doe-2

One of the many beauties of this film is the exquisite simplicity. Filming, acting, directing, costuming - all have been distilled to their essence so that the viewer is never distracted from the superb story. I watch this film several times a year (and have given it as gifts to friends) and no longer bother to read the sub-titles, so clear has the story become to me. We lost a great deal when we stopped sitting around fires telling stories to one another; this film can give some of that back to us.

I first saw this film on television when I was about 12. It scared me then, and to this day it still scares me, albeit for deeper, different reasons.

While certainly not as technically adept as the average made-for-TV movie of today, Night of the Hunter grabs you with the performances and the deep sense of foreboding that the story swirls about you.

Laughton's direction, particularly his sense of pacing, is excellent.

It's not easy to make the Dark Ages interesting, but "Charlemagne" just about pulls it off. I'll have to re-read my Einhard for the details, but for the most part they seem to have got the story right, although of course, I don't think we know as much about Charles's personal life as this film might lead one to believe.

That quibble aside, the production values are quite high (resisting, for the most part, the temptations of excess prettiness), the pacing good, and the international cast handles their roles competently.

A good introduction to a truly astonishing historical figure.