There is a Russian folktale about a person who loses their shadow as punishment. I find Vivien Leigh too insubstantial to merit a shadow here. Her detachment is less existential than it is cold. Luckily we have the Korda's sumptuous designs setting mood in the scenes. (Is this another of Vincent Korda's uncredited contributions?) Anyone would feel lost and alone in that massive house. It is the snow that lends the gravitas to the old man glimpsed at the train station. Leigh is just blown over.
Compare the power of Duvivier's salon seance (note the comical pianist in the earlier salon scene) to Leigh's pale salon vision of iron death (no fault of Anouilh's fine dialogue). It would be too cruel to contrast it with the film's hammer ending. Only in Anna's passion at the horserace does Leigh shine. God as my witness, never ask her to perform inside herself again! (Lest I seem unfair I must hastily add how sad a mooning calf I find Vronsky's portrayal, how unlike a predatory Count.)
Alexander Korda was a great adapter of plays: Don Juan, The Ideal Husband; Wedding Rehersal owes much to Wilde. Brother Zoltan also adapted: Kipling's Jungle Book (between propaganda films).
Compare the power of Duvivier's salon seance (note the comical pianist in the earlier salon scene) to Leigh's pale salon vision of iron death (no fault of Anouilh's fine dialogue). It would be too cruel to contrast it with the film's hammer ending. Only in Anna's passion at the horserace does Leigh shine. God as my witness, never ask her to perform inside herself again! (Lest I seem unfair I must hastily add how sad a mooning calf I find Vronsky's portrayal, how unlike a predatory Count.)
Alexander Korda was a great adapter of plays: Don Juan, The Ideal Husband; Wedding Rehersal owes much to Wilde. Brother Zoltan also adapted: Kipling's Jungle Book (between propaganda films).
No comments:
Post a Comment