Review of The Queen of Spades (1949) by Trent R — 13 Jun 2009

Brilliantly executed, this classic symbolically contrasts Russian iconography of the Virgin Mary with the face card of the title. The protagonist is decidedly anti-heroic, a cynical pragmatist whose manically Napoleonic ambitions are countered by his wariness of uncertainty. He differs from type in that there is no appeal to reason or science in his rejection of both extremes, Christian morality and hedonism, as personified by the Virgin and the Queen.

Seeing a chance to realize his obsessions after learning a supernatural secret to beating the odds, he'll stop at nothing. Even using romantic love to meet his ends. Dame Edith Evans' performance carries over stage mannerisms from her career which, though not an intentional reference to Tchaikovsky's opera of this story, are fantastically appropriate in this context. She is a withered Countess, haunted by her Faustian bargain with the Cagliostro-like Count of St. Germain.

The constrained sets and cinematography convey a sense of paranoid claustrophobia amid opulence. The story lags a slight bit in the middle, but is incredibly economical as the Narcissistic officer unwittingly engages in what seems an increasingly noirish pursuit. For genre fans this is a treat, though some degree of patience and engagement are required.