Portrait of Jennie (1948 William Dieterle)

A strange and exceptional film, so well shot (Joseph August) it's like a Conrad Hall - take virtually any frame and it's a work of art. Interesting Irish sub-text too. Interesting cast. There's something about this film that is quite different to others. What? The music, the pacing, the atmosphere...the light. Complicated camera set ups like Hitch. In the final moments of the lighthouse there's a little freeze frame - so far ahead of its time. And the moment it turns green is still incredible.

In the portrait scene she almost seems to be slipping away from us...

Bernard Herrmann composed some music that wasn't used but can be heard here. Amazing special effects team headed by Clarence Slifer won Oscar, August nominated (lost to William H Daniels The Naked City). Selznick apparently loved it.

Jennifer Jones, Joseph Cotten, Ethel Barrymore, Cecil Kellaway, David Wayne (becoming a big fan), Lillian Gish, Felix Bressart, Florence Bates.

From a novel by Robert Nathan (1940 - a signed first is $1750), adapted by Leonardo Bercovici, written by Paul Osborn and Peter Berneis.