With 1947's The Damned (also reviewed) being the first ever French Film Noir that I watched,I felt that it was time to take a closer look at its auteur director:Rene Clement. Taking a look at the Clement titles I've gathered over the last year or so,I spotted one which offed the unique mix of Film Noir and Neo-Realism,which led to me climbing the walls of Malapaga.
View on the film:
Landing in post-WWII Italy, René Clément & cinematographer Louis Page look into the eyes of the dying ghosts,where rows of bone-dry shadows are collected in fantastic tracking shots stylishly gathering the ruins that are rotting the city to the core.
Continuing on with one of the major themes of The Damned, Clément gives the Neo-Realist city a claustrophobic, cramped shine which sets the earthy Film Noir atmosphere alight,as the Film Noir city (and Roman Vlad's jagged score)finds Arrignon and crushes him into the crumbling walls.
Sending Arrignon to another country,the screenplay by Jean Aurenche/Pierre Bost/Cesare Zavattini/Suso Cecchi D'Amico & Alfredo Guarini brilliantly grinds the Neo-Realist grittiness into Arrignon's "new life",by cleverly making Arrignon's arrival be a Film Noir loner entering a Neo-Realist world,where Manfredini's daily struggle to make ends meet pushes Arrignon's "escape from the cops plan" to the bottom of the list.
Whilst Manfredini's acceptance of Arrignon is a bit too fast moving,the writers bite into the Film Noir hands of Arrignon,by balancing the sharp Neo-Realist with a deadly Film Noir sting,displayed in Arrignon becoming attached to the humble life,but seeing with horror the deadly past over his shoulders.
Taken by Arrignon's mysterious nature,the very pretty Isa Miranda gives a wonderful performance as Marta Manfredini,whose heart-felt expression of love Miranda perfectly links with a tout feisty edge that gives Manfredini the force to make her voice clearly heard.
Casually walking round the city, Jean Gabin gives an amazing performance as Arrignon,thanks to Gabin carrying a firm swagger round the city,but a bitter,Film Noir seed of doubt over keeping his relationship with Manfredini away from the pits,as Arrignon starts to discover that he is unable to climb the walls of Malapaga.
View on the film:
Landing in post-WWII Italy, René Clément & cinematographer Louis Page look into the eyes of the dying ghosts,where rows of bone-dry shadows are collected in fantastic tracking shots stylishly gathering the ruins that are rotting the city to the core.
Continuing on with one of the major themes of The Damned, Clément gives the Neo-Realist city a claustrophobic, cramped shine which sets the earthy Film Noir atmosphere alight,as the Film Noir city (and Roman Vlad's jagged score)finds Arrignon and crushes him into the crumbling walls.
Sending Arrignon to another country,the screenplay by Jean Aurenche/Pierre Bost/Cesare Zavattini/Suso Cecchi D'Amico & Alfredo Guarini brilliantly grinds the Neo-Realist grittiness into Arrignon's "new life",by cleverly making Arrignon's arrival be a Film Noir loner entering a Neo-Realist world,where Manfredini's daily struggle to make ends meet pushes Arrignon's "escape from the cops plan" to the bottom of the list.
Whilst Manfredini's acceptance of Arrignon is a bit too fast moving,the writers bite into the Film Noir hands of Arrignon,by balancing the sharp Neo-Realist with a deadly Film Noir sting,displayed in Arrignon becoming attached to the humble life,but seeing with horror the deadly past over his shoulders.
Taken by Arrignon's mysterious nature,the very pretty Isa Miranda gives a wonderful performance as Marta Manfredini,whose heart-felt expression of love Miranda perfectly links with a tout feisty edge that gives Manfredini the force to make her voice clearly heard.
Casually walking round the city, Jean Gabin gives an amazing performance as Arrignon,thanks to Gabin carrying a firm swagger round the city,but a bitter,Film Noir seed of doubt over keeping his relationship with Manfredini away from the pits,as Arrignon starts to discover that he is unable to climb the walls of Malapaga.