Controversial, edgy, tasteless and taboo are just a few words that have been used to describe the movie that I will be reviewing today. If there was ever a love it or loathe it film – this may be it. It has been chosen by the acclaimed company Criterion as being one of their ‘important classic and contemporary films’ and many film afficionados have lauded it, yet others have absolutely trashed it – with legend Roger Ebert proclaiming that it is “as nasty as it is lubricious, a despicable attempt to titillate us by exploiting memories of persecution and suffering”. I will leave it to you to decide.
Released in 1974, Liliana Cavani’s The Night Porter is as controversial as they come. The story follows a man living in the dark – namely Max (Dirk Bogarde), a night porter at an opulent hotel in Vienna, circa 1957. The man is a former sadistic German SS officer who fancied himself a doctor as he helped run one of the camps that was created to hold dissidents in Italy during World War II. He was not really a doctor and he solely used this cover to fulfil his true passion – taking videos of the prisoners in the camp (something that did happen during the war).
The story interestingly flashes back and forth between these two eras as we watch the man fall under the charm of the quite young Lucia (Charlotte Rampling) – the daughter of an Italian fascist that the Nazi’s felt threatened by. As you can imagine, the depiction of any concentration camp during the war is disturbing, and Max surely puts Lucia through her paces, yet there is something within her that changes the man, at least a bit (as he both harms and protects her). It is implied by one of Max’s compatriots that his other ‘patients’ were killed by him, yet it appears that the officer has a unique fondness for this young lady.
In the present, Lucia, who is now married to a famous American opera singer, walks into the same hotel Max works at (be it by chance or fate). As they glance into each others eyes, we see a plethora of emotion, including fear, angst, confusion and shock.
What we also learn is that Max is still surrounded by a number of his fellow SS officers, a group that is led by Hans (Gabriele Ferzetti). Each man takes a turn at delving into his past in order to erase any documents or witnesses that may pose a threat to the freedom of the group in the future. And Max is the next man up for one of these forays.
We learn that the group has highlighted Lucia as a possible threat (as she is the only one of Max’s ‘patients’ that is thought to have survived), yet Max does not give her up. There is some sort of unfathomable connection between them. Even Lucia, despite her better judgement, decides to prolong her stay at the Viennese hotel – telling her husband that she will meet up with him later on in the tour (despite the fact she has still not talked to her former captor).
Eventually, the two do come together in a rather unorthodox (at least to us) first meeting – forever changing the paths that they had been following in life. As we watch the woman leave the historic building, we wonder where she is going, only to find out that she has been given a key to Max’s humble abode.
The two return to their rather reckless routine from twelve years earlier – sharing some sort of sadomasochistic love. Yet, Max’s former friends are worried by this new twist of fate. They do not trust in love lasting forever and see her as a probable pitfall as they try to hide their past deeds. As the couple cloister themselves in Max’s tiny apartment and try to live their lives, the former officers begin to close ranks around them – cutting off their supply lines, so to speak. Will the two be able to figure out a way to survive or will their sordid past lead to a tragic conclusion?
The Night Porter is a film that is truly worth analysing. After each viewing, it is likely that you will pull something away from it and may come to a different conclusion. Can we simply write off Lucia’s actions as being connected to the Stockholm Syndrome? Is it possible for two seemingly different people, who perhaps have a cruel streak running through their veins, to fall for each other in this type of situation? Are their actions just an example of two people who are running from their past, present and future?
Another interesting aspect of the film is regret. It seems that Max is in some ways remorseful of his past actions – he is often compared to living life like a church mouse. He is also a man who lives in the shadows of the night. In a thought-provoking conversation that takes place between the SS officers on a rooftop, we learn of their perspectives on whether they would perform the same actions again if they had the chance. Other questions will likely come from this – is it enough to be ashamed and regretful of past actions? Can human beings truly change?
Liliana Cavani creates a motion picture that is visually arresting. Filmed mostly in a cool palette – featuring moody greys and stone, helps to create a fitting vibe for the subject matter. The way in which she edits together past and present is mesmerizing, finding perfect segues (including when Lucia finds a similar dress to the one she was given in the camp) to tie in the transitions between the two times.
It is hard to fathom playing a role such as this – and you wonder how heated it truly gets between an acting couple under these circumstances. Cavani (in a Criterion interview) recalls filming the twosome’s first scene – Rampling soon told her that they couldn’t do too many more takes as Bogarde was actually hitting her (and it would soon show up on her visage). Though this would likely not happen today, it illustrates why some of the actions on screen look so realistic.
The film also contains the controversial scene where Rampling’s Lucia sings topless (with suspenders on) in front of a number of SS officers. Perhaps it is at this point that I should highlight her impressive, daring performance. It is truly astounding. Bogarde is also strong in his complex role. Some of the supporting actors struggle a bit, but it does not take away from the film as a whole.
This exploitative type of cinema became quite popular in the 1970s. Nazi subject films such as Salon Kitty (about a real life brothel that was used by the Nazis to gather intelligence) and Ilsa, She Wolf of the SS, are just two examples of this bizarre sub-genre, though The Night Porter can be seen as a more highbrow attempt that tries to delve into deeper issues, rather than simply creating a sexploitation picture.
What can be said about The Night Porter? Is it a complex case study of how these two people compulsively repeat the follies from their past? Or is it an exploitative piece of cinema that simply aims at drawing people in by way of a controversial subject? Can it be both? I know I am throwing a lot of questions out there because this movie does not provide simple answers. Each and every person will have a different perspective and/or reaction while watching this very unorthodox art house piece. So, cloister yourself away and watch this controversial motion picture. . . and let me know what you think.