Carmen

Audience Reviews

View All (1) audience reviews

Nick M Between Ernst Lubitsch's directing and Pola Negri's acting, it is easy to declare this the best version of Carmen I have yet seen on the silver screen. While Geraldine Farrar put on a laudably effective performance in DeMille's 1915 version, Pola Negri *is* Carmen; there can be no comparison. I have been reading about Negri's potency during the late teens and into the 1920s but haven't truly seen it for myself in any of her previous pictures during my chronological survey of the history of film. That has changed - this role may as well have been written for her, and I cannot wait to see her future productions. Her expressions are natural, read as genuine, and at all times fit within her character arc. I can feel her emotions; often the intertitles displaying her dialogue only confirm what her eyes have already told me. And my God is she enticing. One sympathizes with Don José - how could he have resisted her? Who could? Harry Liedtke does not compare with his counterpart, but that's the thing about Carmen: when acted well, no other character on stage (with the possible exception of Escamillo in this version) should be able to hold a candle to her. She is the most vital creature in the room. That being said, Liedtke does his role justice. I was inclined to not think so toward the beginning of the film because he had flashes of rage in his eyes when I expected his character to be too innocent to experience such an emotion, but after seeing his entire performance I am forced to expand my interpretation of the character. The overpowering grief which leads to his final act does not create this rage within him. Rather, it prevents him from suppressing at a critical moment that which was already there. Finally, Lubitsch's directing and the overall interpretation of the story feels fresh and personal. Where other directors succumb to the temptation of overextending the drama of certain scenes (i.e. the brawl in the manufactory, the sword fight with Zuniga, and the climax after the bull fight) Lubitsch does not fall into this trap. Each moment is given its due and is woven responsibly into the greater tapestry of the story, allowing the narrative to develop and play out organically. I noticed no showmanship on the level of Griffith. Despite his growing command of the screen he doesn't display any desire to revolutionize the artform. His mastery here extends only to making use of already established techniques to optimize the presentation of the story. His choices are calculated to capitalize on the work of his actors, and enhance the authenticity of their performances. My one criticism is that, given that Carmen is meant to be truly in love with Escamillo in this version, I should have felt more to justify this choice. I saw nothing in this actor's performance to convince me that Pola Negri as Carmen fell in love with this man. Anyone who has read this far - do yourself a favor and find the 2018 4k digital restoration to watch online. It will begin with a description of their efforts. Rated 4.5/5 Stars •  Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars 09/02/24 Full Review Read all reviews

Carmen

My Rating

Read More Read Less POST RATING WRITE A REVIEW EDIT REVIEW