The film of the week this time is PORT OF SHADOWS.

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0030643/

Lets get back to some arty obscure films. Port of shadows is a fantastic and bleak film that was very ahead of it's time. It's about a military deserter Jean who is hoping to leave on a boat from Le Havre. The city he arrives in however is a dark and morbid place full of violence and dread around every corner. The only true friend Jean has is a small dog he saved from almost being killed. The mood is generally pretty downbeat, so don't watch this if you want to see a nice light romantic comedy. There is romance here, but not the most cheerful kind. Jean eventually meets a woman Neily who unfortunately has two men who love her and don't want to see her leave. This of course creates more tension between her and Jean.

She is constantly surrounded by men who want her, including a gangster. He wants her to leave the city with him, but she isn't as willing as he is hoping. Pretty much everyone else in the film is morally corrupt in some way. You really have to be in the right mood to see this film. If you like dark Noir films then this is the one for you, just don't expect anything nice to happen. It's a tragic masterpiece with some of the best atmosphere I've ever seen. The constant smoke just adds to the dreary mood making escape from the city seem impossible since every road leads to more and more fear and dread.