Rating summary

Movie		5.0
Video		4.5
Audio		4.5
Extras		3.0
Overall		4.5

Port of Shadows Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Dr. Svet Atanasov August 15, 2019

Marcel Carne's "Le quai des brumes" a.k.a. "Port of Shadows" (1938) arrive son Blu-ray courtesy of Kino Lorber. The supplemental features on the disc include an original trailer for the film; video introduction by Prof. Ginette Vincendeau; and archival documentary about the production history of the film. In French, with optional English subtitles for the main feature. Region-A "locked".

The deserter

Jean (Jean Gabin, La Grande Illusion, Love Is My Profession), a military deserter, arrives in Le Havre looking to board the first ship that will get him out of the country. While wandering around, he is approached by a local drunk (Raymond Aimos, Wooden Crosses), who directs him to a cheap bar on the docks where he could spend the night. The place is owned by a bubbly old man (Edouard Delmont, Jean Renoir's Toni) with a big hat who does not mind helping outcasts.

In the bar, Jean meets Nelly (Michele Morgan, Obsession, The Fallen Idol), a beautiful young girl, who is also on the run. The two talk about the things that separate men and women and the mistakes they make when they fall in love. By the morning hours, the two are already attracted to each other. They decide to take a walk to the docks, where they meet local thug Lucien (Pierre Brasseur, Eyes Without A Face) and his goons who have been looking for Zabel (Michel Simon, Boudu Saved From Drowning, L'atalante), Nelly’s creepy guardian. Lucien begins harassing Nelly, but Jean steps up and he quickly disappears into the night together with his men. Before they part ways, Nelly sneaks some money into Jean’s pocket.

When later on he discovers the money, Jean immediately decides to buy Nelly a gift. He heads to a nearby shop, which turns out to be owned by Zabel. When the surprised Nelly appears, Zabel quickly realizes that she is already madly in love with Jean and that he is on the run. Zabel offers him a drink and a deal - if Jean gets rid of Lucien, he would give him enough money to get a new passport and help him leave the country. But Jean rejects his offer and walks away. Outside Zabel’s shop, Nelly and Jean arrange to meet again at the docks.

Soon after, Jean dumps his uniform and gets a new passport. He also arranges to get on a ship bound for Venezuela. On the night before he leaves, he makes love to Nelly in a cheap hotel. In the early morning hours, on his way to the docks Jean is spotted by Lucien.

Marcel Carne’s Le Quai Des Brumes a.k.a. Port of Shadows is a stunningly beautiful film about an impossible love. It is based on the famous novel by Pierre Dumarchais and scripted by the legendary Jacques Prevert, who also collaborated with Carne on his Children of Paradise, a film many consider one of the greatest ever made.

The atmosphere in the film is incredible. While Jean wanders around Le Havre most of the time there is a very heavy fog. Almost immediately after he meets Nelly a sense of fatalism enters the film as well. This type of tense atmosphere is quite common in some of the best American noir films from the early 1940s. In France, during the 1930s this particular style of filming became known as "poetic realism".

Shortly after its premiere in Paris in 1938, Le Quai Des Brumes was screened at the Venice Film Festival, where it went on to win the Best Director award. Despite its success, back home the film was quickly banned, and later on, recut. The French censors thought that the film was too "depressing, morbid, immoral and unfortunate for youth". While there are indeed some quite obvious pessimistic overtones in it, particularly during the second half, Le Quai Des Brumes is easily one of the most romantic films Carne directed.

Gabin and the young Morgan look incredible together. The latter has some of the most beautiful eyes to have ever looked in a film camera. The sequence at the end of the film where the two exit the hotel and she looks at him while holding his arm can melt even a heart of stone. Stunning film.

Port of Shadows Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Presented in its original aspect ratio of 1.37:1, encoded with MPEG-4 AVC and granted a 1080p transfer, Marcel Carne's Port of Shadows arrives on Blu-ray courtesy of Kino Lorber.

The release appears to have been sourced from the same master that StudioCanal used in 2012 to produce this release in the United Kingdom. (It was part of the StudioCanal Collection and was replicated in other markets). This master is the end product of a complex reconstructive job that delivered the fully restored in 2K original version of the film. Because the original negative is incomplete, a safety positive was used to fill in the gaps.

If you have seen our review of the Region-B release that is referenced above, you are likely aware that I was very happy with the makeover that this classic film received. I have not changed my mind. Despite some small but obvious density and clarity fluctuations I think that the film has a very convincing organic appearance that allows for an entirely different viewing experience. Also, this film was shot in a very specific environment -- with natural light/darkness and with the heavy fog playing a major role for the type of atmosphere that Carne desired -- which is why the convincing grading job is such a big deal. Yes, there are some areas where time has left its mark or the inserts flatten the visuals a bit, but the vital organic qualities that are needed to reproduce the original misty look of the film are still very, very strong. Quite predictably, the end result is also very satisfying. Lastly, when you view the film you will probably notice that from time to time the image may appear just a tad shaky. It is an inherited source issue and some time ago I was told that it was minimized as best as possible with the then-current digital tools. (Note: This is a Region-A "locked" Blu-ray release. Therefore, you must have a native Region-A or Region-Free player in order to access its content).

Port of Shadows Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

There is only one standard audio track on this Blu-ray release: French DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0. Optional English subtitles are provided for the main feature.

The audio is really good. In fact, considering that that the film had to be reconstructed, it is virtually impossible to tell that gaps were filled to reconstruct a complete version. There are a couple of years where the dialog is just a tad uneven, but it is very clean and the overall balance is great.

Port of Shadows Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

• Introduction - a short introduction to Marcel Carne's Port of Shadows by Prof. Ginette Vincendeau. In English, not subtitled. (7 min, 480/50i).

• On the Port of the Shadows - a wonderful documentary about the production history of Marcel Carne's Le Quai Des Brumes and its various reincarnations and legacy of its stars, Jean Gabin and Michele Morgan. The documentary contains different interviews with film historian N.T. Binh, journalist Philippe Morisson, La Cinematheque Francaise restoration supervisor Camille Blot-Wellens, acclaimed directors Claude Lelouch (A Man and a Woman, And Now Ladies & Gentlemen) and Jean-Pierre Jeunet (Amelie, Delicatessen), and writers Jean-Pierre Berthome and Bernard G. Landry, among others. Also included is a phone interview with actress Michelle Morgan from May 2012. In French, with optional English and German subtitles. (46 min, 1080p).

• Trailer - an original French trailer for Port of Shadows. In French, with imposed English subtitles. (4 min, 1080p).

• Additional Trailers - trailers for the following releases from Kino Lorber's catalog:
  
  1. Touchez Pas au Grisbi
  2. Razzia sur la chnouf
  3. Maigret Sets a Trap
  4. Maigret and the St. Fiacre Case
  5. The Sicilian Clan

Port of Shadows Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

I am unsure if I can name five other films that I like as much as I do Marcel Carne's Port of Shadows. There is magic happening in it of the kind that I think is forever gone. You can see it on the screen, and you can feel it -- the love story, the chemistry between Jean Gabin and Michèle Morgan, the atmosphere and the music, everything comes together in a very special way. Kudos to the folks at Kino Lorber for finally, finally bringing the film to the U.S. so that people can rediscover it on Blu-ray. It was reconstructed and restored a few years ago by StudioCanal, and I think that the end result is wonderful. Even if you do not usually view foreign films, please consider adding Port of Shadows to your collection. VERY HIGHLY RECOMMENDED.