Bewitchingly strange. A Medieval courtly tragedy from sui generis director Walerian Borowczyk who got his start in Polish animation before tackling live-action eroticism in his adopted France. This film, apparently something of an outlier in his work, has a tone & style that blends the Robert Bresson of LANCELOT DU LAC/’74; stagy period work of centenarian Portugese master Manoel de Olivera and Monty Python’s Terry Gilliam. None particular favorites here*, yet somehow magically brought together in a fable about an elderly Master of a country castle (the great eccentric Michel Simon) and his beautiful young wife (Ligia Branice, occasional actress & wife of director Borowczyk) who attracts the attention of her handsome, grown Stepson; a vain visiting King; and the King’s loyal Page. It’s a recipe for disaster, especially when the King roams about at night wearing his Page’s cloak. Covering for his King, the Page puts himself in mortal danger. Has he debauched the Master’s young bride? Was she willing? Can honor be avenged by a Stepson who may be equally culpable? You don’t expect such a tightly wound, suspenseful plot in what is basically an eccentric art pic. But what a charge it brings to what elsewise would be award bait at some International Film Fest. The film takes a couple of reels to cast its spell, only improving as it moves along unexpectedly comic paths to a series of tragic denouements. Fascinating. Though its hard to imagine Borowczyk’s other films matching this even if you could find them.
ATTENTION MUST BE PAID: *Referring to late Bresson, his early work very much ‘favorites’ here.
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