Faithful Heart (1923)

When watching classic films, it can often be hard to approach them objectively. For instance, when I went to see Metropolis for the first time last winter, I was expecting a lot from it, because I'd read so much about it. Similarly now, when I watch anything by Murnau or Ozu, I'm expecting a lot from them. Of course, this is inevitably going to lead to disappointment. I can remember going to the cinema to see Superman Returns a few years ago, encouraged by a review declaring it "the best film ever!". Again, it wasn't a bad film, but I couldn't watch it and enjoy it as much, because I was always expecting the moment to come when it suddenly transformed into "the best film ever!". That moment never came, and I left disappointed. However, sometimes (and it's nowhere near as often), a film that you haven't really heard anything about, that's not been made by a well-known director, can come along and completely blow you away.
French director Jean Epstein made Cœur fidèle (Faithful Heart) in 1923, and from what I can glean from IMDb, it was his first full-length feature. The story, devised by Epstein in one evening, is deceptively simple. Marie is working for her adopted parents in a Marseille bar, and is in love with a sensitive dockyard worker, Jean. However, Marie is also wanted by another man, the alcoholic thug Petit Paul. Marie's parents force her to stay with Petit Paul, but Jean follows them and starts a fight with Petit Paul. In the struggle Paul stabs a policeman, but Jean is found responsible for the crime and is forced to spend a year in prison. When he is released, he tracks down Marie and finds her still desperately in love with him, but also now has a  child with Petit Paul, who she lives with. I'll not spoil anymore of the story, but as you can imagine, Petit Paul does not give up easily.

The hapless Jean

So that's the story, which is sensitively acted, and lacking a lot of the over-acting that can often be found in films of this period. The cinematography throughout is amazing, and I was stunned to learn that Epstein was only 26 when he made the film. Though it was made in 1923, we're treated to all sorts of technical camera effects, such as screen wipes (re-popularised by George Lucas' Star Wars) and using diffusion filters over the camera lens when changing shots. This was almost unheard of in 1923, though Abel Gance (responsible for 1927 mega-film Napoleon) had used similar techniques in the French film La Roue, released earlier that year, and noted by Epstein as a major influence on his style. Nevertheless, it's refreshing to see a silent film utilising such methods, and it gives the film a feel of its own. Another good example is the way Epstein utilised the point of view shot - show in the capture of Marie at the top of this post. The film is full of these kind of shots, and again it adds to the uniqueness of Cœur fidèle; compared to most contemporary films, this is fast, exciting stuff.

Watching the film, it reminded me more of F.W. Murnau's masterpiece Sunrise than any other silent film, with its then-revolutionary camera tricks, and simple, almost fable-like story. Though I wouldn't say it had quite got the emotional power of that film, Cœur fidèle is certainly worthy of high praise, and I'm baffled as to why it seems to have been so overlooked critically. My feeling is that because until very recently, it was next to impossible to get hold of this film in a decent print, simply not enough people have seen it. Hopefully that will now change, and Jean Epstein can be counted amongst the greatest filmmakers of his era.