Some have stated that Port of Shadows, filmed right before the outbreak of World War II in France, is the primary precursor of film noir. Maybe so, but I think it also set a bad example for much of classic French "crime" cinema to come.
The film is said to be an example of "poetic realism," stylized crime films from the 30's featuring fatalistic plots, downbeat down and out characters with an obligatory climax marked by disappointment and even death.
"Poetic Realism" really is just a substitute for the idea of style over substance. And that's exactly what Port of Shadows is all about.
Jean Gabin stars as an army deserter simply named Jean who wanders into the port city of Le Havre where he is aided by a proprietor of a bar, Panama (Edouard Delmont), a shady character who provides him with something to eat and some civilian clothes.
There Jean meets Nelly (Michele Morgan), a 17-year-old who has just run away from her godfather Zabel (Michel Simon), a shopkeeper who loves classical music. Jean comes into conflict with Zabel as well as the small-time gangster Lucien (Pierre Brasseur) who's looking for Nelly's ex-boyfriend Maurice.
Despite Zabel's denial, Lucien goes after the shopkeeper believing he knows where this Maurice is hiding.
None of the characters here are really fleshed out at all so we simply are forced to concentrate on the plot. Nelly discovers Zabel has killed Maurice and Jean must kill Zabel after he attacks Nelly. Then Lucien (who Jean humiliated before by slapping him twice in public) guns down the army deserter who was planning to make his way to Venezuela on a steamer (expecting Jean to follow as they have fallen in love with one another).
That's it folks. Nothing to this picture except some cool cinematography plus a cute mutt that chases Jean around through most of the film.
Despite Morgan's good looks, who cares about the romance between the principals? Then there's the issue of the creepy Zabel who some have suggested is strictly designed as an antisemitic trope. Finally, Lucien seems to set the mold for all the stereotyped gangsters in French cinema to come.
Along with some of Renoir's "masterpieces," this is another one of those overrated French films fondly embraced by the critics even dating back to the picture's release.
The film is said to be an example of "poetic realism," stylized crime films from the 30's featuring fatalistic plots, downbeat down and out characters with an obligatory climax marked by disappointment and even death.
"Poetic Realism" really is just a substitute for the idea of style over substance. And that's exactly what Port of Shadows is all about.
Jean Gabin stars as an army deserter simply named Jean who wanders into the port city of Le Havre where he is aided by a proprietor of a bar, Panama (Edouard Delmont), a shady character who provides him with something to eat and some civilian clothes.
There Jean meets Nelly (Michele Morgan), a 17-year-old who has just run away from her godfather Zabel (Michel Simon), a shopkeeper who loves classical music. Jean comes into conflict with Zabel as well as the small-time gangster Lucien (Pierre Brasseur) who's looking for Nelly's ex-boyfriend Maurice.
Despite Zabel's denial, Lucien goes after the shopkeeper believing he knows where this Maurice is hiding.
None of the characters here are really fleshed out at all so we simply are forced to concentrate on the plot. Nelly discovers Zabel has killed Maurice and Jean must kill Zabel after he attacks Nelly. Then Lucien (who Jean humiliated before by slapping him twice in public) guns down the army deserter who was planning to make his way to Venezuela on a steamer (expecting Jean to follow as they have fallen in love with one another).
That's it folks. Nothing to this picture except some cool cinematography plus a cute mutt that chases Jean around through most of the film.
Despite Morgan's good looks, who cares about the romance between the principals? Then there's the issue of the creepy Zabel who some have suggested is strictly designed as an antisemitic trope. Finally, Lucien seems to set the mold for all the stereotyped gangsters in French cinema to come.
Along with some of Renoir's "masterpieces," this is another one of those overrated French films fondly embraced by the critics even dating back to the picture's release.