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Manon – Arrow Academy (Blu-ray)

Theatrical Release Date: France, 1949
Director: Henri-Georges Clouzot
Writers: Jean Ferry, Henri-Georges Clouzot
Cast: Serge Reggiani, Michel Auclair, Cécile Aubry, Andrex, Raymond Souplex, André Valmy, Henri Vilbert, Héléna Manson, Dora Doll

Release Date: February 24th, 2020 (UK), February 25th, 2020 (USA)
Approximate Running Time: 105 Minutes 58 Seconds
Aspect Ratio: 1.37:1 Aspect Ratio / 1080 Progressive / MPEG-4 AVC
Rating: 12 (UK), NR (USA)
Sound: LPCM Mono French
Subtitles: English
Region Coding: Region A,B
Retail Price: £24.99 (UK), $39.95 (USA)

"A classical tragic romance transposed to a World War II setting, Clouzot's film follows the travails of Manon (Cécile Aubry), a village girl accused of collaborating with the Nazis who is rescued from imminent execution by a former French Resistance fighter (Michel Auclair). The couple move to Paris, but their relationship turns stormy as they struggle to survive, resorting to profiteering, prostitution and even murder. Eventually escaping to Palestine, the pair attempt a treacherous desert crossing in search of the happiness which seems to forever elude them..." - synopsis provided by the distributor

Video: 3.75/5

Here’s the information provided about this release's transfer, "The master was prepared in High Definition by Les Films du Jeudi and delivered to Arrow Films."

Manon comes on a 50 GB dual layer Blu-ray.

Disc Size: 46.5 GB

Feature: 28.7 GB

There are some variances in terms of image clarity, contrast, black levels, and grain. The majority of the time, the image looks great and far exceeds expectations.

Audio: 3.75/5

This release comes with one audio option, a LPCM mono mix in French with removable English subtitles. The audio sounds clean, clear, and balanced. That said, range-wise, this audio track is satisfactory.

Extras:

Extras for this release include an image gallery (63 images - stills/lobby cards/posters), an appreciation by film critic Geoff Andrew titled Woman in the Dunes (22 minutes 21 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), an archival documentary from 1970 in which Henri-Georges Clouzot talks of his love of literature and the relationship between the page and the screen titled Bibliotechque de poche: H.G. Clouzot (46 minutes 26 seconds, Dolby Digital mono French with removable English subtitles), reversible cover art, and a 24-page booklet (limited to the first pressing) with cast & crew information, an essay titled Manon: Misogyny and Amour Fou in the ‘Gigantic Rat-Race of the Liberation’ written by Ginette Vincendeau and information about the transfer.

Summary:

Henri-Georges Clouzot directed Manon. He is also known for directing Quai des Orfèvres, The Wages of Fear, Diabolique, La verité, and Woman in Chains.

A former member of the French resistance rescues a woman who was a Nazi sympathizer from a lynch mob.

Henri-Georges Clouzot’s Manon takes Antoine François Prévost's 18th-century novel and adapts it for post-World War II France. Though the source has been considerably changed, the result is a film that retains its essence.

At the heart of Manon is a tale about two lovers, Robert Desgrieux, a former member of the French Nazis; an act of kindness saves a young woman named Manon Lescaut from a mob who want to shave her head for collaborating with the Nazis. Structure-wise, Manon’s narrative unfolds via a series of flashbacks that occur after the captain of the boat they’re traveling on discovers Robert’s a wanted man. In the finale, the two characters' moment of truth takes place in the present, after they’ve departed the boat.

Content-wise, Manon has all the elements that have become synonymous with Henri-Georges Clouzot's cinema, most notably, his knack for creating tense moments. Nowhere is this clearer, then, when it comes to Manon and Robert’s turbulent romance. Standout moments include the scene where Robert rescues Manon from a mob, the scene where Manon’s betrayal leads to murder, and a desert sequence that culminates the film.

Another strength of Manon is its well-defined characters, and performance-wise, the entire cast is excellent. That said, Cécile Aubry's (The Black Rose) portrayal of Manon is this film’s heart and soul. Michel Auclair’s (The Day of the Jackal) portrayal of Manon’s lover Robert is another performance of note. Their chemistry is undeniable, and the scenes they share are mesmerizing.

From a production standpoint, there’s not an area where Manon does not excel. A perfectly paced narrative that gives key moments to resonate, a bittersweet finale that provides a satisfying coda, and the visuals do a superb job of reinforcing the mood. Ultimately, Manon is an extraordinary tale about obsessive love.

Manon gets a first-rate release from Arrow Academy that comes with a strong audio/video presentation and a trio of insightful extras, recommended.