The Pale Blue Eye Review: A Dark Adaptation Lacking in Nuance and Poetry

Scott Cooper’s film adaptation of Louis Bayard’s novel, The Pale Blue Eye, pales in comparison to its source material but manages to capture the dark mood.

You’ve heard it before, time and time again, that the book is always better. And you’re going to hear it now.

Bayard’s historical saga drips with exquisite prose and finds beauty in the macabre with a dark and twisted story. The film executes that story well but with none of the poetry and nuance that the book has in spades.

However, the aesthetics do match up. The cinematography is stunning with stark landscapes and gothic locations—the ice house being the most intriguing, both inside and out. The deep chill can practically be felt through the screen.

West Point Military Academy in 1830 is shown as quite a dreary place; oppressed with the bright, white snowfall as a deceptive antiseptic to the grisly murder mystery. This echoes how Augustus Landor (Christian Bale) views the institution as well as the leaders of the school who are desperate to avoid public scandal.

Hitchcock: Mr. Landor, do you harbor a latent hostility towards this Academy?
Landor: I do believe that the Academy takes away a young man’s will. It fences him with regulations and rules. Deprives him of reason. It makes him less human.  

Cadet Edgar Allan Poe (Harry Melling) goes against the norm and hence the rigid conformity of the school. He sneaks out to drink at the local tavern and regularly disregards restrictions imposed on the student body. He invites his crush to the cemetery rather than the usual romantic locales his classmates frequent.

And because he is different, he stands out and is singled out, even claiming to Landor that “If I had a thousand lifetimes, I could not begin to address all the injuries that have been done to me.”

The character of Augustus Landor is not boring by any means, but somehow Bale manages to make this gruff, guarded ex-cop rather dull. As a result, it does lessen the impact of some big reveals and major plot points.

Reading the book, I had put a rough, leather-cracked voice to the detective. Then, upon learning that Bale would play the role, I had no doubt it would match my expectation, considering Bale’s take on the voice of a certain caped crusader.

There’s nothing discerning about it, though; and as minor as one character’s voice is in the overall film, it doesn’t do the story any favors. In fact, I believe it detracts from the dark mood and atmosphere. 

Conversely, Melling’s Poe is animated, has a distinct way of speaking with inky flourishes and an accent that, at times, comes close to caricature. Although I may feel it’s a bit on the grandiose side, I can appreciate it because it fits—in the film itself and as the adaptation of the original story as well. 

That being said, it is an impressive performance with many layered emotions, and Melling certainly looks the part—it is perfect casting. His is a sensitive and passionate take on the poet as a young man, and he steals the scenes when one-on-one with Bale’s Landor.

On the subject of casting, the supporting characters bring a lot to the film.

Both Timothy Spall and Simon McBurney seem plucked right out of the 19th century, looking so authentic in their roles as Superintendent Thayer and Captain Hitchcock. Their interactions with Landor give a sense of urgency and tension to the tale, especially in contrast to the more subdued detective. 

Gillian Anderson does justice and then some to the character of Mrs. Marquis. Her introduction in the book is so descriptive and compelling, and Anderson infuses all of that into her scenes—her outburst at the dinner table being a highlight.

Toby Jones as Dr. Marquis, Harry Lawtey as Artemus, and Lucy Boynton as Lea complete the peculiar family around which the mystery revolves, and are captivating every step of the way, culminating in the final scenes in the ice house.

The twisty whodunnit translates to the film adequately. Enthralling performances—with the exception of Bale’s prosaic turn—keep the viewer invested. The chilling beauty of the snowy New York highlands lends itself as a character, too. The vivid blue of the cadets’ uniforms against the colorless backdrop is particularly affecting.

The Pale Blue Eye has a lot going for it but what it lacks is effectively exploring poetic connections as well as the deep emotions and meanings involved in telling this tale in a cinematic way.

What did you think of The Pale Blue Eye? Share your thoughts in the comments below!

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The Pale Blue Eye is now streaming on Netflix.

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