Le Quai des Brumes (Port of Shadows) (1939)

95% of critics liked it
(20 reviews)
89% of users liked it
(2,100 ratings)

Adapted from a novel by Jacques Prevert, Port of Shadows (Quai des brumes) stars that eternal victim of society, Jean Gabin. Having deserted the French army, Gabin ducks into a back alley and meets the lovely Michelle Morgan. He becomes her champion by taking on her evil "protectors" (Michel Simon,… More Adapted from a novel by Jacques Prevert, Port of Shadows (Quai des brumes) stars that eternal victim of society, Jean Gabin. Having deserted the French army, Gabin ducks into a back alley and meets the lovely Michelle Morgan. He becomes her champion by taking on her evil "protectors" (Michel Simon, Pierre Brasseur), but loses his last bid for freedom--and his life--in the process. Irredeemably gloomy, Port of Shadows was a primary influence in the "film noir" genre pursued by Hollywood in the 1940s. The film was the first of three collaborations between writer Jacques Prevert and director Marcel Carne, culminating in the incomparable Les Enfants du Paradis (1944). ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

Rating, Runtime: Unrated, 1 hr. 31 min.
Directed By: Marcel Carné
Written By: Jacques Prevert
Genres: Drama, Romance, Art House & International

In Theaters: Oct 29, 1939 Limited
On DVD: Jul 20, 2004
Studio: Les Films Osso

Critic Reviews

Frank S. Nugent, New York Times
It's a thorough-going study in blacks and grays, without a free laugh in it; but it is also a remarkably beautiful motion picture from the purely pictorial standpoint and a strangely haunting drama.
Dave Kehr, Chicago Reader
The first and probably least of the collaborations between screenwriter Jacques Prevert and director Marcel Carne.
Philip French, Observer [UK]
[A] 1938 masterpiece of poetic realism...
Shaun Munro, What Culture
Carné's thrilling film is an important and undervalued influence on the post-war American noirs of the 1940s.
Miles Fielder, The List
One of the definitive examples of the 'poetic realism' style of French cinema of the pre-war and wartime years...
Peter Bradshaw, Guardian [UK]
Pessimistic, yet strangely sublime.
Leo Robson, Financial Times
The results are frustrating, though Michel Simon is wonderfully vulnerable as the shopkeeper Zabel, who complains about the injustice of loving like Romeo but looking like Bluebeard.
Paul Huckerby, Electric Sheep
What is often forgotten when discussing poetic realism is how entertaining the films are, and none is more so than Le Quai des Brumes.
Philip Concannon, Little White Lies
Marcel Carné's film has fully earned its status as a classic of French poetic realism.
Philip Kemp, Total Film
Predictably, all ends tragically. But mondieu, doesn't it look sublime?
, TV Guide's Movie Guide
This marvelous distillation of the prevailing mood in prewar France was the first feature to win critical acclaim for the directing-writing team of Marcel Carne and Jacques Prevert.
David Parkinson, Empire Magazine
Not a cheerful evening's viewing, this, but a superb and compelling example of melancholic realism.
, Time Out
Shot almost entirely on its main studio set, a waterfront bar, the visuals have the same downbeat poetry as Jacques Prévert's dialogue.
Dennis Schwartz, Ozus' World Movie Reviews
One of the reasons the French so readily accepted the American film noir of the 1940s is because they already had it in the 1930s, and this crime drama is proof of that.
Rumsey Taylor, Not Coming to a Theater Near You
Despite the hospitality of any character in the film, Port of Shadows is a clinical tragedy, and its characters are sentenced to suffer the instant they enter the film.
Jake Euker, Filmcritic.com
A pleasure to watch, and there's much to recommend it. But, like that other poetic realist stalwart Pépé le Moko, what's best about it is its atmosphere of romance.

Read all 16 critic reviews

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Featured Audience Ratings

danny d

an excellent thriller/mystery from marcel carne about a wandering soldier running from his past, but is unable to run from himself. the film has great performances, especially from gabin, and has a perfect running time to tell a simple story but keep the intrigue.
Randy T

The key word here seems to be "atmospheric". This is a film that permeates your space. Jean Gabin (àla<i>The Grand Illusion</i>) is tailor-made for characters with tortured souls and hidden secrets. Wonderfully effective French noir.
Wahida K

Nelly...girl of the waterfront...who at seventeen...had lived far beyond her years
Stella D

beautiful film. wonderful atmosphere. heartbreaking ending. jean gabin is the french bogart. and french gangsters are funny! except when they're not
Veronique K

a lyrically pastoral story about the marginalized vagabonds at some harbor village in france antecedent to WWI....sublimely anchored by the vicissitudinary theme melody and its grandeur misty impressionist photography which is the best phenomenal success in this film....french classic… More
a lyrically pastoral story about the marginalized vagabonds at some harbor village in france antecedent to WWI....sublimely anchored by the vicissitudinary theme melody and its grandeur misty impressionist photography which is the best phenomenal success in this film....french classic actor jean gabin(he's sorta like james steward in america) plays jean, a defected soldier with chivalric bravado rescuing the smolderingly fair nelly from her crabbed gangster suitor and also her incestously morbid guardian. from time to time, they shelter in some shabby cabinet retreat by the shore that is a former tavern in care of ex-cons, street bums or the morally mistrayed painter, in brief, the deserted loners...one of the most memorable subplots for the minor roles would be the suicidal painter who visionalizes death and decay in his works as well as the charismatic dog which chases after jean gabin royally. the foggy scenery foreshadows the tragic undertone in movie, predicting the disastrous heart-ache for the doomed love. the idealistically sad closure might be a bit too corny for certain audience. and jean gabin's knightly behaviors might be a bit too well-schemed for the niche of his masculine decency. but still gabin is one of the archetyped tough guy in the early french b&w cinema. "port of shadows" is the fable-like noirish tale paved with cozy hues in the canvas of realist romanticism to vent the sentiments of ephemeral love.
Walter M

[font=Century Gothic]In "Port of Shadows," Jean(Jean Gabin) has had enough of the army and the violence he has witnessed in Vietnam. He has deserted and made his way to Le Havre, hoping to catch a boat out of France, even without any money. Panama(Delmont) takes pity on… More
[font=Century Gothic]In "Port of Shadows," Jean(Jean Gabin) has had enough of the army and the violence he has witnessed in Vietnam. He has deserted and made his way to Le Havre, hoping to catch a boat out of France, even without any money. Panama(Delmont) takes pity on him and shelters him for the night at his dive. And what an eventful night. First, Jean makes the acquaintance of Nelly(Michele Morgan), a young woman lost in the world. Then, Lucien(Pierre Brasseur), a petty thug, shows up to have a quiet chat with Zabel(Michel Simon) about the whereabouts of Maurice but Panama holds him off forcefully.[/font] [font=Century Gothic][/font] [font=Century Gothic]"Port of Shadows" is a compelling but contrived movie with an ironic ending about the various characters inhabiting the waterfront. The one thing they all have in common is that none are winners in the game of life and they are not judged for that by each other, as camaraderie is the one thing prized above all else. All of this is viewed through Jean's jaded eyes but the movie actually belongs to Nelly as everything revolves around her. After all, Jean is just passing through.[/font]