Second viewing; first seen on November 15, 1994
English title: Port of Shadows
A soldier arrives at Le Havre, a French coastal city, probably after deserting from the army. He spends the night at a secluded café, to which he is led by a person he befriended on the street. He meets a few people there, among whom a young woman he takes a liking to. The place suffers an attempted raid by hoodlums, who are after a man who may know something about a missing friend of theirs. The following day brings many complications involving these characters.
Very bleak and with a dreamy atmosphere throughout, alternating extremely lyrical scenes with caricatural depictions of low-life criminals. A particularly hilarious moment is when the villain reencounters the hero in a carnival and gets slapped for the second time. I cannot give a proper account of all the good things in this film, the mise-en scene, the exquisite performances, the beauty of its female star, its musical score...
Rating: 75 (up from 68)
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