Dark at Noon

Dark at Noon (1992)

L’œil qui ment

In this mystical comedy, Felicien has traveled to Portugal from France soon after the end of the First World War. It seems that his recently deceased father had invested a lot of money in a factory located in a remote village, and he has come to evaluate that investment. He gets some clues to the real situation in the town when the man driving his coach refuses to go any further and leaves him on a section of road which is practically paved with abandoned crutches. After a short trek, he meets up with the local dignitary who is to show him around, and he meets a priest and an artist. The priest gives a further clue to the events taking place in the village when he indicates that he's completely exasperated with the endless miracles that seem to be taking place. From that point onward, amazing coincidences, visions and miracles take place in great numbers.

Date of release
1992-10-01
TMDB
6.8 / 10 (6)
Runtime
1h 40m
Genres
Comedy, Fantasy
Director
Raúl Ruiz

Casting

Interesting facts

Dark at Noon is a 1993 French-Portuguese surrealist comedy film directed by Chilean filmmaker Raúl Ruiz. It was entered into the 1992 Cannes Film Festival.

Production

In an interview, Ruiz states he chose Portugal because it reminds him of Chile, specifically remarking on how the Portuguese and Chileans never look people in the eye, but instead look at the chest, but above all else the Portuguese possess a sense of secrecy which Ruiz was drawn to.

Originally, Ruiz had wanted to cast Nanni Moretti in the role of Felicien because a producer wanted the film to resemble a comedy as much as possible, but after seeing Didier Bourdon’s audition for a smaller role, Ruiz decided to make him one of the main characters. The role of the parish priest was also recast prior to filming.

Dark at Noon was the first film Ruiz made with panoramic framing. The film was shot on an Arri 535 camera with a very sensitive film stock, as opposed to previously shooting on 16 mm film. Ruiz states the new technical means of the film helped create a distinction from the look and feel of television that was more cinematic and allowed him to create shots that gave viewers "the feeling that they occupied a precise and determined place from which…

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