Robert Eggers has become well known for his exquisite period detail.
With the success of his films like The Witch and Nosferatu, Eggers seems to have unlocked a strong interest in folk and period horror. His influences are highly sought after, and fortunately Film at Lincoln Center will be showcasing their Conjuring Nosferatu: Robert Eggers Presents series, where Eggers will curate films that influenced his work. I had the opportunity to check out the 1949 thriller The Queen of Spades, an excellent haunting feature that frankly is more relevant than ever in our maddening status-based economy.
The Queen of Spades follows Capt. Herman Suvorin (Anton Walbrook) a poor army officer who’s searching for a way to increase his status and the size of his pockets. He stumbles on a book that tells the tale of a woman who sold her soul for a card trick that won her a fortune playing Faro. Inspired, he tracks down the woman seeking to learn the secret card trick by any means necessary. Directed by Thorold Dickinson (Gaslight 1940), he brilliantly uses shadows and snow to build the film’s atmosphere, reflecting the corrupting nature of Suvorin’s greed. He liters most of the outdoor scenes with beggars and upper-class military men, highlighting the class inequality that informs Suvorin’s greed and insecurity. Dickinson crafts a world that perfectly reflects how Suvorin sees himself, small and trapped, and how his hunger for wealth and status only plunges him further into darkness.
In addition to Dickinson’s strong direction, Walbrook gives a chilling performance as Captain Suvorin. He anchors the film brutally, perfectly capturing Suvorin’s growing desperation and madness. His subtle fascial ticks and intense gaze really show a man barely keeping it together. You can feel his self-loathing budding into entitlement and ruthlessness as he worms and manipulates his way closer to learning the secret card trick, not caring who he hurts along the way. It’s a brilliant performance that guides the film into horror territory.
The Queen of Spades is an intense film that hides its dark heart in a waft of elegance. It’s beautiful costuming and protection design informs both Dickinson’s themes and Suvorin’s characterization. It’s tension and creeping atmosphere all builds to a fantastic finale that left me haunted and ecstatic all at once. The Queen of Spades was tremendous fun, check it out while you can see it in the series.
The Queen of Spades will be playing at the Walter Reade Theater on February 7th & 9th.
