The Night is My Kingdom Blu-ray Movie

Rating summary

Movie		4.0
Video		3.5
Audio		5.0
Extras		2.0
Overall		3.5

The Night is My Kingdom Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Dr. Svet Atanasov March 29, 2018

Georges Lacombe's "The Night is My Kingdom" a.k.a. "La Nuit est mon royaume" (1951) arrives on Blu-ray courtesy of French label Gaumont. The supplemental features on the disc include an original trailer for the film and new documentary with exclusive interviews. In French, with optional English and French SDH subtitles for the main feature. Region-Free.

Raymond and Louise

The films of Georges Lacombe are virtually unknown in the United States. A few have been available to see on imported but not English-friendly DVDs that Rene Chateau produced in France some years ago, but the big North American boutique labels have never shown willingness to explore his oeuvre. This is unfortunate because there are some real gems there: The Room Upstairs/ Martin Roumagnac is a very fine film that teams up Jean Gabin and Marlene Dietrich at the top of their game; The Last One of the Six is another fine film based on a novel by Stanislas-André Steeman (Quai des Orfèvres) that was adapted by Henri-Georges Clouzot; and Their Last Night is a great film noir again with Gabin and Madeleine Robinson that will surely appeal to folks that appreciate the style of the popular earlier noir classic Port of Shadows.

In The Night is My Kingdom Gabin plays Raymond Pinsard, a confident and hard-working train driver who frequently struggles to make ends meet but never complains because he genuinely loves his job. At the local pub Raymond is also well-respected and liked by everyone that stops by to get a drink because he is always friendly and optimistic about the future.

But a freaky accident forces Raymond to quit his job and change his entire life. While operating a train with a colleague, he is exposed to extremely hot steam that seriously damages his retinas and he instantly loses his ability to see. Initially, at a local clinic he is assured that there is an excellent chance that he will regain his sight in a year or so if he participates in a meticulous recovery program, but after additional tests the doctors conclude that his condition will in fact be permanent. The horrific diagnosis is shared only with Raymond’s elderly mother and some close relatives, so the entire time that he is in the recovery program he remains under the impression that he is making progress and it is only a matter of time before he goes back to work.

Raymond’s struggle to lead a normal life as a blind man, however, is only one half of the story. While learning to read in Braille he falls in love with his teacher, Louise Louveau (Simone Valere), who is also blind and already in a serious relationship with another man. The two then have to decide whether they should listen to their hearts and pursue a ‘risky’ relationship, or accept that perhaps fate never had a plan for them.

The film touches the heart because it does not demand that the viewer feels pity for its characters. This immediately makes their dilemmas look very authentic, and a lot easier to actually grasp how they truly feel when they must make difficult decisions.

Gabin shines in a familiar fashion, but this time as a blind man it is just that much easier to realize what a truly incredible actor he was. Valere is also superb as the elegant teacher who senses that the injured train driver is the special man that she always wanted to find and fall in love with.

The film was lensed by the prolific French cinematographer Philippe Agostini, whose credits include such classic films as Le Jour se Lève, Les anges du péché, Le Plaisir, and Rififi.

The Night is My Kingdom 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, Georges Lacombe's The Night is My Kingdom arrives on Blu-ray courtesy of Gaumont.

I find the technical presentation quite frustrating. It appears that Gaumont created a very nice remaster for this lovely film, but as it is presented on the Blu-ray its dynamic range is unconvincing. Basically, the gamma levels are off and as a result there are different parts of the film that look uncharacteristically flat. Now, there are certain adjustments that can be done on different equipment to partially restore gamma levels, but the end result isn't always optimal. I don't know if the current gamma settings were introduced when the Blu-ray was encoded or when the restored master was finalized, but as soon as I placed the disc in my player I was able to see the flatness that is noted above. (To get an idea what type of discrepancy can emerge between improper and proper gamma levels, see Gaumont's presentation and Criterion's presentation of the recent restoration of Louis Malle's Elevator to the Gallows). The good news is that density remains quite pleasing throughout the entire film and clarity is always good. Also, there are absolutely no traces of problematic sharpening adjustments. Image stability is excellent. Lastly, debris, damage marks, cuts, stains, and all other conventional age-related imperfections have been removed as best as possible. My score is 3.25/5.00. (Note: This is a Region-Free Blu-ray release. Therefore, you will be able to play it on your player regardless of your geographical location).

The Night is My Kingdom 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 and French SDH subtitles are provided for the main feature.

The audio has been remastered and it is very easy to tell. It is stable, nicely rounded, and with proper depth. Understandably, dynamic intensity is limited, but Yves Baudrier's score easily breathes and makes its presence felt where it must. The dialog is clean and easy to follow.

The Night is My Kingdom Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

• Trailer - original restored French trailer for The Night is My Kingdom. In French, not subtitled. (5 min, 1080p).

• Entre le Gris le Noir - this documentary takes a closer look at The Night is My Kingdom and the careers of Georges Lacombe and Jean Gabin. Included in it are interviews with journalist and author Jean-Pierre Jelot-Blanc (Gabin invonnu) and journalist and writer Bernard Lonjon. In French, not subtitled. (45 min).

The Night is My Kingdom Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

A hard-working train driver loses his sight but discovers true love in this very moving film from director Georges Lacombe. In the United States The Night is My Kingdom is virtually unknown, but I think that it will easily find plenty of admirers, and especially among folks that enjoy Jean Gabin's work. Gaumont's recent Blu-ray release is sourced from a very nice restored master, but I found the technical presentation rather underwhelming. If some minor adjustments are made Gaumont can have a wonderful line of great releases, but virtually all of the issues that are addressed in our review have been known for quite some time. Consider adding this release to your collections, but only if you can find it discounted. RECOMMENDED (but with reservations).