Léon Morin, Priest

Filmmaker Jean-Pierre Melville's reputation rests predominantly on a series of French crime films, but the director (who was active in the Resistance during World War II) also made three movies about life during the Nazi occupation, including Léon Morin, Priest, starring Jean-Paul Belmondo as an unconventional and at times radical young priest and Emmanuelle Riva as an atheist attracted by his intelligence and charm. Adapted from the semi-autobiographical novel by Béatrix Beck, this 1961 feature—set almost entirely in a small French town in the provinces—defies expectations by leaving most of the defining details (German soldiers on the streets, various Resistance activities, and the deportations of Jews) in the margins, focusing instead on the hothouse atmosphere of desire and denial in the private meetings of Léon (Belmondo) and Barny (Riva), a young widow with a half-Jewish daughter. Melville creates a haunting atmosphere of alienation and caution as Barny and her fellow citizens keep their heads down and eyes averted, and the filmmaker is respectful of the church, presenting Léon as both chaste and devoted. A solid chamber drama in which attraction and manipulation rule beneath the theological debates and guarded discussions, Léon Morin, Priest debuts on DVD and Blu-ray with a beautiful transfer. Extras include scene-specific commentary by film professor and Melville expert Ginette Vincendeau, two deleted scenes, and an archival TV interview with Melville and Belmondo. Recommended. (S. Axmaker) [Blu-ray/DVD Review—July 2, 2019—Kino Lorber, 128 min., in French w/English subtitles, not rated, DVD: $19.99, Blu-ray: $29.99—Making its latest appearance on DVD and Blu-ray, 1961’s Léon Morin, Priest features a great transfer and a DTS-HD 2.0 soundtrack on the Blu-ray release. Extras include audio commentary by filmmaker and historian Mike Siegel, a 'Master Class' with filmmakers Philippe Labro and Rémy Grumbach (61 min.), 'The Demon Within Him' interview with assistant director Volker Schlöndorff (30 min.), and director Jean-Pierre Melville’s 1946 short '24 heures de la vie d’un clown' (19 min.). Bottom line: for those who don’t already own the Criterion release—which features different extras—this is a fine edition to pick up.]