1943's "Flesh and Fantasy" is included in the Brunas-Brunas-Weaver book UNIVERSAL HORRORS, and as such gained a distinction it probably never wanted. Unusual for the studio, it's an anthology film comprised of three tales about personal responsibility and shaping one's fate, with slight supernatural overtones. Like 1945's "Dead of Night" and its Amicus offspring, we have a framing story, the delightful Robert Benchley playing off against David Hoffman (the face announcing the 'Inner Sanctum' series). Story one stars Betty Field as a plain-looking woman whose belief in her own unattractiveness has left her lonely and bitter; a chance encounter with a bearded stranger (Edgar Barrier) offers her a mask to disguise her ugliness from the man she's loved from afar, who now recognizes her beauty during an evening of Mardi Gras. This seems a bit overlong even at a mere 27 minutes, but the second story breezes by quickly, top billing Edward G. Robinson as wealthy attorney Marshall Tyler, whose belief in an eccentric palmist (Thomas Mitchell) nets him the woman of his dreams, but an ominous future in discord. Only when pressed further does the prognosticator confess that Tyler is going to kill someone; he becomes so obsessed with who his victim should be that he neglects his beautiful bride-to-be (Anna Lee) and comes to a bad end. Story three pairs Charles Boyer and Barbara Stanwyck, but its drawn out shipboard romance is a letdown coming after the best segment. What was intended to be the first tale in a four-part anthology was excised and reshaped into a 64 minute feature, 1944's "Destiny," which may have been the most dazzling of all; judge for yourself. Unbilled bits come from Peter Lawford, Marjorie Lord, Jacqueline Dalya, Doris Lloyd, Ian Wolfe, Clarence Muse, and Grace McDonald (who played a different character in "Destiny").
26 Reviews
Flesh Is the Spur
telegonus15 August 2001
Flesh and Fantasy is a rare forties Hollywood attempt at an art film, and while I cannot say it's wholly successful, it's a good try. Directed by the highly esteemed French director Julian Duvivier and produced by the highly esteemed French actor Charles Boyer, it consists of three stories of the supernatural, told to Robert Benchley, in a framing device, in what appears to be a men's club.
The first tale concerns a homely girl who is turned beautiful by the power of a mask sold to her by a strange little shopkeeper. It's a slight, lovely fable, well-acted by Betty Field and Bob Cummings. In the second story we find Edward G. Robinson in London, where a fortune teller reveals to him a fate he tries vainly to escape. The third segment, despite the presence of Charles Boyer and Barbara Stanwyck, is rather mediocre, and concerns predictions in a circus setting. Of these three tales the middle one, an adaptation of an Oscar Wilde story, is by far the best; it is also visually the most appealing.
Duvivier brings a Gallic gentility to the film, and his compositions are excellent and always fastidious. One gathers that the movie must have been a labor of love for producer Charles Boyer. All the actors are in top form, and the picture does not at all feel like a product of the Universal studio of this period.
Flesh and Fantasy is one of several wartime movies that dealt with the issues of death and fate, which were obviously hanging heavier than unusual on peoples' minds in those days. Off the top of my head I can think of Here Comes Mr. Jordan, I Married a Witch, A Guy Named Joe, Between Two Worlds, The Uninvited and The Picture Of Dorian Gray. Death, rather than dying, was a feature of most such films, which as a rule steered clear of anything grisly, which is to say reminiscent of battlefields. Flesh and Fantasy is quite good at this. With its soft chairs, cobbled streets and a convincing London bridge thrown in for good measure, it makes facing up to one's fate feel as comfortable and delicious a proposition as attending a masquerade ball.
The first tale concerns a homely girl who is turned beautiful by the power of a mask sold to her by a strange little shopkeeper. It's a slight, lovely fable, well-acted by Betty Field and Bob Cummings. In the second story we find Edward G. Robinson in London, where a fortune teller reveals to him a fate he tries vainly to escape. The third segment, despite the presence of Charles Boyer and Barbara Stanwyck, is rather mediocre, and concerns predictions in a circus setting. Of these three tales the middle one, an adaptation of an Oscar Wilde story, is by far the best; it is also visually the most appealing.
Duvivier brings a Gallic gentility to the film, and his compositions are excellent and always fastidious. One gathers that the movie must have been a labor of love for producer Charles Boyer. All the actors are in top form, and the picture does not at all feel like a product of the Universal studio of this period.
Flesh and Fantasy is one of several wartime movies that dealt with the issues of death and fate, which were obviously hanging heavier than unusual on peoples' minds in those days. Off the top of my head I can think of Here Comes Mr. Jordan, I Married a Witch, A Guy Named Joe, Between Two Worlds, The Uninvited and The Picture Of Dorian Gray. Death, rather than dying, was a feature of most such films, which as a rule steered clear of anything grisly, which is to say reminiscent of battlefields. Flesh and Fantasy is quite good at this. With its soft chairs, cobbled streets and a convincing London bridge thrown in for good measure, it makes facing up to one's fate feel as comfortable and delicious a proposition as attending a masquerade ball.
haven't seen this one in years but never forgot it
blanche-219 July 2011
I finally obtained "Flesh and Fantasy" from someone who taped it off of television. What television, I don't know, since I have never seen it on TCM. And God forbid that Universal should release it on DVD. Given that there are only 11 reviews, it doesn't appear that it's seen too often.
Charles Boyer coproduced this film, and one assumes that Julien Duvivier and he were friends, and he got Duvivier to direct. Good choice as he does an excellent job. Also, Duvivier had directed the successful anthology film, Tales of Manhattan.
The film begins with a discussion (by Robert Benchley and another man) about the truth of dreams, fortunetelling, superstition and the like. Then three stories, ostensibly from a book, are told. The first is a story by Ellis St. Joseph, starring Robert Cummings and Betty Field, about a bitter, mean, ugly woman who dons a mask on Mardi Gras that makes her look beautiful.
The second story, Lord Arthur Savile's Crime, is by Oscar Wilde, about a fortuneteller (Thomas Mitchell) who tells a man (Edward G. Robinson) that he is going to commit a murder. The ending of this story was changed due to the Hays Code.
The third story, by Laszlo Vadnay, flows from the second one as The Great Gaspar (Charles Boyer) witnesses something at the end of the previous story. Gaspar is a high wire artist who dreams that he falls, and in his dream, he sees a screaming (Barbara Stanwyck) who is wearing unusual earrings. He then meets her when the circus troupe is sailing abroad.
Each story explores some question: can fantasy become reality, can a prediction become a self-fulfilling prophecy, are dreams real warnings? Very entertaining, with good performances and direction, with three good stories.
Charles Boyer coproduced this film, and one assumes that Julien Duvivier and he were friends, and he got Duvivier to direct. Good choice as he does an excellent job. Also, Duvivier had directed the successful anthology film, Tales of Manhattan.
The film begins with a discussion (by Robert Benchley and another man) about the truth of dreams, fortunetelling, superstition and the like. Then three stories, ostensibly from a book, are told. The first is a story by Ellis St. Joseph, starring Robert Cummings and Betty Field, about a bitter, mean, ugly woman who dons a mask on Mardi Gras that makes her look beautiful.
The second story, Lord Arthur Savile's Crime, is by Oscar Wilde, about a fortuneteller (Thomas Mitchell) who tells a man (Edward G. Robinson) that he is going to commit a murder. The ending of this story was changed due to the Hays Code.
The third story, by Laszlo Vadnay, flows from the second one as The Great Gaspar (Charles Boyer) witnesses something at the end of the previous story. Gaspar is a high wire artist who dreams that he falls, and in his dream, he sees a screaming (Barbara Stanwyck) who is wearing unusual earrings. He then meets her when the circus troupe is sailing abroad.
Each story explores some question: can fantasy become reality, can a prediction become a self-fulfilling prophecy, are dreams real warnings? Very entertaining, with good performances and direction, with three good stories.
Magic,fortune tellers and premonitory dreams.
dbdumonteil3 August 2003
Even when he is far away from his native France,Julien Duvivier is among the best.
He had already tackled the fantasy and horror genre which he broached in the thirties with such works as "le Golem" (1936) and his remake of Sjostrom's "la Charrette fantôme " (1939).But these two works do not compare favorably with his masterpieces such as "Un Carnet de Bal" "Pépé le Moko" (both from 1937)"la Belle Equipe" (1936) or "la Fin du Jour" (1939).
"Un Carnet de Bal" was a movie made up of sketches ,although it featured the same female character all along the way."Flesh and fantasy" connects the links of the chain:it is a fantasy and horror movie made up of sketches .Here ,Duvivier creates a dreamlike atmosphere far better than his two thirties attempts:he conjures up pictures like a true magician -who was admired by both Ingmar Bergman and Orson Welles,even if the self-conscious nouvelle vague used to despise him,Like all his old colleagues.
The three stories are adapted from Oscar Wilde:the first one recalls sometimes "the picture of Dorian Gray" ;the overture is mind-boggling :the drowned man by the river,the disturbing and almost frightening crowd whose masks create some kind of mardi gras nightmare. An ugly girl -with stunning use of lights- finds the beauty of the soul that is in everyone ,even in herself.
The real meat lies in the second segment which features a sensational EG Robinson whose part predates Fritz Lang's "woman in the window" by one year.A fortune teller predicted a man that he would kill someone:it becomes a maleficent obsession,and Duvivier astonishingly cuts loose all the visual tricks at his command (mirrors,shop windows,spectacles ) and literally mesmerizes both Robinson and the audience.Very very langesque!Duvivier,whose pessimism easily equals the great German director's ,seems to believe that crime is a part of the human nature.(I remember actress Danielle Delorme saying :"when I asked Duvivier why my role in "voici le temps des assassins " (1956) was so evil and what could explain her satanic behavior,he simply answered "evil people are evil,period.")
The second segment segues sharply into the third one which takes place in a circus.An acrobat star -Boyer- dreams that he falls from the wire while a woman in the audience (Stanwick) is watching,a woman he's never met before.On a boat he meets her afterwards and they fall in love.Another strange dream puzzles the hero who ,although disturbed and worried,wants to go for broke.
Back in France ,Duvivier took the film made up of sketches to its absolute limits while mixing all his subplots in a seamless whole in "sous le ciel de Paris"(1952) The nouvelle vague tried this kind of "movie in segments" but they never surpassed Julien Duvivier,one of the Masters of the FRench cinema whose work ,both French and American is crying to be discovered.
He had already tackled the fantasy and horror genre which he broached in the thirties with such works as "le Golem" (1936) and his remake of Sjostrom's "la Charrette fantôme " (1939).But these two works do not compare favorably with his masterpieces such as "Un Carnet de Bal" "Pépé le Moko" (both from 1937)"la Belle Equipe" (1936) or "la Fin du Jour" (1939).
"Un Carnet de Bal" was a movie made up of sketches ,although it featured the same female character all along the way."Flesh and fantasy" connects the links of the chain:it is a fantasy and horror movie made up of sketches .Here ,Duvivier creates a dreamlike atmosphere far better than his two thirties attempts:he conjures up pictures like a true magician -who was admired by both Ingmar Bergman and Orson Welles,even if the self-conscious nouvelle vague used to despise him,Like all his old colleagues.
The three stories are adapted from Oscar Wilde:the first one recalls sometimes "the picture of Dorian Gray" ;the overture is mind-boggling :the drowned man by the river,the disturbing and almost frightening crowd whose masks create some kind of mardi gras nightmare. An ugly girl -with stunning use of lights- finds the beauty of the soul that is in everyone ,even in herself.
The real meat lies in the second segment which features a sensational EG Robinson whose part predates Fritz Lang's "woman in the window" by one year.A fortune teller predicted a man that he would kill someone:it becomes a maleficent obsession,and Duvivier astonishingly cuts loose all the visual tricks at his command (mirrors,shop windows,spectacles ) and literally mesmerizes both Robinson and the audience.Very very langesque!Duvivier,whose pessimism easily equals the great German director's ,seems to believe that crime is a part of the human nature.(I remember actress Danielle Delorme saying :"when I asked Duvivier why my role in "voici le temps des assassins " (1956) was so evil and what could explain her satanic behavior,he simply answered "evil people are evil,period.")
The second segment segues sharply into the third one which takes place in a circus.An acrobat star -Boyer- dreams that he falls from the wire while a woman in the audience (Stanwick) is watching,a woman he's never met before.On a boat he meets her afterwards and they fall in love.Another strange dream puzzles the hero who ,although disturbed and worried,wants to go for broke.
Back in France ,Duvivier took the film made up of sketches to its absolute limits while mixing all his subplots in a seamless whole in "sous le ciel de Paris"(1952) The nouvelle vague tried this kind of "movie in segments" but they never surpassed Julien Duvivier,one of the Masters of the FRench cinema whose work ,both French and American is crying to be discovered.
Supernatural anthology from Universal Pictures ...
AlsExGal20 December 2022
And director Julien Duvivier. In the framing story, a nervous man (Robert Benchley) at a private club is told or reads through a series of tales meant to ease his discomfort. In the first tale, a homely woman (Betty Field) wears a magical mask during Mardi Gras to attract her long-sought lover (Robert Cummings). In the second tale, a man (Edward G. Robinson) has his fortune told by a palm reader (Thomas Mitchell), but he doesn't like what he hears. And in the third tale, a high-wire circus acrobat (Charles Boyer) has reoccurring dreams about a mysterious woman (Barbara Stanwyck) and his own demise. Also featuring Dame May Whitty, C. Aubrey Smith, Charles Winninger, Anna Lee, Edgar Barrier, David Hoffman, Eddie Acuff, Marjorie Lord, Peter Lawford, Ian Wolfe, Hank Worden, and Clarence Muse.
French director Duvivier worked in the U. S. during much of the war years. He had a hit in '42 with another anthology film, Tales of Manhattan over at Fox, so this follow-up seemed like a sure bet. He co-produced it with Boyer, which is ironic since the weakest segment to my mind was the last one which featured Boyer. The first segment had loads of atmosphere, and one can see how the blank mask worn by Field inspired the later Euro-horror classic Eyes Without a Face. The second segment, featuring Robinson and Mitchell, is the most like an episode of The Twilight Zone, and it also has excellent camerawork. The last segment isn't bad, but it seems to be the least inspired, and suffers a bit from dated effects work during the many high-wire scenes.
An interesting story concerns the original version of the film, which did not have the humorous framing story featuring Robert Benchley. Rather it began with another tale, this one focusing on a fugitive murderer (Alan Curtis) who runs into a farmer (Frank Craven) and his blind daughter (Gloria Jean). This segment ended with the killer dead and floating down a river. Preview audiences loved it, but for some reason it was removed from the film and the new framing device added. However, each story bleeds into the next, so even in the released version, the story with Field and Cummings begins with Mardi Gras celebrants finding the dead body of the killer from the deleted story in the river. Universal later used the removed footage, padding out the running time and changing the ending, ultimately releasing it as Destiny in 1944.
French director Duvivier worked in the U. S. during much of the war years. He had a hit in '42 with another anthology film, Tales of Manhattan over at Fox, so this follow-up seemed like a sure bet. He co-produced it with Boyer, which is ironic since the weakest segment to my mind was the last one which featured Boyer. The first segment had loads of atmosphere, and one can see how the blank mask worn by Field inspired the later Euro-horror classic Eyes Without a Face. The second segment, featuring Robinson and Mitchell, is the most like an episode of The Twilight Zone, and it also has excellent camerawork. The last segment isn't bad, but it seems to be the least inspired, and suffers a bit from dated effects work during the many high-wire scenes.
An interesting story concerns the original version of the film, which did not have the humorous framing story featuring Robert Benchley. Rather it began with another tale, this one focusing on a fugitive murderer (Alan Curtis) who runs into a farmer (Frank Craven) and his blind daughter (Gloria Jean). This segment ended with the killer dead and floating down a river. Preview audiences loved it, but for some reason it was removed from the film and the new framing device added. However, each story bleeds into the next, so even in the released version, the story with Field and Cummings begins with Mardi Gras celebrants finding the dead body of the killer from the deleted story in the river. Universal later used the removed footage, padding out the running time and changing the ending, ultimately releasing it as Destiny in 1944.
Dreams, Premonitions, and Predictions
bkoganbing1 April 2013
Although not as good as Tales Of Manhattan where some of the anthology episodes leaned toward comedy, Flesh And Fantasy is like three Twilight Zone episodes strung together. Three fair to middle episodes of that show.
By far the best is Edward G. Robinson, a rather self assured gentleman who doesn't believe in any of this supernatural bunk. At a party he gets his palm read by spiritualist Thomas Mitchell who says that his future shows he will commit an act of murder. As the prediction takes over and he gives way to it, his decision than is who to murder that might do him and the world the most good.
The other two are all right and both lean toward romance. Plain girl Betty Field gets a mask of beauty to bolster her self esteem as she meets up with Bob Cummings on Mardi Gras night. A mysterious stranger played by Edgar Barrier in a beard makes it happen for them, but in a most unusual way.
Charles Boyer and Barbara Stanwyck star in the third episode where Boyer is bothered by a persistent dream of falling from the high wire where he does his circus act. He's got an unusual twist in his routine, he plays a man pretending to be drunk on the high wire and his planned stumbling moves make it all the more dangerous. In the dream he meets Barbara Stanwyck who is in the audience. Later on they meet and fall in love. But it ends for them in another unusual way and in fact it might not be the end.
Club members Robert Benchley and David Hoffman read these stories and discuss the supernatural in between stories. Their parts truly could have been dispensed with.
Not the best anthology movie, but all right and the players acquit themselves well, stars and supporters.
By far the best is Edward G. Robinson, a rather self assured gentleman who doesn't believe in any of this supernatural bunk. At a party he gets his palm read by spiritualist Thomas Mitchell who says that his future shows he will commit an act of murder. As the prediction takes over and he gives way to it, his decision than is who to murder that might do him and the world the most good.
The other two are all right and both lean toward romance. Plain girl Betty Field gets a mask of beauty to bolster her self esteem as she meets up with Bob Cummings on Mardi Gras night. A mysterious stranger played by Edgar Barrier in a beard makes it happen for them, but in a most unusual way.
Charles Boyer and Barbara Stanwyck star in the third episode where Boyer is bothered by a persistent dream of falling from the high wire where he does his circus act. He's got an unusual twist in his routine, he plays a man pretending to be drunk on the high wire and his planned stumbling moves make it all the more dangerous. In the dream he meets Barbara Stanwyck who is in the audience. Later on they meet and fall in love. But it ends for them in another unusual way and in fact it might not be the end.
Club members Robert Benchley and David Hoffman read these stories and discuss the supernatural in between stories. Their parts truly could have been dispensed with.
Not the best anthology movie, but all right and the players acquit themselves well, stars and supporters.
Flesh, fantasy and fracture
tomsview1 May 2014
Warning: Spoilers
An intriguing movie, more for what it could have been rather than for what it is.
"Flesh and Fantasy" is made up of three loosely connected segments – from stories by three different authors. They unfold as tales of the supernatural told by Davis (David Hoffman) to 'humourist' Robert Benchley in a series of linking sequences.
The first story is set in New Orleans during Mardi Gras. A plain young woman, Henrietta (Betty Field) receives a beautiful white mask from a stranger. After she attracts a young man, Michael (Robert Cummings), she performs an unselfish act, revealing her inner beauty to him without the aid of the mask. This sequence has a dreamlike quality – the artificiality of the studio sets actually gives it a sense of otherworldliness.
The second segment takes place in a moody night-time London. When Marshall Tyler (Edward G Robinson) is told by clairvoyant (Thomas Mitchell) that he will murder someone, he becomes so anxious waiting for it to happen that he attempts to kill two people at random before confronting the clairvoyant again.
The third segment has the least connection to the supernatural. A high wire artist, Paul Gaspar (Charles Boyer), loses his nerve performing a dangerous feat, When he dreams about a strange woman (Barbara Stanwyck) with distinctive earrings, he meets her on board a ship bound for New York. He falls in love and his confidence returns, but an unexpected problem separates them again.
Although the three segments have a definite style, the whole thing is let down by the linking sequences starring Robert Benchley. These seem totally out of character with the carefully crafted stories directed by Julien Duvivier. It's almost as though they are by another hand altogether. They actually make light of the segments we have just seen, and Benchley's brand of humour hasn't really travelled all that well over the decades.
When I sought more information about the movie, I found that a fourth segment – much darker in tone – had been filmed, but apparently the studio scrapped it and then added the Benchley touch.
Each segment was designed to flow into the next, and although Duvivier turned the deleted segment into another film called "Destiny", "Flesh and Fantasy" would have had an entirely different mood.
Back in the day, studios seemed to feel that films with a supernatural theme needed a lot of explaining, and anthology films often had linking sequences. It was almost as though they didn't think audiences would understand a film that was too abstract. So Duvivier's intriguing, moody film got hit with the mundane stick.
The result is still interesting, and the opportunity has long gone for the film to be restored to the original vision, but it's an intriguing thought nonetheless.
"Flesh and Fantasy" is made up of three loosely connected segments – from stories by three different authors. They unfold as tales of the supernatural told by Davis (David Hoffman) to 'humourist' Robert Benchley in a series of linking sequences.
The first story is set in New Orleans during Mardi Gras. A plain young woman, Henrietta (Betty Field) receives a beautiful white mask from a stranger. After she attracts a young man, Michael (Robert Cummings), she performs an unselfish act, revealing her inner beauty to him without the aid of the mask. This sequence has a dreamlike quality – the artificiality of the studio sets actually gives it a sense of otherworldliness.
The second segment takes place in a moody night-time London. When Marshall Tyler (Edward G Robinson) is told by clairvoyant (Thomas Mitchell) that he will murder someone, he becomes so anxious waiting for it to happen that he attempts to kill two people at random before confronting the clairvoyant again.
The third segment has the least connection to the supernatural. A high wire artist, Paul Gaspar (Charles Boyer), loses his nerve performing a dangerous feat, When he dreams about a strange woman (Barbara Stanwyck) with distinctive earrings, he meets her on board a ship bound for New York. He falls in love and his confidence returns, but an unexpected problem separates them again.
Although the three segments have a definite style, the whole thing is let down by the linking sequences starring Robert Benchley. These seem totally out of character with the carefully crafted stories directed by Julien Duvivier. It's almost as though they are by another hand altogether. They actually make light of the segments we have just seen, and Benchley's brand of humour hasn't really travelled all that well over the decades.
When I sought more information about the movie, I found that a fourth segment – much darker in tone – had been filmed, but apparently the studio scrapped it and then added the Benchley touch.
Each segment was designed to flow into the next, and although Duvivier turned the deleted segment into another film called "Destiny", "Flesh and Fantasy" would have had an entirely different mood.
Back in the day, studios seemed to feel that films with a supernatural theme needed a lot of explaining, and anthology films often had linking sequences. It was almost as though they didn't think audiences would understand a film that was too abstract. So Duvivier's intriguing, moody film got hit with the mundane stick.
The result is still interesting, and the opportunity has long gone for the film to be restored to the original vision, but it's an intriguing thought nonetheless.
The Forces Of The Future
Ron Oliver29 June 2004
The inevitability of Fate and the mysterious movements of Destiny control our FLESH AND FANTASY.
Director Julien Duvivier, in a follow-up to his previous TALES OF MANHATTAN (1942), crafted this new & intriguing sequential film. The emphasis, this time, is on the supernatural and precognition. In spite of the film's homilies about the ultimate power of personal responsibility, the movie is in reality about nothing more than providing some suspenseful entertainment for its audience.
The three sequences are tied together by Robert Benchley, in his famous character of Doakes, who is shown the stories in a book at his men's club in an attempt to help him get over a case of the jitters.
SEQUENCE ONE A bitter, unattractive seamstress (Betty Field) hopes a Mardi Gras mask will help her attract the affections of a young student (Robert Cummings). Edgar Barrier appears as the mysterious mask maker. Movie mavens will spot Marjorie Lord as a desperate client and Peter Lawford as an inquisitive Pierrot, both unbilled.
The most intriguing moments in this sequence happens in the first few seconds, when demons are shown pulling a corpse out of the water, and in the last few, when the viewer sees what is in the mask shop window. Mr. Barrier's voice, honed by years of stage and radio experience, is put to good effect.
SEQUENCE TWO A London lawyer (Edward G. Robinson) is told by a celebrated palmist (Thomas Mitchell) that he will commit a murder. Anna Lee appears as Robinson's fiancée; Dame May Whitty as her gossipy godmother. Wonderful Sir C. Aubrey Smith makes the most of his short role as a saintly cleric. Doris Lloyd plays a grieved widow, and Ian Wolfe a librarian, both uncredited.
Based on a short story by Oscar Wilde, this is the film's most compelling episode. The acting is especially good, with Robinson topnotch and Mitchell turning in a canny performance. The special effects, in which Robinson discourses with his own reflection, are executed very nicely. Notice the mistake in the credits when they refer to Sir C. Aubrey Smith's character as the Dean of Chichester rather than the Dean of Norwalk.
SEQUENCE THREE A circus aerialist (Charles Boyer) has a frightening dream in which he sees a beautiful woman (Barbara Stanwyck)-- and then he meets her. Charles Winninger plays the concerned owner of the circus. Clarence Muse appears unbilled as Boyer's attendant.
The story is slightly silly, but the stars make a fine effort and the high wire scenes, using a double, are indeed suspenseful.
Director Julien Duvivier, in a follow-up to his previous TALES OF MANHATTAN (1942), crafted this new & intriguing sequential film. The emphasis, this time, is on the supernatural and precognition. In spite of the film's homilies about the ultimate power of personal responsibility, the movie is in reality about nothing more than providing some suspenseful entertainment for its audience.
The three sequences are tied together by Robert Benchley, in his famous character of Doakes, who is shown the stories in a book at his men's club in an attempt to help him get over a case of the jitters.
SEQUENCE ONE A bitter, unattractive seamstress (Betty Field) hopes a Mardi Gras mask will help her attract the affections of a young student (Robert Cummings). Edgar Barrier appears as the mysterious mask maker. Movie mavens will spot Marjorie Lord as a desperate client and Peter Lawford as an inquisitive Pierrot, both unbilled.
The most intriguing moments in this sequence happens in the first few seconds, when demons are shown pulling a corpse out of the water, and in the last few, when the viewer sees what is in the mask shop window. Mr. Barrier's voice, honed by years of stage and radio experience, is put to good effect.
SEQUENCE TWO A London lawyer (Edward G. Robinson) is told by a celebrated palmist (Thomas Mitchell) that he will commit a murder. Anna Lee appears as Robinson's fiancée; Dame May Whitty as her gossipy godmother. Wonderful Sir C. Aubrey Smith makes the most of his short role as a saintly cleric. Doris Lloyd plays a grieved widow, and Ian Wolfe a librarian, both uncredited.
Based on a short story by Oscar Wilde, this is the film's most compelling episode. The acting is especially good, with Robinson topnotch and Mitchell turning in a canny performance. The special effects, in which Robinson discourses with his own reflection, are executed very nicely. Notice the mistake in the credits when they refer to Sir C. Aubrey Smith's character as the Dean of Chichester rather than the Dean of Norwalk.
SEQUENCE THREE A circus aerialist (Charles Boyer) has a frightening dream in which he sees a beautiful woman (Barbara Stanwyck)-- and then he meets her. Charles Winninger plays the concerned owner of the circus. Clarence Muse appears unbilled as Boyer's attendant.
The story is slightly silly, but the stars make a fine effort and the high wire scenes, using a double, are indeed suspenseful.
Superstition...
hitchcockthelegend11 July 2019
Director Julien Duvivier's 1943 anthology film tells three other worldly type tales. The first story is set at the Mardi Gras in New Orleans and finds the plain and embittered Henrietta (Betty Field) choosing a mask that alters her life considerably. The second involves a psychic palm reader (Thomas Mitchell) who predicts that Marshall Tyler (Edward G. Robinson) will commit murder. The third segment is about a circus performer (Charles Boyer) who literally meets the girl (Barbara Stanwyck) of his troubled dreams.
Though the title is a bit more grandiose than what is actually within the pic, this holds up as a very solid entry in the anthology splinter of classic era films. As is often the case, the stories differ in quality. Pic was originally to be a four pronged affair, but the original opening story was pulled and reworked into the feature film "Destiny", which was released the following year. This goes someway to explaining why the running order of Flesh and Fantasy feels unbalanced, a running order that sadly leaves us with the weakest segment as the closure.
A constant throughout the tales is the look, the twin photographic talents of Stanley Cortez (The Night of the Hunter) and Paul Ivano (The Suspect) firmly capturing the ethereal nature of the fantastical premise of the stories. The Mardi Gras play is delightfully off kilter in vibe, very noirish in visuals and hauntingly tender in characterisation terms. The second palmistry influenced section exudes a shadowy menace, as the great Robinson is put through mirrored torment, the resolution more darker than the other two offerings. Finally the damp squib that is the closure fails to ignite, the high wire sequences the only excitement as an ill fated love story smoothers the tantalising dream based core.
Good craft is mostly on show to make this well worth time invested for those who like such genre fare. 7/10
Though the title is a bit more grandiose than what is actually within the pic, this holds up as a very solid entry in the anthology splinter of classic era films. As is often the case, the stories differ in quality. Pic was originally to be a four pronged affair, but the original opening story was pulled and reworked into the feature film "Destiny", which was released the following year. This goes someway to explaining why the running order of Flesh and Fantasy feels unbalanced, a running order that sadly leaves us with the weakest segment as the closure.
A constant throughout the tales is the look, the twin photographic talents of Stanley Cortez (The Night of the Hunter) and Paul Ivano (The Suspect) firmly capturing the ethereal nature of the fantastical premise of the stories. The Mardi Gras play is delightfully off kilter in vibe, very noirish in visuals and hauntingly tender in characterisation terms. The second palmistry influenced section exudes a shadowy menace, as the great Robinson is put through mirrored torment, the resolution more darker than the other two offerings. Finally the damp squib that is the closure fails to ignite, the high wire sequences the only excitement as an ill fated love story smoothers the tantalising dream based core.
Good craft is mostly on show to make this well worth time invested for those who like such genre fare. 7/10
Pass The Portemanteau
writers_reign12 April 2007
Warning: Spoilers
Julien Duvivier was not only one of the best Directors who ever came out of France but also one of the most versatile being more than adept in several genres. Try telling that to Hollywood: Having prevailed upon him to remake his masterpiece Un Carnet de bal as Lydia they next got him to follow it with Tales Of Manhattan and then yet another episodic piece Flesh and Fantasy. To dispense with pedantry first of all; it seems that one reviewer mistakenly attributed the second segment to Noel Coward when it was, of course, the work of Oscar Wilde; in correcting the initial reviewer the person who did so claimed erroneously that both Wilde and Coward were English and gay; only 50 per cent of that statement is true; Oscar Wilde was Irish, a native of Dublin, who settled in England. Stuff like this tends to distract from the film which, in this case, is as good as one might suppose with anything to which the name Duvivier is appended. There are three basic segments linked loosely by Robert Benchley anchored in a Gentlemen's Club more than likely located in Pall Mall. The first segment reunites Robert Cummings and Betty Field who had starred the year before in a similar multi-storied adaptation King's Row; Field plays the Ugly Duckling who convinces Cummings via a little sleight-of-hand that she is a Swan. The second segment finds Edward G. Robinson initially bemused then increasingly terrified by a palmist's prediction that he will commit murder whilst the final segment sees tightrope walker Charles Boyer dreaming of falling from the high wire watched by a Barbara Stanwyck he has yet to meet. None of the segments is especially original but the combination of stylish direction and fine acting lifts it out of the rut.
OK Anthology Film
utgard145 January 2014
Anthology film from Universal with three stories of the bizarre, as told through a framing story with David Hoffman and Robert Benchley. The first story is about a plain-looking woman (Betty Field) who wears a mask on Mardi Gras that is supposed to make her appear attractive to the man she loves (Robert Cummings). A beautifully photographed story with a somewhat flimsy premise. Good acting by Field and Cummings. The second story is about a fortune teller (Thomas Mitchell) who tells Marshal Tyler (Edward G. Robinson) that he will murder someone. Tyler becomes obsessed with the prediction which leads to a fairly predictable ending. Robinson is excellent as always. The third story is about a circus high-wire artist (Charles Boyer) who has premonitions about falling that involve a woman (Barbara Stanwyck). This is the weakest of the three stories. A fourth story was originally part of the film but Universal removed it. The following year they had a new screenwriter and director do additional material to add to the story, including a new happier ending. They released this as the movie "Destiny." Overall, not a bad movie but not a great one. Certainly it looks good. Director Julien Duvivier creates an ethereal atmosphere throughout.
Very good
AAdaSC11 June 2009
Doakes (Robert Benchley) is read 3 stories to help in his decision as to whether or not to believe in fate or dreams.
In the first story, its "Mardi Gras" and everyone is wearing masks and costumes. Henrietta (Betty Field), is depressed as she is ugly and is about to drown herself when a stranger (Edgar Barrier) appears. He leads her to a mask shop and tells her to pick a mask and join the festivities on condition that she return at midnight. She goes out and meets with Michael (Robert Cummings) who she has loved from afar for a considerable time. Wearing her mask, she enjoys a few hours with him before returning to the mask shop at midnight. However, Michael has followed her......
In the second story, a palmist (Thomas Mitchell) is predicting events with astonishing accuracy at a soirée at the house of Lady Pamela (May Witty). Marshall (Edward G Robinson) sees that the palmist is not being honest with him and goes to his house to insist that he tells him the truth about what he can see. He warns Marshall that he will kill someone. The rest of the tale is played out with Marshall struggling with his conscience as he picks victims to kill.....
In the third story, a tightrope-walker (Charles Boyer) has a dream that during his act he falls from the wire while staring at a woman (Barbara Stanwyck) that he has never met. The dream prompts him to cancel the dangerous part of his act. On his way over to America he meets the woman on the boat and they fall in love. He asks her to attend his next show which she does. What happens....?...........
It is well-acted and I liked the first 2 stories in particular. The only dodgy part to the 1st tale is in believing that Henrietta is ugly - she just isn't! In the 2nd tale, Edward G Robinson is very good as he reconciles himself to his fate and delivers some funny lines along the way. There is also good support from the Dean (C Aubrey Smith). The 3rd story develops at a slower pace than the previous two and has an ambiguous ending.....
Its a film that you remember once it has finished.
In the first story, its "Mardi Gras" and everyone is wearing masks and costumes. Henrietta (Betty Field), is depressed as she is ugly and is about to drown herself when a stranger (Edgar Barrier) appears. He leads her to a mask shop and tells her to pick a mask and join the festivities on condition that she return at midnight. She goes out and meets with Michael (Robert Cummings) who she has loved from afar for a considerable time. Wearing her mask, she enjoys a few hours with him before returning to the mask shop at midnight. However, Michael has followed her......
In the second story, a palmist (Thomas Mitchell) is predicting events with astonishing accuracy at a soirée at the house of Lady Pamela (May Witty). Marshall (Edward G Robinson) sees that the palmist is not being honest with him and goes to his house to insist that he tells him the truth about what he can see. He warns Marshall that he will kill someone. The rest of the tale is played out with Marshall struggling with his conscience as he picks victims to kill.....
In the third story, a tightrope-walker (Charles Boyer) has a dream that during his act he falls from the wire while staring at a woman (Barbara Stanwyck) that he has never met. The dream prompts him to cancel the dangerous part of his act. On his way over to America he meets the woman on the boat and they fall in love. He asks her to attend his next show which she does. What happens....?...........
It is well-acted and I liked the first 2 stories in particular. The only dodgy part to the 1st tale is in believing that Henrietta is ugly - she just isn't! In the 2nd tale, Edward G Robinson is very good as he reconciles himself to his fate and delivers some funny lines along the way. There is also good support from the Dean (C Aubrey Smith). The 3rd story develops at a slower pace than the previous two and has an ambiguous ending.....
Its a film that you remember once it has finished.
Ordinary script ways down visually interesting film.
David-24028 November 1999
This is a rather plodding series of three films dealing with dreams and pre-destination. The best is the central one, based on a Noel Coward story, in which Edward G. Robinson, Thomas Mitchell, Dame May Whitty and C. Aubrey Smith are all excellent. The first and last episodes are quite weak - and the linking sequences with Robert Benchley are just awful. But the film looks great, with interesting montages and great lighting. Overall though pretty disappointing.
Hollywood magic: both intriguing and overbaked
moonspinner556 May 2006
A trio of mystical stories told in that entertainingly glossy, old Hollywood type of way, boasting showmanship over any sort of logic. The plots involve a woman who learns about inner-beauty, a man's dramatic experience with a fortune teller, and a circus performer who is hounded by an admirer. Superficial nonsense has few surprises, but cast players Barbara Stanwyck, Charles Boyer, Robert Benchley and Edward G. Robinson are always worth a look. Oscar Wilde is credited as one of the screenwriters! A fourth chapter was filmed but then dropped, eventually expanded into its own movie (1944's "Destiny").
** from ****
** from ****
Unsung supernatural anthology demands an audience today
tchelitchew9 May 2022
"Flesh and Fantasy" is an astonishing anthology film centered around the themes of destiny and free will. Given its high quality and status as a 1940s Universal production dealing in the supernatural, it beggars belief that it has gone largely unsung over the years.
The closest comparison I can think of is "Dead of Night", another great anthology that would come a few years later. The tone here is more literary and sophisticated, with each chapter bookended by comic segments featuring Robert Benchley of the Algonquin Round Table.
I was moved and utterly gripped by all three chapters. The cast is among the best assembled for a 1940s film, with Betty Field, Edward G. Robinson and Charles Boyer standing out for their compelling performances. No less than Dame Mae Whitty and C. Aubrey Smith are along to provide strong support.
The Robinson segment employs some striking visual effects that supplement Robinson's superb acting, resulting in an almost hysterical intensity at times. The Boyer circus chapter will particularly appeal to those who loved "Nightmare Alley": it shares the common question of man's ability to change his fate with that great movie.
I absolutely loved this picture and plan to revisit it again and again over the years.
The closest comparison I can think of is "Dead of Night", another great anthology that would come a few years later. The tone here is more literary and sophisticated, with each chapter bookended by comic segments featuring Robert Benchley of the Algonquin Round Table.
I was moved and utterly gripped by all three chapters. The cast is among the best assembled for a 1940s film, with Betty Field, Edward G. Robinson and Charles Boyer standing out for their compelling performances. No less than Dame Mae Whitty and C. Aubrey Smith are along to provide strong support.
The Robinson segment employs some striking visual effects that supplement Robinson's superb acting, resulting in an almost hysterical intensity at times. The Boyer circus chapter will particularly appeal to those who loved "Nightmare Alley": it shares the common question of man's ability to change his fate with that great movie.
I absolutely loved this picture and plan to revisit it again and again over the years.
A unique Hollywood movie, with a European sensibility
gridoon202418 June 2013
Warning: Spoilers
As far as I know, not many movies in the 1940s dealt with topics like dreams, magic, predestination, premonition....the supernatural in general; most horror and / or fantasy films of the era were about monsters, mad scientists, and old dark houses. "Flesh And Fantasy" is quite different from such movies, which may in large part be attributed to the involvement (as director and co-producer) of the French Julien Duvivier. It consists of three stories: the first one is both an eerie twist on the classic "Cinderella" fairy tale and a lyrical love story, with a remarkable performance by Betty Field, who has to act a lot with her voice and her amazing eyes, as her face is covered by a mask for most of the running time. The second story presents a brain-twisting cause-and-effect paradox (Edward G. Robinson decides to kill someone only because a chiromantist tells him that he will....but the chiromantist only tells him that he will because he sees in the future that Robinson will decide it!), and a clever visualization of Robinson's "talks" with his conscience - "it" appears as his own shadow and mirror image; overall, it is the best of the three. The third story also has a grabber of a premise, a great dream sequence, and two glossy stars (Charles Boyer and Barbara Stanwyck) at their near-peak, but the ending is a bit of a cop-out. The other thing that hurts this movie is the elimination of a fourth episode which was shot by Duvivier, and which apparently explains the discovery of the drowned body which opens the first (in the film's present form) story. So perhaps not a great film like it might have been originally, but still a very good one. *** out of 4.
I'll leave my future in the hands of fate where it belongs.
mark.waltz25 September 2017
Warning: Spoilers
There's an old saying that begs movie audiences never to give away the end of the movie and as a huge classic film buff, I consider my life like a movie. Plot twists occur on a regular basis, minor characters are suddenly major, and major characters turn minor. But if somebody claimed that they knew the end of my story, I'd refuse to listen. Unlike the leading character in "Big Fish", I just don't want to know, otherwise the best stories yet to come might not happen.
For three characters, knowing their fates (which isn't necessarily death) alters their behaviors, and one finds potential happiness, another a curse, and the third, possibly the ultimate end. An unattractive girl (Betty Field) learns the truth about what real beauty is; a middle aged man (Edward G. Robinson) discovers that he will kill someone; the third (George Raft) dreams of the lady who will scream at his apparent death, falling off of a trapeze wire. All three stories are part of Robert Benchley's study into the darker side of human existence, and the moods of the three stories makes this part Gothic melodrama, part love story, part horror and completely spiritual.
The ensemble cast is stuffed with the best of Hollywood. For Betty Field, there's Robert Cummings, so transfixed by her kind words to him that he ignores the fact that the lips on her realistic looking mask doesn't move. Thomas Mitchell gives Eddie Robinson his fateful spell, while Dame May Witty, Anna Lee and C. Aubrey Smith are important people he fears he may kill. For Charles Boyer, he has the visions of Barbara Stanwyck who turns up on a cruise, adding to his nightmares and bringing a surprise romance.
Three short stories, all tightly told and luxuriously produced, directed with artistic flair by Julien Duvivier who knows a thing or two about artistic flair. There's something appealing in each entry, and the cast makes each little detail in their character stand out because of the abbrevity of their screen time. I can't pick a standout performance, but the middle segment with Robinson is by far the spookiest and thus my favorite.
For three characters, knowing their fates (which isn't necessarily death) alters their behaviors, and one finds potential happiness, another a curse, and the third, possibly the ultimate end. An unattractive girl (Betty Field) learns the truth about what real beauty is; a middle aged man (Edward G. Robinson) discovers that he will kill someone; the third (George Raft) dreams of the lady who will scream at his apparent death, falling off of a trapeze wire. All three stories are part of Robert Benchley's study into the darker side of human existence, and the moods of the three stories makes this part Gothic melodrama, part love story, part horror and completely spiritual.
The ensemble cast is stuffed with the best of Hollywood. For Betty Field, there's Robert Cummings, so transfixed by her kind words to him that he ignores the fact that the lips on her realistic looking mask doesn't move. Thomas Mitchell gives Eddie Robinson his fateful spell, while Dame May Witty, Anna Lee and C. Aubrey Smith are important people he fears he may kill. For Charles Boyer, he has the visions of Barbara Stanwyck who turns up on a cruise, adding to his nightmares and bringing a surprise romance.
Three short stories, all tightly told and luxuriously produced, directed with artistic flair by Julien Duvivier who knows a thing or two about artistic flair. There's something appealing in each entry, and the cast makes each little detail in their character stand out because of the abbrevity of their screen time. I can't pick a standout performance, but the middle segment with Robinson is by far the spookiest and thus my favorite.
Entertaining and Eerie.
rmax3048237 December 2013
Warning: Spoilers
Robert Benchley is upset by a dream he's had and it takes three tales of slightly paranormal goings on to get him over the jitters, along with two thirds of a bottle of scotch. It's rather like "The Twilight Zone" with more subtlety and no science fiction. Or, if we compare it to a feature film, the English "Dead of Night" comes to mind.
Tale number one is set in New Orleans during Mardi Gras. (It's always Mardi Gras in New Orleans movies.) Betty Field is a real schlub, dressed in rags, disheveled, mean spirited, and deeply in love with her neighbor, Robert Cummings. She dons the mask of a beautiful woman, runs into Cummings on the street, and they get all hormonal. At midnight, when she reluctantly removes her mask, she's radiant. The radiance is augmented by her sparkling costume, fresh make up, and stylish hair. It really IS a remarkable change. She glows with good-heartedness.
The second story is from Oscar Wilde but it seems more like Poe. It's about a self-fulfilling prophecy. A palmist, Thomas Mitchell, tells Edward G. Robinson that Robinson is going to murder someone. E.G., a respectable fellow, thinks it's nonsense but over time convinces himself that he must kill somebody before he can get on with his life and his plans for marriage to the beautiful Annabelle Lee -- I mean Anna Lee, not Annabelle. So he kills somebody.
In the third story, Charles Boyer is a circus tightrope walker. He has a dream in which he falls during a difficult stunt and the image that sticks with him is Barbara Stanwyck, a stranger, shrieking in the audience.
The three stories having been read, Benchley duly exits the scene by turning it all into a joke and squeezing past a step ladder rather than walking under it.
Universal Studios wasn't noted for nuance. Their staples were movies about Francis the talking mule and the Abbott and Costello series. But this is pretty good. The director, Julien Duvivier, brought impressive panache to the production. The imagery isn't highly stylized but the superb lighting turns the spooky scenes even more impressive. Alexander Tansman's musical score fits the movie perfectly -- sprightly yet with portentous overtones.
The acting is seasoned and professional. Bess Flowers, who appeared in more movies than anyone else on earth, is here. Thomas Mitchell looks half deranged as the palm reader. Barbara Stanwyck is alluring enough to seduce an ordinary insurance salesman, as she did in the same year's "Double Indemnity," only here without the fake blond pompadour.
Most of the dialog is functional but there are a few lines that sparkle here and there. Robinson tells Mitchell that he's not interested in the past, only the future, and Mitchell replies, "But Mr. Marshall, the future IS the past. One slides gently into the other. Look around you. Poof -- it's past." Cute.
It's a movie made for adults rather than kids, though they might get a kick out of it too. If you enjoy it, take a crack at the more tightly wound "Dead of Night." Try it while stoned.
Tale number one is set in New Orleans during Mardi Gras. (It's always Mardi Gras in New Orleans movies.) Betty Field is a real schlub, dressed in rags, disheveled, mean spirited, and deeply in love with her neighbor, Robert Cummings. She dons the mask of a beautiful woman, runs into Cummings on the street, and they get all hormonal. At midnight, when she reluctantly removes her mask, she's radiant. The radiance is augmented by her sparkling costume, fresh make up, and stylish hair. It really IS a remarkable change. She glows with good-heartedness.
The second story is from Oscar Wilde but it seems more like Poe. It's about a self-fulfilling prophecy. A palmist, Thomas Mitchell, tells Edward G. Robinson that Robinson is going to murder someone. E.G., a respectable fellow, thinks it's nonsense but over time convinces himself that he must kill somebody before he can get on with his life and his plans for marriage to the beautiful Annabelle Lee -- I mean Anna Lee, not Annabelle. So he kills somebody.
In the third story, Charles Boyer is a circus tightrope walker. He has a dream in which he falls during a difficult stunt and the image that sticks with him is Barbara Stanwyck, a stranger, shrieking in the audience.
The three stories having been read, Benchley duly exits the scene by turning it all into a joke and squeezing past a step ladder rather than walking under it.
Universal Studios wasn't noted for nuance. Their staples were movies about Francis the talking mule and the Abbott and Costello series. But this is pretty good. The director, Julien Duvivier, brought impressive panache to the production. The imagery isn't highly stylized but the superb lighting turns the spooky scenes even more impressive. Alexander Tansman's musical score fits the movie perfectly -- sprightly yet with portentous overtones.
The acting is seasoned and professional. Bess Flowers, who appeared in more movies than anyone else on earth, is here. Thomas Mitchell looks half deranged as the palm reader. Barbara Stanwyck is alluring enough to seduce an ordinary insurance salesman, as she did in the same year's "Double Indemnity," only here without the fake blond pompadour.
Most of the dialog is functional but there are a few lines that sparkle here and there. Robinson tells Mitchell that he's not interested in the past, only the future, and Mitchell replies, "But Mr. Marshall, the future IS the past. One slides gently into the other. Look around you. Poof -- it's past." Cute.
It's a movie made for adults rather than kids, though they might get a kick out of it too. If you enjoy it, take a crack at the more tightly wound "Dead of Night." Try it while stoned.
A 40's guilty pleasure.
jon-727 November 1998
Great fun for fans of those slightly off-kilter, dark 40's films which center around a strange and mysterious theme. In this case it's a man's obsession with dreams that are destined to come true. Features a trio of stories, and the best comes last. (plus an all-star cast!) A sister film to Three Strangers (1946).
Charming
luciferjohnson19 April 2005
A charming "anthology" motion picture, of the kind that was briefly popular in the 1940s. This one contains three stories, each of a supernatural bent. None really brilliant, but diverting.
The second piece was the best. This was based on a story by Oscar Wilde (not Noel Coward, as incorrectly stated in another review). Edward G. Robinson plays a lawyer haunted by a prediction that he will murder someone, and the always-watchable Thomas Mitchell is the palm-reader.
The first, with Robert Cummings and Betty Field in a story set in the Mardi Gras, is appealing in a naive way. The third segment, set in a circus, is the weakest. Charles Boyer an acrobat? No way.
This movie suffers somewhat from some of the most unconvincing studio-bound "locations" I have ever seen. I know, this was the 1940s and all that, made in the middle of the war, but puh-lease!
The second piece was the best. This was based on a story by Oscar Wilde (not Noel Coward, as incorrectly stated in another review). Edward G. Robinson plays a lawyer haunted by a prediction that he will murder someone, and the always-watchable Thomas Mitchell is the palm-reader.
The first, with Robert Cummings and Betty Field in a story set in the Mardi Gras, is appealing in a naive way. The third segment, set in a circus, is the weakest. Charles Boyer an acrobat? No way.
This movie suffers somewhat from some of the most unconvincing studio-bound "locations" I have ever seen. I know, this was the 1940s and all that, made in the middle of the war, but puh-lease!
While some of these stories might seem familiar today, they were exceptional in their time.
planktonrules20 August 2020
"Flesh and Fantasy" is an anthology film with three stories about the supernatural and all are directed by Julien Duvivier and they are all enjoyable...especially the first tale.
Story #1 is about a bitter and plain young woman (Betty Field) who lives in New Orleans. She lives a sad life of desperation and would love if her neighbor (Bob Cummings) would notice her. She meets a shop owner who insists she should go to Mardi Gras and wear a mask of a beautiful woman. She does and soon meets this man she's attracted to and they end up spending the evening together. What's next? See the film.
Story #2 is about a psychic who reads palms. At first, Marshall (Edward G. Robinson) thinks the guy is a fake. Later, however, he isn't so sure. Then, when the man tries to read his palm, the psychic refuses to tell him what he saw and after begging, the man agrees to meet Marshall later to explain. Later, he tells Marshall that he saw murder in his hand!! This story is based on the Oscar Wilde story "Lord Arthur Savile's Crime", though the ending is quite different.
Story #3 is about a high wire artist. Paul Gaspar (Charles Boyer) does an odd act where he pretends to be drunk! But after having a dream about falling, he loses his nerve. Later, he sees the woman he saw in the same dream (Barbara Stanwyck) and they hit it off. What's next? See the film.
While none of these stories are brilliant, they are all good and feature nice direction and some terrific actors. A very well polished and enjoyable old film...well worth seeing.
Story #1 is about a bitter and plain young woman (Betty Field) who lives in New Orleans. She lives a sad life of desperation and would love if her neighbor (Bob Cummings) would notice her. She meets a shop owner who insists she should go to Mardi Gras and wear a mask of a beautiful woman. She does and soon meets this man she's attracted to and they end up spending the evening together. What's next? See the film.
Story #2 is about a psychic who reads palms. At first, Marshall (Edward G. Robinson) thinks the guy is a fake. Later, however, he isn't so sure. Then, when the man tries to read his palm, the psychic refuses to tell him what he saw and after begging, the man agrees to meet Marshall later to explain. Later, he tells Marshall that he saw murder in his hand!! This story is based on the Oscar Wilde story "Lord Arthur Savile's Crime", though the ending is quite different.
Story #3 is about a high wire artist. Paul Gaspar (Charles Boyer) does an odd act where he pretends to be drunk! But after having a dream about falling, he loses his nerve. Later, he sees the woman he saw in the same dream (Barbara Stanwyck) and they hit it off. What's next? See the film.
While none of these stories are brilliant, they are all good and feature nice direction and some terrific actors. A very well polished and enjoyable old film...well worth seeing.
Pretty Dull
evanston_dad29 August 2022
I saw "Flesh and Fantasy" at the Music Box Theater in Chicago as part of its annual Noir City festival. TCM's Eddie Muller was there to introduce it, and he lauded praise on Julien Duvivier's anthology film and got me excited to watch it as only TCM hosts can. It's always a bummer to be at a festival, watching a rare film that the crowd is pumped for, introduced by someone who loves it, only to find that the film is a disappointment. That's how I felt.
I didn't know it was an anthology film going in, so that's one strike against it off the bat. I just don't like this storytelling format. But also, I was seeing it as part of a noir festival, and this movie doesn't feel at all like a film noir. It's got the noir look here and there, but none of the noir themes, character types, or conventions. It's just a mildly creepy series of stories about fate and fortune, and how much man is prey to the whims of the universe vs. His own volition. It's got a dynamite cast -- Edward G. Robinson, Barbara Stanwyck, Charles Boyer, May Whitty, Thomas Mitchell. But because everyone's only in one of the stories, you get very little of any one actor.
The film screened as a double feature with "Destiny," which was supposed to be the fourth story in this anthology but was cut from the film for being too weird. The studio hired a different creative team to take the 30 minute excerpt and fluff it out to a 60 minute feature, and I have to admit that I liked that stitched together Frankenstein's monster of a movie more than the main event.
Grade: C.
I didn't know it was an anthology film going in, so that's one strike against it off the bat. I just don't like this storytelling format. But also, I was seeing it as part of a noir festival, and this movie doesn't feel at all like a film noir. It's got the noir look here and there, but none of the noir themes, character types, or conventions. It's just a mildly creepy series of stories about fate and fortune, and how much man is prey to the whims of the universe vs. His own volition. It's got a dynamite cast -- Edward G. Robinson, Barbara Stanwyck, Charles Boyer, May Whitty, Thomas Mitchell. But because everyone's only in one of the stories, you get very little of any one actor.
The film screened as a double feature with "Destiny," which was supposed to be the fourth story in this anthology but was cut from the film for being too weird. The studio hired a different creative team to take the 30 minute excerpt and fluff it out to a 60 minute feature, and I have to admit that I liked that stitched together Frankenstein's monster of a movie more than the main event.
Grade: C.
Believing in it
jarrodmcdonald-114 October 2022
Warning: Spoilers
French director Julien Duvivier was working in Hollywood, when he made FLESH AND FANTASY at Universal. The picture presents three supernatural stories (a fourth one was cut by studio executives who turned it into its own standalone picture, DESTINY). A body dies in a storm at the end of the Destiny segment, then washes up on shore at the beginning of the segment starring Betty Field, which becomes the first story we see due to the editing that happened in post-production.
There is a framing device, where Robert Benchley is seen at a men's club reading a book with tales of the occult, which I guess is included to introduce us to the themes, though his role is hardly necessary. Later, a linking device is employed, when Edward G. Robinson's segment overlaps with Charles Boyer's segment...we see Robinson's story still in the process of finishing when Boyer's story begins.
***
Segment #1
This segment is the shortest and runs about 20 minutes. It could easily have been extended, but nonetheless is quite effective. Miss Field plays an ugly young woman, who like Cinderella, gets a chance to go to a dance. The dance takes place during a Mardi Gras celebration, and she spends time with a prince charming (Robert Cummings) she's been admiring from afar.
She is only able to attend, after she is given a mask to wear that will cover her physical deficiencies. As the story progresses, we learn her greatest ugliness is her sour disposition and negative attitude about life. Once that has been resolved, she becomes a truly beautiful person.
What makes this segment work so well is the way Field must rely on her eyes to do the bulk of her acting, since the mask covers most of her face. Field and Cummings previously appeared as love interests in KINGS ROW, and they perform so well, it's a shame they didn't make more movies together. There's a clever twist at the end, involving the identity of the "fairy godfather" (Edgar Barrier) who gave Field the mask.
***
Segment #2
Most reviewers consider this the best story in the film, due to Edward G. Robinson's magnificent performance. He previously appeared in Duvivier's TALES OF MANHATTAN, and here he gets to play another unique character. He's an American lawyer who's been invited to a soiree at the London home of an elderly aristocrat (May Whitty). During Witty's party, he meets a palmist (Thomas Mitchell) who predicts things that come true. Robinson poo-poohs some of this, citing coincidence, but he becomes particularly disturbed when he learns there is more the palmist has to say about his future.
One of the predictions is that he'll kill someone. Of course, Robinson believes in free will and says he won't kill anyone. But several sleepless nights later, he is now consumed with dread that the horrifying prediction will come true. He starts having conversations with himself, looking at his reflection in windows and mirrors.
Robinson decides that he will kill someone to get it over with, and he will make sure it's someone whose death will benefit him and the rest of society. Since his client Dame Whitty is wealthy and old, and will leave her money in good hands after she's gone, he chooses to kill her. However, she dies of natural causes before his murder plot is carried out. This forces him to alter his plans. His next target is a distinguished dean (C. Aubrey Smith).
It doesn't take long for the dean to figure out something is off. There's a great scene where Robinson follows Smith into a wine cellar to knock him over the head. Before he can administer the fatal blow, Smith informs Robinson that he knows what's going through his mind and he should just give up now, before it's too late.
Having failed at both murder attempts, an even more disturbed Robinson walks to a bridge. Who does he meet there? Why, it's the palmist. In complete rage over his inability to successfully deal with recent events, he strangles Mitchell and so his murder has now just happened!
***
Segment #3
While the police are apprehending Robinson for murder, we see a circus live wire act about to be performed by Charles Boyer. Boyer had also appeared in TALES OF MANHATTAN, was a friend of Duvivier, and he served as a producer on FLESH AND FANTASY. He and leading lady Barbara Stanwyck are top-billed over the rest of the cast, and their segment is saved till the end. It is probably supposed to be the most important story, but some of it falls a bit flat.
One of the issues I had with this segment is that while Stanwyck is perfectly cast as a chick running from the law, trying to make things right before it's too late, I don't quite buy Boyer as a circus performer. He doesn't project a working class vibe. If he had been the circus owner, maybe it would have been more believable. But even so, I don't think the writers needed him to be involved with a circus. His character could have had a different background and occupation.
At any rate, Boyer meets Stanwyck on a ship, after he's seen her and some notable earrings she wears in a dream. At first, she is taken aback by his forward approach as well as his talk of dreams and his already 'knowing' her. But she softens and they become romantic with each other. By the time their ship reaches port, they are in love and she's decided to go see him perform.
While all of this is happening, Boyer's been developing stage fright which he must overcome. At the same time, Stanwyck, who has been one step ahead of the police, decides to turn herself into the authorities. Her arrest is about to occur as Boyer carries out his routine under the bit top before a crowd of spectators. As he makes his way across the tightrope, we wonder whether he will fall or make it safely across the wire to the other side. This segment concludes on an ambiguous note.
***
The main idea behind FLESH AND FANTASY is that dreams and fortune telling intersect with reality. During the movie, one character utters the line "you created belief in me." I think the line could apply to viewers who believe in what they see on screen. That is the magical quality of cinema.
There is a framing device, where Robert Benchley is seen at a men's club reading a book with tales of the occult, which I guess is included to introduce us to the themes, though his role is hardly necessary. Later, a linking device is employed, when Edward G. Robinson's segment overlaps with Charles Boyer's segment...we see Robinson's story still in the process of finishing when Boyer's story begins.
***
Segment #1
This segment is the shortest and runs about 20 minutes. It could easily have been extended, but nonetheless is quite effective. Miss Field plays an ugly young woman, who like Cinderella, gets a chance to go to a dance. The dance takes place during a Mardi Gras celebration, and she spends time with a prince charming (Robert Cummings) she's been admiring from afar.
She is only able to attend, after she is given a mask to wear that will cover her physical deficiencies. As the story progresses, we learn her greatest ugliness is her sour disposition and negative attitude about life. Once that has been resolved, she becomes a truly beautiful person.
What makes this segment work so well is the way Field must rely on her eyes to do the bulk of her acting, since the mask covers most of her face. Field and Cummings previously appeared as love interests in KINGS ROW, and they perform so well, it's a shame they didn't make more movies together. There's a clever twist at the end, involving the identity of the "fairy godfather" (Edgar Barrier) who gave Field the mask.
***
Segment #2
Most reviewers consider this the best story in the film, due to Edward G. Robinson's magnificent performance. He previously appeared in Duvivier's TALES OF MANHATTAN, and here he gets to play another unique character. He's an American lawyer who's been invited to a soiree at the London home of an elderly aristocrat (May Whitty). During Witty's party, he meets a palmist (Thomas Mitchell) who predicts things that come true. Robinson poo-poohs some of this, citing coincidence, but he becomes particularly disturbed when he learns there is more the palmist has to say about his future.
One of the predictions is that he'll kill someone. Of course, Robinson believes in free will and says he won't kill anyone. But several sleepless nights later, he is now consumed with dread that the horrifying prediction will come true. He starts having conversations with himself, looking at his reflection in windows and mirrors.
Robinson decides that he will kill someone to get it over with, and he will make sure it's someone whose death will benefit him and the rest of society. Since his client Dame Whitty is wealthy and old, and will leave her money in good hands after she's gone, he chooses to kill her. However, she dies of natural causes before his murder plot is carried out. This forces him to alter his plans. His next target is a distinguished dean (C. Aubrey Smith).
It doesn't take long for the dean to figure out something is off. There's a great scene where Robinson follows Smith into a wine cellar to knock him over the head. Before he can administer the fatal blow, Smith informs Robinson that he knows what's going through his mind and he should just give up now, before it's too late.
Having failed at both murder attempts, an even more disturbed Robinson walks to a bridge. Who does he meet there? Why, it's the palmist. In complete rage over his inability to successfully deal with recent events, he strangles Mitchell and so his murder has now just happened!
***
Segment #3
While the police are apprehending Robinson for murder, we see a circus live wire act about to be performed by Charles Boyer. Boyer had also appeared in TALES OF MANHATTAN, was a friend of Duvivier, and he served as a producer on FLESH AND FANTASY. He and leading lady Barbara Stanwyck are top-billed over the rest of the cast, and their segment is saved till the end. It is probably supposed to be the most important story, but some of it falls a bit flat.
One of the issues I had with this segment is that while Stanwyck is perfectly cast as a chick running from the law, trying to make things right before it's too late, I don't quite buy Boyer as a circus performer. He doesn't project a working class vibe. If he had been the circus owner, maybe it would have been more believable. But even so, I don't think the writers needed him to be involved with a circus. His character could have had a different background and occupation.
At any rate, Boyer meets Stanwyck on a ship, after he's seen her and some notable earrings she wears in a dream. At first, she is taken aback by his forward approach as well as his talk of dreams and his already 'knowing' her. But she softens and they become romantic with each other. By the time their ship reaches port, they are in love and she's decided to go see him perform.
While all of this is happening, Boyer's been developing stage fright which he must overcome. At the same time, Stanwyck, who has been one step ahead of the police, decides to turn herself into the authorities. Her arrest is about to occur as Boyer carries out his routine under the bit top before a crowd of spectators. As he makes his way across the tightrope, we wonder whether he will fall or make it safely across the wire to the other side. This segment concludes on an ambiguous note.
***
The main idea behind FLESH AND FANTASY is that dreams and fortune telling intersect with reality. During the movie, one character utters the line "you created belief in me." I think the line could apply to viewers who believe in what they see on screen. That is the magical quality of cinema.
A little correction, a little history.....
Pamela-520 March 2007
The second of the three tales in this movie is, indeed, the strongest, and the most memorable.
Another reviewer wrote that Noel Coward wrote the second of the three mini-movies within this one movie. Not so!!! It was based on an 1891 Oscar Wilde tale called "The Crime of Lord Arthur Saville." Although both gentlemen were British, both writers, both gay, Coward was born at about the time Wilde was sentenced to jail and later died, so the times in which they lived were very different! Plus, obviously, their styles of writing are very different.
Just a little film history about the second tale:
made into a U.S. theatrical movie in 2006 ("First Snow"); made into a Russian TV movie ("Prestuplenie lorda Artura") in 1991; made into a French TV movie in 1968 ("Le Crime de Lord Arthur Saville"); made into a British TV movie in 1960; made into a U.S. TV episode of "Suspicion" in 1958; enfolded into a theatrical movie in the U.S. in 1943 ("Flesh and Fantasy") made into a theatrical movie in France in 1921 or 1922.
Enjoy!
Another reviewer wrote that Noel Coward wrote the second of the three mini-movies within this one movie. Not so!!! It was based on an 1891 Oscar Wilde tale called "The Crime of Lord Arthur Saville." Although both gentlemen were British, both writers, both gay, Coward was born at about the time Wilde was sentenced to jail and later died, so the times in which they lived were very different! Plus, obviously, their styles of writing are very different.
Just a little film history about the second tale:
made into a U.S. theatrical movie in 2006 ("First Snow"); made into a Russian TV movie ("Prestuplenie lorda Artura") in 1991; made into a French TV movie in 1968 ("Le Crime de Lord Arthur Saville"); made into a British TV movie in 1960; made into a U.S. TV episode of "Suspicion" in 1958; enfolded into a theatrical movie in the U.S. in 1943 ("Flesh and Fantasy") made into a theatrical movie in France in 1921 or 1922.
Enjoy!
Solid Anthology Film with Top Tier Talent
Reviews_of_the_Dead12 October 2023
This was a movie that I discovered when searching for horror from 1943 for my Traverse through the Threes. I ended up buying the Vinegar Syndrome Blu-ray of it since I couldn't find this streaming. What made it easier was seeing that Edward G. Robinson and Barbara Stanwyck starred in this, as they're actors I've seen other of their works. Plus, knowing about the history of cinema, they were up there as tops in their craft during this era. Other than that, I came into this one blind.
Synopsis: an anthology of three loosely connect occult tales with ironic and romantic twists.
We start at what would be considered a gentlemen's club from back in the day. Davis (David Hoffman) is there reading and Doakes (Robert Benchley) comes in. The latter is uneasy due to seeing a fortune teller the previous night that predicted he'd do something. Davis calls him out on being superstitious to which Doakes says he's not. What threw him off was that night he had a dream that contradicted what the fortune teller said. This has him confused. Davis tells him that this reminds him of a story he read. Doakes doesn't want to hear it but gets pulled in to listening.
This is where we start the first of our three stories. We are in New Orleans on the last night of Mardi Gras. A man is fished out of the water. This brings Henrietta (Betty Field) to Michael (Robert Cummings) in the crowd. Ahead of this, Henrietta had a tiff with a customer. She made her a costume but didn't have the money to pay. She refused to give it to her and this caused the customer to say harsh words. Henrietta doesn't see herself as pretty and it has made her bitter with the world. She's fallen for Michael, even though they've never spoken.
Things change for her when she meets a stranger in a mask shop, played by Edgar Barrier. He allows her a mask to wear. She just must return it by midnight. Henrietta draws the attention from everyone she passes. She ends up at a café where she finds Michael. The two spend the night together and to her dismay, she learns he's given up his studies to be a sailor. She takes the rest of their time together to change his mind. This may cause him to fall in love with her, but her confidence still isn't there and could make it a problem.
We then go back to Doakes and Davis. The former decides to read the next two stories by himself and they flow into each other. The first follows Marshall Tyler (Robinson) as he attends a séance put on by Lady Pamela Hardwick (May Whitty). The psychic is Septimus Podgers (Thomas Mitchell). He makes bold statements until he gets to Marshall. There is something troubling that he sees and this drives Marshall mad. He visits Mr. Podgers at his place and learns that his hands tell him he will kill someone. This becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy as he tries to control this, but it isn't as easy as he thinks.
Then our last story is at a circus. Paul Gaspar (Charles Boyer) is the star and his act is that he pretends to be drunk while doing a tightrope act. He is retiring and this is last performance. He dozes off and has a nightmare that his last go ends disastrously. He also sees a beautiful woman in the crowd. Paul backs out of going through with it, being unable to concentrate. It is after this that he meets Joan Stanley (Stanwyck) on the ship to America as he sticks with the circus for a bit longer. It is on the ship that he has another dream of Joan being arrested. He must decide to face these fears or descend into madness to prevent them.
That is where I'll leave my recap and introduction to the characters. Where I'll start is by breaking down each of these shorts through the story and acting with a section at the end for filmmaking since we have the same director for all three. I did like that we have a wraparound story. It isn't one that is new. I can think of ones that use this same concept after it. It might even be used in the Turn of the Screw. I cannot confirm that though. I like as well that Davis suckers in Doakes with that first tale and then the next two deal with the parts of what is making him uneasy. I'm not sure that will get resolved though.
Now with that out of the way, let's start with the first story. This feels like it is borrowing from Cinderella. We have this lowly woman with Henrietta. She doesn't believe that she is beautiful and these negative thoughts have soured her. It takes Michael to meet her with a mask on and fall in love with someone that truly cares about what is best for him. Where it ends up is a bit of a fairy tale as it is the Hollywood ending. We don't get much horror here, but I liked it overall. Field is good as our lead and I like how she plays off Cummings. Barrier is also solid as the 'fairy godfather' as well. There is a supernatural angle there.
Our second story is based off the story: Lord Arthur Saville's Crime by Oscar Wilde. This one is dealing with self-fulfilling prophecy. Marshall is told he will commit a crime. In knowing this, he's trying to control it. This causes him to descend into madness. I like that he is suckered in through a talk with a fortune teller. Marshall is a lawyer, so you'd expect him to be more grounded. Robinson does an excellent job here as our lead. I like that he's trying to control his future instead of just living his life. He has stakes to lose as well when Rowena (Anna Lee) finally gives in to wanting to marry him. This also isn't necessarily horror outside of the idea of him going crazy and where it ends up as well.
Then our last story is an interesting follow up to the last one. I like how 2 and 3 are looking at the fortune teller and dreams that have Doakes bothered. What is interesting here is that he doesn't know if he should trust this dream or not. This makes him shaky. This gets reinforced when he meets Joan. She was in it. He falls for her, but she has a dark past so she keeps him at arm's length. When he does something that he thinks changes an outcome, he gets his confidence back. I thought that Boyer was good as Paul and Stanwyck was solid as Joan here. Charles Winninger was also solid King Lamarr who runs the circus. Another one that I wouldn't necessarily call horror, but it's another story of our lead being driven to madness to prevent things from happening. It is just done differently.
All that is left then is filmmaking. I thought that this was well-made. The cinematography is good. What I didn't realize was that the director here was prolific in France. He didn't seem to have the same success in America. There is a featurette that I saw where Christophe Gans, another director, is giving history and background for Julien Duvivier. It gives me a different perspective about our director. I think this is done well in setting the scenarios and establishing them. We don't get much in the way of effects outside of the third story. There is superimposing Paul to make it look like he's on a tightrope. I did appreciate that though. I'd also say that the soundtrack was solid in fitting what was needed. They use voice-over to give a bit more insight. I like it as a conscious in the first story and the other two use it to convey that something is driving our characters mad.
I also wanted to include this section here after watching this with the commentary. It is done by historian/author Barry Forshaw and film critic/author Kim Newman. The amount of information they give is astounding. There are things that I didn't know about the cast and crew, which helps me appreciate this commentary more. There is also interesting insight to things that were changed due to the Hayes Code. They bring up the missing short and how the order would be changed. It explains why the circus story ends this portmanteau and it would make more sense to the body that is fished out in the beginning as well. I'll be honest, I could listen to this duo talk all day. So much knowledge and insight.
In conclusion, I'm not entirely sure that this is a horror film, but I can see elements. Since it is listed on Letterboxd that way, I'm keeping it in. This is a solid anthology film that is grounded while using supernatural elements. We have good acting, especially from our leads of Robinson, Boyer and Field. This is a well-made movie. The cinematography is crisp and that brings to life where things are. The soundtrack and design also help here. Not one I can necessarily recommend to horror fans. I would recommend it to fans of cinema, especially for this era of filmmaking.
My Rating: 7.5 out of 10.
Synopsis: an anthology of three loosely connect occult tales with ironic and romantic twists.
We start at what would be considered a gentlemen's club from back in the day. Davis (David Hoffman) is there reading and Doakes (Robert Benchley) comes in. The latter is uneasy due to seeing a fortune teller the previous night that predicted he'd do something. Davis calls him out on being superstitious to which Doakes says he's not. What threw him off was that night he had a dream that contradicted what the fortune teller said. This has him confused. Davis tells him that this reminds him of a story he read. Doakes doesn't want to hear it but gets pulled in to listening.
This is where we start the first of our three stories. We are in New Orleans on the last night of Mardi Gras. A man is fished out of the water. This brings Henrietta (Betty Field) to Michael (Robert Cummings) in the crowd. Ahead of this, Henrietta had a tiff with a customer. She made her a costume but didn't have the money to pay. She refused to give it to her and this caused the customer to say harsh words. Henrietta doesn't see herself as pretty and it has made her bitter with the world. She's fallen for Michael, even though they've never spoken.
Things change for her when she meets a stranger in a mask shop, played by Edgar Barrier. He allows her a mask to wear. She just must return it by midnight. Henrietta draws the attention from everyone she passes. She ends up at a café where she finds Michael. The two spend the night together and to her dismay, she learns he's given up his studies to be a sailor. She takes the rest of their time together to change his mind. This may cause him to fall in love with her, but her confidence still isn't there and could make it a problem.
We then go back to Doakes and Davis. The former decides to read the next two stories by himself and they flow into each other. The first follows Marshall Tyler (Robinson) as he attends a séance put on by Lady Pamela Hardwick (May Whitty). The psychic is Septimus Podgers (Thomas Mitchell). He makes bold statements until he gets to Marshall. There is something troubling that he sees and this drives Marshall mad. He visits Mr. Podgers at his place and learns that his hands tell him he will kill someone. This becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy as he tries to control this, but it isn't as easy as he thinks.
Then our last story is at a circus. Paul Gaspar (Charles Boyer) is the star and his act is that he pretends to be drunk while doing a tightrope act. He is retiring and this is last performance. He dozes off and has a nightmare that his last go ends disastrously. He also sees a beautiful woman in the crowd. Paul backs out of going through with it, being unable to concentrate. It is after this that he meets Joan Stanley (Stanwyck) on the ship to America as he sticks with the circus for a bit longer. It is on the ship that he has another dream of Joan being arrested. He must decide to face these fears or descend into madness to prevent them.
That is where I'll leave my recap and introduction to the characters. Where I'll start is by breaking down each of these shorts through the story and acting with a section at the end for filmmaking since we have the same director for all three. I did like that we have a wraparound story. It isn't one that is new. I can think of ones that use this same concept after it. It might even be used in the Turn of the Screw. I cannot confirm that though. I like as well that Davis suckers in Doakes with that first tale and then the next two deal with the parts of what is making him uneasy. I'm not sure that will get resolved though.
Now with that out of the way, let's start with the first story. This feels like it is borrowing from Cinderella. We have this lowly woman with Henrietta. She doesn't believe that she is beautiful and these negative thoughts have soured her. It takes Michael to meet her with a mask on and fall in love with someone that truly cares about what is best for him. Where it ends up is a bit of a fairy tale as it is the Hollywood ending. We don't get much horror here, but I liked it overall. Field is good as our lead and I like how she plays off Cummings. Barrier is also solid as the 'fairy godfather' as well. There is a supernatural angle there.
Our second story is based off the story: Lord Arthur Saville's Crime by Oscar Wilde. This one is dealing with self-fulfilling prophecy. Marshall is told he will commit a crime. In knowing this, he's trying to control it. This causes him to descend into madness. I like that he is suckered in through a talk with a fortune teller. Marshall is a lawyer, so you'd expect him to be more grounded. Robinson does an excellent job here as our lead. I like that he's trying to control his future instead of just living his life. He has stakes to lose as well when Rowena (Anna Lee) finally gives in to wanting to marry him. This also isn't necessarily horror outside of the idea of him going crazy and where it ends up as well.
Then our last story is an interesting follow up to the last one. I like how 2 and 3 are looking at the fortune teller and dreams that have Doakes bothered. What is interesting here is that he doesn't know if he should trust this dream or not. This makes him shaky. This gets reinforced when he meets Joan. She was in it. He falls for her, but she has a dark past so she keeps him at arm's length. When he does something that he thinks changes an outcome, he gets his confidence back. I thought that Boyer was good as Paul and Stanwyck was solid as Joan here. Charles Winninger was also solid King Lamarr who runs the circus. Another one that I wouldn't necessarily call horror, but it's another story of our lead being driven to madness to prevent things from happening. It is just done differently.
All that is left then is filmmaking. I thought that this was well-made. The cinematography is good. What I didn't realize was that the director here was prolific in France. He didn't seem to have the same success in America. There is a featurette that I saw where Christophe Gans, another director, is giving history and background for Julien Duvivier. It gives me a different perspective about our director. I think this is done well in setting the scenarios and establishing them. We don't get much in the way of effects outside of the third story. There is superimposing Paul to make it look like he's on a tightrope. I did appreciate that though. I'd also say that the soundtrack was solid in fitting what was needed. They use voice-over to give a bit more insight. I like it as a conscious in the first story and the other two use it to convey that something is driving our characters mad.
I also wanted to include this section here after watching this with the commentary. It is done by historian/author Barry Forshaw and film critic/author Kim Newman. The amount of information they give is astounding. There are things that I didn't know about the cast and crew, which helps me appreciate this commentary more. There is also interesting insight to things that were changed due to the Hayes Code. They bring up the missing short and how the order would be changed. It explains why the circus story ends this portmanteau and it would make more sense to the body that is fished out in the beginning as well. I'll be honest, I could listen to this duo talk all day. So much knowledge and insight.
In conclusion, I'm not entirely sure that this is a horror film, but I can see elements. Since it is listed on Letterboxd that way, I'm keeping it in. This is a solid anthology film that is grounded while using supernatural elements. We have good acting, especially from our leads of Robinson, Boyer and Field. This is a well-made movie. The cinematography is crisp and that brings to life where things are. The soundtrack and design also help here. Not one I can necessarily recommend to horror fans. I would recommend it to fans of cinema, especially for this era of filmmaking.
My Rating: 7.5 out of 10.
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