama mood, which shines in Édith's attempts to grasp Holm from the darkness, and a heavenly final note.
Whilst bringing more light into his work than usual, Duvivier is still unable to fully leave his auteur dark paradise theme,as Holm's burns all he holds dear like a Film Noir loner,and the creaking sound of the Phantom Wagon's wheels crack open all of the washed-up dead-beats lining the streets Édith is trying to save.
Set during the Christmas/New Year season,director Julien Duvivier & cinematographer Jules Kruger beautifully capture the season with a snowy, somewhat Gothic Horror vibe of ultra-stylised tracking shots over the snow-covered roofs and pavements being shadowed by the ghostly presence of the Wagon.
Giving the Fantasy a flavour of his outstanding Film Noir, Duvivier follows Holm's into his pit of dead- beats with dazzling crane shots coming down to the earth of Holm's and all the other lost souls that haunt the town,as the Phantom Wagon stops.
View on the film:
Doubting Édith's chances of her help being accepted, the graceful Marie Bell gives a very good performance as Maria,with Bell expressing Maria's concern each time Édith offers her help. Keeping her hands out no matter how many times Holm's pushes them away, Micheline Francey (who sadly died at just age 49) gives an angelic performance as Édith,whose warmth Francey keeps vivid even when all else is snowed in.
Sweeping aside all attempts to help him get on the right path, Pierre Fresnay (who reunited with Francey in Le Corbeau) gives an explosive performance as Holm,whose drunken anger Fresnay sends out rolling with the punches,that bruise the heart Édith wants to free.
Making his last work in France before fleeing from the oncoming Nazis, the screenplay by co-writer/(with Alexandre Arnoux) director Julien Duvivier (whose brother Pierre was Assistant Director) adapts Selma Lagerlöf's novel with a striking optimism of there being light at the very end of this long period of darkness. Dressing Édith in purity, the writers weave a rich Melodrama mood, which shines in Édith's attempts to grasp Holm from the darkness, and a heavenly final note.
Whilst bringing more light into his work than usual, Duvivier is still unable to fully leave his auteur dark paradise theme,as Holm's burns all he holds dear like a Film Noir loner,and the creaking sound of the Phantom Wagon's wheels crack open all of the washed-up dead-beats lining the streets Édith is trying to save.
Set during the Christmas/New Year season,director Julien Duvivier & cinematographer Jules Kruger beautifully capture the season with a snowy, somewhat Gothic Horror vibe of ultra-stylised tracking shots over the snow-covered roofs and pavements being shadowed by the ghostly presence of the Wagon.
Giving the Fantasy a flavour of his outstanding Film Noir, Duvivier follows Holm's into his pit of dead- beats with dazzling crane shots coming down to the earth of Holm's and all the other lost souls that haunt the town,as the Phantom Wagon stops.