Marcel Carné

Les visiteurs du soir

Les visiteurs du soir

A work of poetry and dark humor, Les visiteurs du soir is a lyrical medieval fantasy from the great French director Marcel Carné. Two strangers dressed as minstrels (Arletty and Alain Cuny) arrive at a castle in advance of court festivities—and are revealed to be emissaries of the devil, dispatched to spread heartbreak and suffering. Their plans, however, are thwarted by an unexpected intrusion: human love. Often interpreted as an allegory for the Nazi occupation of France, during which it was made, Les visiteurs du soir—wittily written by Jacques Prévert and Pierre Laroche, and elegantly designed by Alexandre Trauner and shot by Roger Hubert—is a moving tale of love conquering all.

Film Info

  • France
  • 1942
  • 121 minutes
  • Black & White
  • 1.33:1
  • French
  • Spine #626

Special Features

  • New digital restoration, with uncompressed monaural soundtrack on the Blu-ray edition
  • L’aventure des “Visiteurs du soir,” a 2009 documentary on the making of the film
  • Trailer
  • New English subtitle translation
  • PLUS: A booklet featuring a new essay by film critic Michael Atkinson

Cover based on an original set design painting by Alexandre Trauner

Purchase Options

Special Features

  • New digital restoration, with uncompressed monaural soundtrack on the Blu-ray edition
  • L’aventure des “Visiteurs du soir,” a 2009 documentary on the making of the film
  • Trailer
  • New English subtitle translation
  • PLUS: A booklet featuring a new essay by film critic Michael Atkinson

Cover based on an original set design painting by Alexandre Trauner

Les visiteurs du soir
Cast
Arletty
Dominique
Marie Déa
Anne
Fernand Ledoux
Baron Hugues
Alain Cuny
Gilles
Marcel Herrand
Renaud
Jules Berry
The devil
Credits
Director
Marcel Carné
Screenplay
Jacques Prévert
Screenplay
Pierre Laroche
Producer
André Paulvé
Cinematography
Roger Hubert
Original music
Joseph Kosma
Original music
Maurice Thiriet
Art director
Alexandre Trauner
Editor
Henri Rust

Current

Les visiteurs du soir: Love in the Ruins
Les visiteurs du soir: Love in the Ruins

Marcel Carné’s tale of love and devilry in medieval France was a sensation during the German occupation.

By Michael Atkinson