Domanda di grazia

Films featuring trapeze artists have always exerted a strong fascination for filmgoers as they feature glamour, excitement and of course danger. This is an occupation in which there is little margin for error and in which it can all go horribly wrong. Add to this the ingredient of insane jealousy and you have ready-made drama. The novel 'Silent as the Grave' by William Irish has been adapted for Jean Delannoy's first film in colour and it looks absolutely glorious. There is also an excellent score by Paul Misraki. Raf Vallone and Michele Morgan are very convincing on the bars and she is especially lissome. Former footballer Vallone has given many strong performances through the years not least as Eddie Carbone in 'A View from the Bridge' . Here he convinces as a man whose jealousy, compounded by the demon drink, causes such devastation to the lives of others. Morgan is stupendous as the wife who tries to protect him at such a terrible emotional cost to herself. He really does not deserve her. All-in-all a gripping, well-directed film with two charismatic leads. The greatest film of this type is indisputably 'Variety' of E. A.Dupont which has never been and will never be surpassed.

Because Jean Delannoy is now dismissed as cheesy by the new wave aficionados,most of his works are forgotten Too bad because his adaptation of William Irish is ,say,as good as the cold Truffaut's "the bride wore black" and much better than Robin Davis's poor and watered-down "J'ai épousé une ombre" (I married a shadow).Because watered-down this is absolutely not.The terrible and depressing conclusion of Irish's short story is thoroughly respected.

This "silent as a grave" short story is harrowing,suspenseful and deeply moving.The heroine -Irish's heroes are actually often heroines-see "the bride wore black") was born under a bad sign.All she tries to do in order to save her sentenced to death husband backfires on herself.The ending leaves the reader desperate.

As Clouzot did for Boileau Narcejac's "celle qui n'était plus" (which was to become the celebrated "diabolique"),the scenarists had to rewrite the story which took place in an American city probably NY city:they transferred the action to a French circus.This is no masterpiece,and we sense little of Irish's tragical genius.But Michele Morgan and Raf Vallone are strong actors and there's a good supporting cast.Suspense is sustained till the last minute ,and ,unlike Robin Davis,Delannoy does not indulge himself a happy end.Give it a chance!