Enchantment

58 years before "Monster House" - a film about a neighborhood terrorized by a house - there was "Enchantment" (1948); a film narrated by a house. I'm not kidding; the house provides a brief bookend voice-over commentary; introducing the story and then wrapping things up at the conclusion.

Fortunately this house is much better behaved than its 2006 successor because 95% of the film takes place under its roof. The modest set means that second-to-none cinematographer Gregg Toland's expertise is somewhat wasted. There wasn't much for him to apply himself to here other than some interesting lighting and a series of interesting match cut transitions (more about these later).

"Enchantment" is a romance, more precisely two romances as the film tells the story of wartime romances in a London family during both the WWI and WWII. Set in 1944, the film opens with retired General Roland (Rollo) Dane (a convincingly aged David Nivin) pining away over his lost opportunity for true love. Upon the death of his sister Selina he moved back into his boyhood home because it contains memories of his lost love Lark (Teresa Wright). Lark was an orphan his family adopted when she was eight. Rollo and Lark fell in love when they grew up but shrewish sister Selina managed to derail the romance. Lark marries someone else and Rollo pursues a career in the Army. They never see each other again.

Enter niece Grizel (Evelyn Keyes-Scarlett O'Hara's little sister) who comes to wartime London from America. Grizel is an ambulance driver who moves in with her great uncle Rollo. Grizel begins a romance with a wounded Canadian officer named Pax (Farley Granger), who turns out to be Lark's nephew.

Now this may not sound very promising, but "Enchantment" transcends ordinary romantic melodrama by the way in which it tells its tale (and I'm not talking about the talking house). The story is told by cutting back and forth between two parallel romantic story lines taking place in the same house; Rollo and Lark during WWI and Grizel and Pax during WWII. This device works quite well and is worth watching just to see the match cut transitions that move the film back and forth between the two romances. There are ten of these transitions. The camera holds on the door inside Selina's bedroom as the story flashbacks to the same spot 25+ years earlier. Then a place-setting at the dinner table takes the story forward. The transitions continue; using a chandelier, a mantle clock, the fireplace, the sidewalk, and the staircase. But this is more than just a slick editing trick. Each match cut is designed to draw attention to parallels between Grizel and her predecessors in the house. Which is why she is given Selina's old room. The climatic transition does not use the match cut technique, presumably to indicate that the later romance will have a more upbeat outcome than the earlier one.

The final match cut involves a set of house "keys"; probably not a deliberate play on a certain actresses' surname but a symbolic reference (i.e. the key to happiness). The sidewalk transition is the best one as Niven actually morphs into Granger at the same exact point on the sidewalk. This was a dolly tracking shot and the row houses in the background had to line up perfectly (remember this was before digital effects).

For pretty much everyone who has seen"Enchantment", the most memorable images involve eight-year old Lark and ten-year old Rollo; played by real life brother and sister Peter Miles and Gigi Perreau. Gigi totally hijacks the film at this point leaving viewers wishing she had more scenes. Peter (in appearance and style) may remind you of Freddie Highmore ("Charlie and the Chocolate Factory" and "Finding Neverland").

In fairness to Selina (nicely played by Jayne Meadows), her resentment of the cute little waif is somewhat understandable. Lark immediately brings out the protective instincts of Selina's father and two brothers. Basically supplanting Selina and stealing her destiny.

Niven, Wright, and Keyes are quite good although Keyes never quite sells her shrewish side nor her attraction to Pax. I felt this was mostly due to Granger who was one creepy guy. Hitchcock cast him for his lead in "Rope" for this very quality and while it was an asset in that role it works to everyone's detriment here.

Then again, what do I know? I'm only a child.

I saw this movie while home sick from school many years ago and found it to be magical and sweet. The writer (Rumer Godden, who also penned 'Black Narcissus') created a wonderful weave of time and characters -- 'Enchantment' is based on her novel, 'Take Three Tenses: A Fugue in Time,' which tells one a bit more about how she intended the story to work.

Not a top-flight movie by any means, just a wonderful watch. Looking at other reviews I suppose one warning would be that it might be experienced as being too sentimental -- and, perhaps therefore, too transparent. But if the intended magic works for you I think you will enjoy the film immensely.

....What a wonderful film......Technically superior.

.........The slow dissolves from past to present.....done so slowly was refreshing to see especially when compared to the rapid jerky crap that we see today.

.........and the narrowing of the spot on the key being held by Jayne Meadows....indicating the compression of her character into the key in the door being opened by Evelyn Keyes indicating the opening of the relationship between Keyes and Farley Granger was SPECTACULAR!!!!

What a wonderful way to express character and story.

Wish we could see techniques like this today.....

Gigi Perreau's scene in which she makes her lower chin quiver when brought into her new home at the beginning of the film was very moving........have only seen Hepburn, Brabara Rush and Marisa Haggarty of CSI Special Victims able to do this on the screen....an incredible acting accomplishment.......

'Enchantment' is a wonderful-odd-unknown film. Or maybe to me at least it is unknown. I am a fan of Rumer Godden novels.I have seen two other excellent films of them--'The River' and too 'Black Narcissus'. 'Enchantment' is like those also in the fact that it deals with awakenings or things which awaken us. It is about an unrequited love affair OR nearly. The sister and wicked head-of-the-family tries to keep David Niven and his step sister(by circumstance)from being together.Niven plays a soldier on- leave during WW2, most of it is told from his memory. He remembers when he is visited by the daughter of the Girl he could of had as his love--He warns her to not make the same mistake that he did. A great movie about Love!

What a wonderful movie! I had never heard of it and had no idea what it was. It's a lost treasure, it seems.

"Enchantment" is the story of two generations, and a very special love. The narrator is the house they lived in at various times.

When the movie begins, David Niven is an old man, Rollo, during World War II, and he is living alone in the house with the man-servant with whom he grew up, Leo G. Carroll. His niece, in the service, comes to stay with him and soon meets a wounded soldier (Farley Granger) who has a connection to the house.

Rollo's story, and the story of his sister, brother, and the little girl that came to live with them, Lark, is told in flashbacks throughout the film as they grow up and Rollo and Lark fall in love.

After a flashback, the camera focuses on the fireplace, or some other object, and we are brought back into the present, with the fire still burning or the book still in the bookshelf, and we are back with Rollo and his niece in the present day. It is a seamless way to tell the story and very poignant.

David Niven is wonderful as Rollo but the surprise performance for me was by Jayne Meadows as his selfish, sharp-tongued sister Selina, who always resented Lark. She is excellent.

Farley Granger and Evelyn Keyes are the present day young loves, and they give very sweet performances. Gigi Perreau as the small child Lark is heartbreaking.

The ending of the film is very striking. My only criticism would be that it seemed as if the character of Rollo aged 50 years instead of about 30.

Don't miss this marvelous film.