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Port of Shadows

Original title: Le quai des brumes
  • 19381938
  • Not RatedNot Rated
  • 1h 31m
IMDb RATING
7.7/10
9.1K
YOUR RATING
  • Cast & crew
  • User reviews
  • Trivia
  • IMDbPro
Michèle Morgan and Jean Gabin in Le quai des brumes (1938)
Trailer for Port of Shadows
Play trailer2:25
1 Video
99+ Photos
  • Crime
  • Drama
  • Romance

A military deserter finds love and trouble (and a small dog) in a foggy, French port city.A military deserter finds love and trouble (and a small dog) in a foggy, French port city.A military deserter finds love and trouble (and a small dog) in a foggy, French port city.

IMDb RATING
7.7/10
9.1K
YOUR RATING
  • Director
    • Marcel Carné
  • Writers
    • Pierre Mac Orlan(novel)
    • Jacques Prévert(scenario and dialogue)
  • Stars
    • Jean Gabin
    • Michel Simon
    • Michèle Morgan
Top credits
  • Director
    • Marcel Carné
  • Writers
    • Pierre Mac Orlan(novel)
    • Jacques Prévert(scenario and dialogue)
  • Stars
    • Jean Gabin
    • Michel Simon
    • Michèle Morgan
  • See production, box office & company info
    • 58User reviews
    • 54Critic reviews
  • See more at IMDbPro
    • Awards
      • 6 wins & 1 nomination

    Videos1

    Port of Shadows
    Trailer 2:25
    Port of Shadows

    Photos110

    Michèle Morgan and Jean Gabin in Le quai des brumes (1938)
    Michèle Morgan in Le quai des brumes (1938)
    Jean Gabin and Michel Simon in Le quai des brumes (1938)
    Michèle Morgan in Le quai des brumes (1938)
    Michel Simon in Le quai des brumes (1938)
    Michèle Morgan and Jean Gabin in Le quai des brumes (1938)
    Jean Gabin in Le quai des brumes (1938)
    Michèle Morgan in Le quai des brumes (1938)
    Jean Gabin in Le quai des brumes (1938)
    Le quai des brumes (1938)
    Le quai des brumes (1938)
    Le quai des brumes (1938)

    Top cast

    Edit
    Jean Gabin
    Jean Gabin
    • Jeanas Jean
    Michel Simon
    Michel Simon
    • Zabelas Zabel
    Michèle Morgan
    Michèle Morgan
    • Nellyas Nelly
    Pierre Brasseur
    Pierre Brasseur
    • Lucienas Lucien
    Édouard Delmont
    Édouard Delmont
    • Panamaas Panama
    • (as Delmont)
    Raymond Aimos
    Raymond Aimos
    • Quart Vittelas Quart Vittel
    • (as Aimos)
    Robert Le Vigan
    Robert Le Vigan
    • Le peintreas Le peintre
    • (as Le Vigan)
    René Génin
    René Génin
    • Le docteuras Le docteur
    • (as Genin)
    Marcel Pérès
    Marcel Pérès
    • Le chauffeuras Le chauffeur
    • (as Perez)
    Jenny Burnay
    Jenny Burnay
    • L'amie de Lucienas L'amie de Lucien
    Roger Legris
    Roger Legris
    • Le garçon d'hôtelas Le garçon d'hôtel
    • (as Legris)
    Martial Rèbe
    • Le clientas Le client
    Léo Malet
    • Soldieras Soldier
    • (uncredited)
    Marcel Melrac
      Raymond Pélissier
        Raphaël
        • Un compliceas Un complice
        • (uncredited)
        Jacques Soukoff
        • Lucien's henchmanas Lucien's henchman
        • (uncredited)
        Gaby Wagner
        • Compliceas Complice
        • (uncredited)
        • Director
          • Marcel Carné
        • Writers
          • Pierre Mac Orlan(novel)
          • Jacques Prévert(scenario and dialogue)
        • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro
        • All cast & crew

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        Storyline

        Edit
        Life's a rotten business, says Jean, a deserter who arrives at night in Le Havre, looking to leave the country. He lucks into civilian clothes, a little bit of money, a passport, and a dog, and he also meets Nelly, a 17-year-old who's grown up too fast. She's the object of lust of men: including a boyfriend Maurice, her putative protector Zabel, and Lucien, a local hood. Jean falls for her, faces down Lucien, and gives her courage to stand on her own feet. A ship is leaving for Venezuela; can at least one of them be on it, or is that just a dream? —<jhailey@hotmail.com>
        • barometer
        • reference to panama
        • reference to venezuela
        • port
        • ship
        • 143 more
        • Plot summary
        • Add synopsis
        • Taglines
          • Tender...frankly adult. Filled with almost every emotion known to man
        • Genres
          • Crime
          • Drama
          • Romance
          • Thriller
        • Certificate
          • Not Rated
        • Parents guide

        Did you know

        Edit
        • Trivia
          Some may notice that the Le Havre setting, while realistic, seems to have a slightly strange perspective. This is because the streets were constructed with a "false perspective" technique: the buildings were gradually scaled down in size the farther they go into the background; when shot with the proper camera lens, such a street will seem to stretch away from the camera up to four times longer than it actually does.
        • Goofs
          When Jean and Nelly have their picture taken, they are standing close together. After a brief cut to the photographer who instructs them not to move anymore, there is a clear gap between them.
        • Quotes

          Quart Vittel: What could be simpler than a tree?

          Le peintre: A tree. But when I paint one, it sets everyone on edge. It's because there's someone or something hidden behind that tree. I can't help painting what's hidden behind things. To me a swimmer is already a drowned man.

        • Connections
          Edited into Histoire(s) du cinéma: La monnaie de l'absolu (1999)

        User reviews58

        Review
        Top review
        hauntingly sad French masterpiece
        I've just seen Port of Shadows for the first time in my life, and I must say I really liked it. I'm already a great admirer of old black & white pictures, and I enjoyed The Great Illusion as well. This one is rather different from Illusion, though from the same era and also with Jean Gabin as the quintessential Frenchman. It's hauntingly sad, quietly emotional, and even if it's a bit dated in some places (the pathetic hood played by Brasseur) it still manages to creep up on you and leaves you absorbed with the motifs of human loneliness and the not unreasonable, but ultimately impossible human dream of happiness. So it's not a laugh-riot, and you don't leave the cinema with a happy feeling, but you do feel good about having seen it. It's a masterpiece in French cinema history, Jean Gabin is ideal as the tough-as-butter soldier with a doomed soft spot for Michéle Morgan's beautiful waif, and in the end all you remember is the quiet mists of Le Havre harbor, and the sense of ill-fate and lost chances. Not to mention the beautiful eyes of a very young Morgan!
        helpful•37
        3
        • ingemann2000
        • Dec 13, 2004

        Details

        Edit
        • Release date
          • October 29, 1939 (United States)
        • Country of origin
          • France
        • Language
          • French
        • Also known as
          • Obala v megli
        • Filming locations
          • Le Havre, Seine-Maritime, France
        • Production company
          • Ciné-Alliance
        • See more company credits at IMDbPro

        Box office

        Edit
        • Gross US & Canada
          • $27,389
        • Opening weekend US & Canada
          • $6,618
          • Sep 16, 2012
        • Gross worldwide
          • $39,623
        See detailed box office info on IMDbPro

        Technical specs

        Edit
        • Runtime
          1 hour 31 minutes
        • Color
          • Black and White
        • Aspect ratio
          • 1.33 : 1

        Related news

        Gabin Goes Gold in Becker’s Touchez Pas au Grisbi (1954) | Blu-ray Review
        Aug 13IONCINEMA.com
        Carne Spins Fatal Attractions in Port of Shadows (1938) | Blu-ray Review
        Aug 13IONCINEMA.com

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