While you should do your best to seek out the most heralded works from classic auteurs if you want to be a well-rounded cinephile, you often can tap into something even richer by exploring even further into their output. French filmmaker Jean Renoir is frequently cited as one of cinema’s greatest creative figures thanks in part to La Grande Illusion and The Rules of the Game, two films in conversation as some of the greatest ever made. In his 45 years in the business, he crafted forty films that inspired generations of artists, but the earliest days of his career are rarely discussed in the same terms as his later output. In 1925, Whirlpool of Fate was the first feature of his to be released, and it showed early signs of his filmmaking prowess even under the confines of a self-financed independent production. With his then-wife Catherine Hessling in the lead role, he unleashed a magnificently crafted silent feature that is only slightly let down by a fairly straightforward script.
In the late 19th century, Hessling plays the young Virginia Gudule, a woman whose life takes a turn towards the tragic after her father is knocked overboard off his barge and perishes in the water. She is subsequently left in the care of creepy, drunken uncle Jef (Pierre Lestringuez) who does not waste time piling on the abuse and trying to take advantage of her. Her escape from his clutches leads the young runaway on a journey that brings her across the path of a young thief and his gypsy mom. While Gudule learns a lot of lessons on how to get by in the world, she does not quite take to this lifestyle completely, especially after being accused of setting fire to a haystack of a farmer and nearly being burned alive herself. Her fortune only turns somewhat upon the chance meeting of Georges (Harold Livingston), the son of a wealthy farmer who bears affection for the young heroine. While she begins to get her life in a place where she wants it, the return of her loathsome uncle threatens to upend her happiness.
Renoir makes the most out of his limited budget by utilizing non-actors throughout the ensemble for some of the smaller roles while keeping the large set pieces to a minimum. The fact that the burning of a large pile of hay amounts to your thrilling set piece of the film is surely cost effective while still being narratively sound. The story is one full of evolving tragedy that is given some weight by the sheer expressiveness of Catherine Hessling. Without getting to hear any dialogue, the film relies on her striking, melancholy eyes to draw you into her pain and root for her triumph.
The story is nothing too special, but the way in which Renoir frames it makes it a bit more exciting. An early shot of a man walking down a moving barge while the camera stands still is executed so precisely that it leaves you with no doubt that this is the same Renoir that would be so acclaimed in years to come. The same goes for the fierce editing on display when the uncle is striking our young heroine repeatedly that makes the process all the more visceral. The sequence that will likely make most audience members perk up the most is a fever dream that Gudule has which features some truly haunting imagery and spectral visions that could not have been easy to pull off. The inclusion of an iguana to the nightmare is implemented in a way that must have been terrifying to audiences of the time. Whirlpool of Fate is not the pinnacle of the grand career of Jean Renoir, but it is a fascinating early look at the raw talents he would continue to hone for years to come.
Video Quality
Whirlpool of Fate makes its Blu-Ray debut thanks to Kino Classics with a lovely transfer from a 4K restoration that is quite impressive. For a film that is fast approaching 100 years of age, this is a truly wonderful presentation. The transfer shows off a great amount of depth and enhanced detail within the film’s composition. Black levels present with some decent depth with no overwhelming occurrence of black crush or compression artifacts. The gorgeous black-and-white photography shines in high definition with natural grain intact. There is a fair amount of detail present with nice textures on the clothing and within the setting. The contrast is mostly well defined, but the transfer experiences a noticeable amount of flicker and specks of damage to the print. There are also stray, faint vertical lines that make a quick appearance without ruining the overall aesthetic of the film. There are a few shots such as a nighttime shot with a lantern where faces get washed out by lighting, but this appears to be a limitation to the filmmaking at the time rather than a source issue. Kino Classics has done as well as could be expected given the age of this feature.
Audio Quality
This Blu-Ray presents the film with a DTS-HD 2.0 Master Audio track that sounds pretty wonderful. The film is graced with an original score composed and performed by Antonio Coppola that is quite beautiful and occasionally haunting. As this is a silent film, the music is the only element to contend with in this track, and it sounds bright and lovely with no clipping or age related wear and tear. Classic film fans should be beyond pleased with the sound quality of this track, as the new piece seems to complement the visuals perfectly.
Special Features
- Audio Commentary: Film Historian Nick Pinkerton provides a very insightful commentary track in which he takes you through the story while putting it into context, discusses the behind-the-scenes details and history of key figures in the production, explores some of the filmmaking techniques, delves into the film’s legacy and much more. The movie is not difficult to follow, but this track is a very worthwhile listen to if you want to gain an even greater appreciation for the nuance within the film.
- Trailers: There are trailers provided for Ponette, Tous les matins du monde, and Under The Sand.
Final Thoughts
Whirlpool of Fate is a strong debut feature that provides a window to the talent that Jean Renoir would perfect later in his career. The narrative is not the most innovative aspect of the film, but it provides an entertaining backdrop to some of the impressive filmmaking techniques he was implementing. Kino Classics has brought this important piece of film history back to the light with a Blu-Ray sporting a great A/V presentation and an informative commentary track. Fans of silent film or Jean Renoir should find many pleasing elements within this one. Recommended
Whirlpool of Fate will be available to purchase on Blu-Ray on July 20, 2021.
Note: Images presented in this review are not reflective of the image quality of the Blu-Ray.
Disclaimer: Kino Classics has supplied a copy of this disc free of charge for review purposes. All opinions in this review are the honest reactions of the author.
Dillon is most comfortable sitting around in a theatre all day watching both big budget and independent movies.
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