THE PALE BLUE EYE

US, 2022, 128 minutes, Colour.

Christian Bale, Harry Melling, Gillian Anderson, Lucy Boynton, Toby Jones, Timothy Spall, Robert Duvall, Fred Hechinger, Charlotte Gainsbourg, Charlie Tahan, Simon McBurney, Hadley Robinson, Harry Lawty.

Directed by Scott Cooper.

What do we know of the celebrated 19^th-century American writer, Edgar Allan Poe? Many of his stories, certainly, remembering the film versions from the 1960s by Roger Corman with Vincent Price, and his poems.  In fact, Poe was a strange mixture, adopted as a child, clashing with the adoptive parents, a talent for writing, editing a magazine, a famous literary critic, a key inspiration for the development of detective stories…

Here is a story about the young Poe, a fictionalised story but grounded in his life as well as in his literary imagination. And it begins with a quote from Poe about the line between life and death, and the pale blue eye of death.

Audiences who enjoy period dramas, who enjoy crime mysteries and their solution, will find this tale quite compelling. And, there are some twists to surprise.

The setting is upper New York state, the military Academy at West Point, the winter of 1830. And a snowclad winter it is. There has been a mysterious death at West Point, a student hanged, then, at the autopsy, the realisation that his heart has been cut from his body. Needless to say, the authorities are alarmed and decide to call in a veteran investigator, Augustus Landor, who had solved a number of cases successfully in the past.

The film does focus a lot of attention on the character and personality of Augustus Landor, yet another excellent performance from Christian Bale. Landor is a widower, his daughter disappeared, a brooding man, working slowly, observing, interrogating, following clues. But he asks the authorities for the assistance of a West Point cadet. He is approached by Poe, a mysterious cadet, mysterious -looking, who suggests that the murderer is a poet. Poe is, in fact, flattered to be invited to help with the investigation and he mixes with fellow students, ingratiates himself with a rather exclusive club, meets with Landor, but is also attracted to the daughter of the local doctor who suffers from seizures. (All important for the development of the plot.)

Poe is played by the British actor, Harry Melling – and, if one looks at portraits of Poe online, Melling does resemble him, an unusual face (to advantage in the Harry Potter films, in The Ballad of Buster Scruggs and, particularly, the sinister pastor in The Devil All the Time). He certainly makes a complex and intriguing character.

Interestingly, most of the central cast is British, including Toby Jones as the doctor, Timothy Spall as the superintendent of West Point. There is an interesting cameo from Robert Duvall (aged 90) as an expert on the occult. Lucy Boynton is the young woman and Gillian Armstrong as her often overwrought mother. Charlotte Gainsbourg serves at the local inn.

The murders are solved – but not quite in the way we anticipated.

One might call The Pale Blue Eye a brooding film – intriguing and inviting us to experience the brooding.

1. The title? The quotation from Poe about life and death? Death and its blue eye?
2. Audience knowledge of Edgar Allan Poe? His writings, poetry, stories, horror and the macabre, the development of the detective story, his work as a literary critic, his own life, marriage to his 13-year-old cousin, addictions, his death?
3. This film as a fiction, speculation about the young Poe, his background, adoption and family, his independence, going to West Point? Developing his character, in working with Augustus Landor? Detection, surveillance? His romantic eye, chivalry?
4. This fiction as murder mystery, detection, connection with the occult? In West point? Westpoint and its reputation? The government?
5. The introduction to Landor, in the winter, by the stream, silent and meditative, the approach of the military? His age, the summary of his reputation and detection? The background of the death of his wife, the disappearance of his daughter? The effect on him?
6. The authorities at West Point, the cadet hanging, his kneeling position, the cadet who found him, in the dark, the mysterious person with the uniform lacking bars, the autopsy, the hearts cut out?
7. Dr Marquis, his role as a doctor, at West Point, the examination, Landor finding the contusions in the neck, the doctor and his apology, later scenes of his family life, his son, the cadet, his wife, the touches of hysteria, his daughter, beautiful, sensitive, the epileptic -like fits, concern about her health? The family together? The meals, the melodrama with the mother at the table, aftermath, calming down, the daughter playing the piano?
8. Landor, the military relying on him, the superintendent, his concern, talking with Landor, Washington issues? In Hitchcock, his authority, dislike of Landor, yet respect for his work, the later apology? His continued presence and interrogation?
9. Landor, the in, Patsy, and his relationship with her, confiding in her, her asking questions, her role at the inn?
10. Landor and his decision to want a cadet to observe for him? The initial encounter with Poe, at the inn, his observing Patsy, observing Landor, talking about a poet being the killer? The interview with Landor, his agreement to observe, their meetings, the note at the foot of the statue (and its later relevance with the writing)? Landor and the slip of paper, the quote, the writing, Poe and his speculations concerning what was on the paper? Arranging the meeting at the Landing, to come soon?
11. Poe and the other cadets, Marquis and his spurning, Poe becoming credible, invited to the group, their time together, talking, gambling, the other members of the group? Their friendship? But the death of Fry? The mystery? The next death, hanging, the heart are missing? The previous encounter of the cadet with the Landor? The next cadet disappearing?
12. Landor and his suspicions of something of the cult, Satan? Going to consult the experts, the old veteran, his library, his indication of activities, the heart?
13. Poe, his gallantry, the Marquis family, invited to meals, the attraction to Leah, going for the walk, sharing, poetic, romantic, gallant? Her fit and the consequences?
14. Landor and the further investigations, visiting and revisiting the crime scene? Speculations?
15. The revelation about the family, the conspiracy, the ancestor and his crew and influence, his portrait, the touch of the cult, taking hearts, blood ceremonies, Leah at the centre, the participation, the motivations, the presence of the parents, the connivance of the mother and her desperate behaviour, the participation of the doctor?
16. The climax, Landor, the confrontation, the fire, the cadet killed by the falling burning log, the family and the destruction? Leah and her death?
17. The solving of the mystery, the appreciation of the authorities?
18. The significant twist, Poe and is coming to visit Landor, Poe reconstructing what happened, the true story of his daughter’s disappearance, the story of the rape under the bridge, the three cadets, Landor and his decision about revenge, hanging Fry? The irony of the coincidence of the family wanting a dead body, the heart and taking it? The murder of the second participant in the rape?
19. Poe, the challenge to Landor, his detection because of the writing on the two notes, his burning the note, leaving to Landor to himself?
20. Landor, the torment, memories of his daughter, desperate, happy days, the rape and the aftermath, her going to the cliff top, throwing herself over? Landor returning to the spot – and the audience being left to speculate on what he would do?