THE NIGHT HEAVEN FELL

France, 1958, 97 minutes, Colour.
Brigitte Bardot, Alida Valli, Stephen Boyd, Jose Nieto, Fernando Rey.
Directed by Roger Vadim.

The Night Heaven Fell is a rather lurid melodrama, set in Spain, with some French and Spanish characters.

The film was directed by Roger Vadim, who had married Brigitte Bardot and had starred her in And God Created Woman. Vadim was to go on to a two-decade career making films with glamorous leading ladies, several of whom he married (Annette Stroyberg, Catherine Deneuve, Jane Fonda).

While this is a star vehicle for Brigitte Bardot, taking full advantage of her sex symbol status, the film is an acting vehicle for Alida Valli and Stephen Boyd.

Brigitte Bardot portrays a young girl coming from a convent education to stay with her uncle and guardian, a Spanish count, who was responsible for the death of a young woman in the Spanish village, the sister of the brother played by Stephen Boyd. He is involved in a relationship with the count’s wife (Alida Valli). When the two men fight, Boyd is wounded and the young woman looks after him, becoming infatuated with him. The two men have another duel with the death of the count, the young man relying on the count’s wife for an alibi which she refuses to give. He escapes with the young woman, eventually giving himself up – and a shot being fired by the policeman which kills the young woman rather than the young man.

The film is not particularly well acted, although Alida Valli (The Third Man, The Paradine Case) is a strong screen presence. Stephen Boyd’s voice is dubbed for the film. Basically, the film is a widescreen beautifully coloured look at the rugged Spanish countryside – and more than a look at Brigitte Bardot.

1. The impact of the film? Melodrama?

2. The Spanish settings, the widescreen rugged Spanish beauty? The village, the valleys, the desert-like canyons? The musical score?

3. Ursula’s story, coming from the convent, met at the station, the drive to her uncle’s house, the encounter with the village, Lambert and the death of his sister, on the back of the car? Her meeting with her aunt? The bonds between them? Her life in the house, her uncle approaching her, her reaction? Her seeing Lambert, the fight, his being wounded, her looking after him? The infatuation? The discovery of his relationship with her aunt? The death of her uncle? Her escaping with Lambert, the long journey, through the canyons, the river, not having any food? On the mule, and her bargain in buying the mule? With the little pig, her not wanting it to be killed, her returning with Lambert, seeing her aunt, not wanting to leave Lambert, running to him, her being shot, dying?

4. Lambert, first seen in the village, his sister’s death, the village people around him, chasing the car, on the back of it? The confrontation with the count? His being bashed, Florentine looking after him? Ursula? His relationship with Florentine? The return, his fighting the count, on the roof, the death, the knife? With Florentine, wanting her to give him an alibi, her not speaking to the police? His being taken, escaping, Ursula joining him, the long trek, the mule? His confrontation with her about the pig, their starving? His return, giving himself up, Ursula’s death?

5. Florentine, a strong woman, French, married to the Spanish count? His sexual behaviour, predator? Her relationship with Lambert? Her disdain for her husband? Welcoming Ursula, the scenes together, happy together, going to the fair? The night with Lambert, refusing to give him an alibi? Her saving face and dignity because of the death of her husband? Her setting the police on Lambert? The finale and witnessing the deaths?

6. The count, his arrogance, the death of the girl in the village, his attack on Ursula, her rebuffing him? The fights with Lambert, his death?

7. The background characters, in the household? The people in the village, Lambert’s mother? The police inspector and his investigations?

8. The French title, the bandits and their being chased by the police? As applying to Ursula and Lambert?

9. The film as an early Brigitte Bardot vehicle?