There’s no doubt retrospective irony in Renoir’s minimally-talented wife Catherine Hessling starring in this role of Zola’s talentless courtesan Nana. The problem with the film is that the exclusively interior sets focus attention on Hessling’s character in a way that La Fille de l’Eau didn’t – in the latter film, the natural setting is as an important a character in the film as anyone. Hessling adopts a histrionic, overdone performance style (and a bizarrely overdone makeup style) which clashes with the more controlled,restrained, and convincing style of the male leads (e.g. Werner Krauss). The enormous sets look great, but you can’t escape the grotesque performance at the centre of the film.
by Ian Johnston | Source: Lions Gate DVD
20 Jun 2007 2:21 PM | Submit Comment