Summary
An elderly alchemist, Henri Faust, retires from his post as professor of a university,
disappointed that even after 50 years of study he has still not unravelled the secrets
of nature. One evening he receives a visit from the Devil's agent, Mephistopheles,
who offers Faust the chance to relive his life again. Faust is reluctant to accept
the offer but finds himself transformed into a much younger man. Although he is
delighted with his new-found youth, Faust still refuses to sign away his soul to the Devil.
The cunning Mephistopheles perseveres with his diabolical scheme, offering Faust untold
wealth, fame and the undying love of a beautiful princess. In the end, the temptation
proves too much for Faust and he agrees to the infernal contract...
Review
René Clair’s telling of the Faustian myth is a characteristically tongue in cheek
rendition of the famous tale, reminiscent in style to his earlier American film, I
Married a Witch (1942). Both films rely heavily on special effects and unusual
photography to emphasise the supernatural elements of the plot, but in a way that is intentionally
comical. Clair's fantasy films are far closer to children's picture books or pantomime
than to the works of H.G.Wells or R.L. Stevenson, and therein lies the charm of La
Beauté du diable.
As in many of Clair’s films, the film works at many levels, containing topical references
(jncluding some brilliant satire), profound philosophical statements, and an abundance
of Clair’s humorous dry wit. Unfortunately, the film is less coherent than
Clair's greater works and depends far more on its lead actors than it should to
hold the thing together.
Both Michel Simon and Gérard Philipe are captivating at the pair Faust and Mephistopheles,
cunningly switching their roles at the start of the film and forming a bizarre double
act. For the most part, Philipe plays the conventional romantic hero, the kind of
role for which he is best known. Far more interesting is his mischievous portrayal
of the young Mephistopheles, which is just as sinister as it is amusing. Michel
Simon's Mephistopheles is no less interesting, an energetic, unashamedly over-the-top
performance which is tirelessly entertaining.
Interestingly, Clair’s initial motivation for making the film was to put right what he
thought was a structural fault in the original Faust story. Whether he succeeded
in that is a matter of personal judgement, but this is certainly an engaging and diabolically
witty piece of cinema.
© James Travers 2002
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