L'angelo delle tenebre

Actress Merle Oberon had seen the original of this film when she was a little girl growing up in the Orient. It was always her favorite film and it was the catalyst in her decision to become a movie star. A bit of trivia - when she came to Hollywood looking for a movie career, her dreams came true when it was announced that she would be in the 1935 remake of "The Dark Angel" along with Fredric March and Herbert Marshall. So, her dream came true and she loved this film!!! The acting is marvelous and Merle was nominated for a best actress Oscar but didn't win! The musical score was really beautiful and went along very well with the story and the events of WWI. "The Dark Angel" did win one Oscar though and that was for best art design and I mean the sets are beautiful! Available on VHS, this is a must see!

...and apparently was one of the least popular "A" stars during the golden era - I've never seen her listed in any of the box office polls, even those that go up to nearly 100 names (she's not on 1941-42 list when she top-lined three big pictures while 52 other women are - including Judy Canova, Ruth Hussey, Priscilla Lane, and Brenda Joyce, as well as allegedly plummeting stars like Norma Shearer and Kay Francis). But I digress.

This was her Hollywood film and apparently Goldwyn pull out the works to make her a star, and she somehow managed to get a Best Actress nomination for this soaper where she basically does nothing but pose for the camera (she never really seems to interact with her costars Fredric March and Herbert Marshall, just waiting for her chance to recite her lines and pose in flattering angles for the camera (this movie has an absurd number of closeups of her "reacting" with smiling, tears, worry - but never with sincerity, only the desire to look good.) She's not that terrible I suppose but there's certainly nothing in her performance that suggests it's award worthy

Oberon plays a girl who grows up near cousins March and Marshall and loves them both, though always just friendship for Marshall and a total crush on March. World War I breaks out and she and March become engaged but plans to marry during the war are thwarted and eventually he is presumed dead but is actually blind in an enemy hospital. Transferred to a hospital for the British troops, he refuses to give his real name and be reunited with his family, not wanting to be a burden to Oberon.

Meanwhile, three years pass, Oberon and Marshall become engaged and March becomes a children's book author. The movie is a typically gorgeous Goldwyn production but pretty dull and with plenty of "mush" as the kid's from the era used to say. March is quite good (and the picture gets better when Oberon is out of it as March learns to adjust to his condition with the help of some children and a young widow who runs the inn he's living at) but it's pretty absurd at times and misses the boat in it's attempts to be moving.

In classic Enchantment, Four Feathers, and Casablanca glory, The Dark Angel is a wartime romance that pins Fredric March and Herbert Marshall against each other for the hand of Merle Oberon. As children, the three grew up as close friends, with young Merle desperately in love with Freddie. Once they grow up, of course, hormones kick in and both men fall in love with their younger playmate. Then, with WWI breaking out, Merle makes the choice to follow her heart, but with unforeseen consequences. . .

My mom always roots for Herbert Marshall's character when she watches this movie, but I think it's just because she's partial to him in other movies. There's nothing wrong with Fredric March's character, and it really does feel like he loves Merle just as much as Bart. But, just in case you prefer Bart, you'll be in good company.

Personally, I like Enchantment and the 1978 version of Four Feathers better, but there are some cute moments. It gets a little far fetched towards the end, but isn't that what old movies are for? A little tears, a little romance, and a little melodrama over a wartime setting. If you agree, check out this classic.

'The Dark Angel' had some traps that were easy to fall into at this particular time in film history, fallen into a number of times. Being based on a hit stage play, it could have been very stagy, overly wordy and the story could have been very melodramatic and creaky in pace. Even potentially being of the time and feeling out of date in later years. Still saw it anyway, having liked Merle Oberon, Frederic March and Herbert Marshall in other things and loving a lot of Alfred Newman's film scores.

While not a great film and sadly the traps that films adapted from stage plays are not avoided, 'The Dark Angel' is an interesting one and definitely worth a look. And for more than just curiosity value or for completest sake, with people perhaps being keen to see whether Oberon was deserving of her Oscar nomination, her only nomination in a career spanning four decades (excluding for a second her uncredited early appearances in very small roles).

Although 'The Dark Angel' has a lot of merits, it also has quite a few drawbacks. It is betrayed by its stage origins and has a filmed play feel. Evident in the confined atmosphere, as well as some draggy pacing in the first half, being heavy on a good deal of talk that could have been leaner and some static moments.

Some of the story is a little on the mawkish side, Alan's behaviour frustrates and confuses, and the supporting cast don't have particularly meaty roles and don't stand out massively, the younger cast are actually on the amateurish side. John Halliday gives the best supporting performance as the only supporting character to be interesting properly.

However, 'The Dark Angel' is very much a showcase for the three leads and not only are their characters well defined all three are extremely good in their roles. Marshall does jealousy and conflicted with intensity, while March despite his role not being quite as subtle brings noble dignity and does it with nuance. Despite not having her usual glamorous image, Oberon is quite a revelation, one can see what Gerald and Alan see in Kitty and she is very affecting without being histrionic. The direction is accomodating yet gives enough momentum when the story becomes more complicated.

It looks great on the whole. The sets are simple but have an elegance about them, but it's the handsome photography that catches the eye the most. Newman's score is understated, which is in keeping with the film's intimacy, and beautifully orchestrated. The script is talky but is also very sincere, while the story has some genuinely touching moments (the final scene is a tear-jerker) without generally falling into bathos too much.

Overall, interesting and moving but the stage origins show. 7/10

Handsomely photographed and nicely scored romantic drama from Samuel Goldwyn about a childhood friendship between three people that develops into an intense romantic triangle.

MERLE OBERON, FREDRIC MARCH and HERBERT MARSHALL have the pivotal roles as star-crossed lovers during the World War I period. Unfortunately, the three leads are lifelong friends destined to have their lives shattered by the war. Love, guilt and fate play a part in their lives when March is blinded but keeps away from Oberon, unable to tell her the truth and letting her think he's died. As for the rest of the plot, with a screenplay by Lillian Hellman, you have to watch the film.

Nobody stumbles in any of the roles and, in fact, MERLE OBERON won her only Best Actress nomination as Kitty, warm and appealing as the romantic interest of both men. The tearful final reunion scene will remind you of the final touching scene from RANDOM HARVEST where Smitty and his lost love find each other again.

Modern viewers beware. You'll probably find some of the tear-jerking moments a bit too mawkish but remember, this was the 1930s.

Trivia note: Oberon was photographed much more flatteringly in another film she appeared in that year, THE SCARLET PIMPERNELL. What a difference a more flattering hairdo and period costumes make!!