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Released by: Film Movement
Released on: October 20, 2015
Director: Eric Rohmer
Cast: Edith Clever, Bruno Ganz, Otto Sander, Etta Seippel, Peter Lí¼hr, Eduard Linkers, Ruth Drexel, Volker Prechtel
Year: 1976
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The Movie:
As the Napoleonic Wars rage during the early years of the 1800s, two drinking buddies in an Italian tavern share a copy of the local newspaper. They are shocked to come upon a classified ad placed by a local noblewoman, the Marquise of O (Edith Clever), announcing her pregnancy and requesting that the unnamed father of her child make himself available for marriage.
A flashback follows during which the virtue of the Marquise is threatened by a group of Russian soldiers who are attacking the castle belonging to her father (Peter Lí¼hr), an Italian colonel. She is saved in the nick of time by the soldiers' commander, the Count (Bruno Ganz), and instead of being gang-raped, she is taken, along with her two daughters, from harm's way. Understandably shaken, she is given a cup of poppy seed tea by her maid and placed in her bed for a good, long sleep.
She awakens to learn that her father has surrendered his castle to the Russians (with little apparent effect on anyone's everyday life). She wants to find the Count to thank him for saving her from the would-be attackers, but they have all left. A few days later word arrives that the Count has been killed in battle. This greatly upsets the Marquise, who at the same time is beginning to manifest symptoms of pregnancy despite having no memory of coitus with anyone since her now-dead husband some years before.
A few weeks later, the still-very-much-alive Count pops up at the door and proposes to the Marquise. Grateful though she is to him for saving her, she's reluctant to wed, having vowed never to remarry after her husband's death (and since, as all agree, she really barely knows the Count). Her suitor insists on a quick answer, however, being past-due to report at his new post in Milan. At dinner that night, he tells the family that he hallucinated extensively about the Marquis while he was recovering from his battlefield injury. This wins her over, and she agrees to marry him, although it will be at some future date when the event can be properly organized. Delighted, the Count goes off to his post.
In the weeks that follow, it becomes steadily more apparent that the Marquise is indeed with child. When her condition is at last confirmed by a doctor, her parents become extremely upset. They banish her from their home, attempting unsuccessfully in the process to take her daughters away from her. At that point, she decides it's high time to place an announcement in the newspaper and straighten out this whole mess once and for all…
French New Wave director Eric Rohmer lensed this entertaining adaptation of Heinrich von Kleist's 1808 novella Die Marquise von O in 1976, four years after the final installment of his "Six Moral Tales" series. (Heinrich von Kleist's tragic relationship with Henriette Vogel was the subject of Jessica Hausner's 2014 biopic Amour Fou, also released by Film Movement and reviewed by Rock! Shock! Pop!) His stated desire at the time was to make something "less personal" than his previous work. The film was highly acclaimed at the time of its release, sharing the Grand Prix (second place) award with Spanish director Carlos Saura at the 1976 Cannes Festival.
The Marquise of O may be its director's best film, a period piece with a visually minimalist approach that is striking in comparison to similar films from the period (of which there aren't many). It made a star out of its male lead, Swiss actor Bruno Ganz (at least in Europe). Ganz went on to star in a number of films, including Wim Wenders Wings of Desire (1987), in an award-winning career that continues to this day. As for Rohmer, he began his career as a journalist before turning to film and television; that career lasted until 2009, a year before his death from unknown causes.
Video/Audio/Extras:
The Marquise of O comes to Blu-ray courtesy of Film Movement with an MPEG-4 AVC encode in 1080p high definition. Presented in full frame (at a ratio of 1.33:1), the transfer is certainly a detailed and colorful one. Greens and reds are particularly strong, though skin tones edge toward yellow and whites toward cream (in contrast to the film's original trailer, which is included as an extra on the disc). Black levels appear a bit wonky, exhibiting some crush, and the complete absence of grain suggests a somewhat heavy use of noise reduction tools. The image appears waxy at times, though there's still a great deal of detail to be had; just look at the hay on the ground at the beginning of Chapter 2. Regardless, the film looks far better than its previous Region 2 DVD counterpart. As for the aspect ratio, clearly the film was shot full frame and matted for theatrical exhibition. There is no serious loss of information on the sides of the frame, and there's plenty of head and leg room. Despite the issues, fans should be pleased with the general jump in quality from the previous standard definition release.
The film's audio track is presented in German LPCM 2.0, but don't let the 2.0 fool you: this is a monaural release, with the same sounds coming from both the right and left channels. A quiet film that is entirely dialogue based, voices are clear, and the track is free of the hiss or pops sometimes associated with films of this vintage. Don't go looking for an intricate score to emphasize the melodrama; there isn't one, apart from the opening moments. (Even the closing credits are unusually silent.) Optional English subtitles are included for those who don't know or speak German.
Extras include an archival interview with the late director, which runs a little over two minutes in length. Shot in French, the short offers optional English subtitles. As for the interview itself, it mostly focuses on the links between Rohmer's film and theater interests. Weirdly, it cuts off abruptly, leaving the impression that there was more that wasn't included. There's also an archival interview with star Ganz, which focuses on his work in The Marquise of O. It lasts just shy of three minutes. A scene from the film has been replaced with the high-definition version, which is jarring at first given the low quality of the archival interview.
Also included are two theatrical trailers for the film: an original trailer from the mid-70s, which runs over four minutes in length; and a 2015 re-release trailer featuring images from the film in high definition. Rounding out the list of extras are trailers for other films held by Film Movement: Full Moon in Paris (1:21), Amour Fou (1:44), If You Don't, I Will (1:55), The Pillow Book (1:32), The Tall Blond Man With One Black Shoe (1:22), and Francesco (1:48).
The disc also contains a full color, 12-page booklet with liner notes written by film historian David Thomson, author of The New Biographical Dictionary of Film.
The Final Word:
The Marquise of O isn't for everyone. Most viewers will probably find it too long and uneventful for their tastes, but for discerning viewers interested in European art films, it just might be the film for them. Eric Rohmer's classic is a minimalist gem, an understated work of period art. Film Movement's release suffers from some DNR, but it's a considerable improvement over previous DVD releases, with more detail and sharper greens and reds. There's also an adequate number of extras.
Christopher Workman is a freelance writer, film critic, and co-author (with Troy Howarth) of the Tome of Terror horror film review series. Volume 2 of that series (covering the 1930s) is currently available from Midnight Marquee Press, Inc.
Click on the images below for full sized Blu-ray screen caps!
