La Chambre ardente / The Burning Court

Julien Duvivier: La Chambre ardente / The Burning Court (FR/IT 1962). Nadja Tiller as Myra Schneider.

Noiduttu yö / Nattens demoner. FR / IT 1962. PC: UFA / Comacico / Taurus / Laura Cinematografica. D: Julien Duvivier. SC: Duvivier, Charles Spaak – based on the novel The Burning Court (1937) by John Dickson Carr, in Finnish: Noita palaa aina (Viihdeviikarit / Risto Raitio 1987). DP: Roger Fellous. M: Georges Auric. Starring Nadja Tiller (Myra Schneider), Jean-Claude Brialy (Marc), Claude Rich (Stéphane Desgrez), Edith Scob (Marie). 114 min. A vintage print by Valio-Filmi with Finnish / Swedish subtitles. Viewed at Cinema Orion, Helsinki, 29 May 2008. – Good definition of light. – The greedy relatives just waiting for the heritage of the old uncle. The curse of the witch dating to the year 1676. The Black Forest. The counterfeit priest. The library focused on witchcraft. A murder mystery involving ingenious disguises and deceptions. The bizarre funeral instructions of the eccentric uncle. – There are so many double bottoms in this story that it loses something of its impact.