The Seashell and the Clergyman

The Seashell and the Clergyman

0h 41m 6.6/10

Overview

Obsessed with a general's wife, a clergyman has strange visions of death and lust, struggling against his own eroticism.

Director

Germaine Dulac

Top Billed Cast

Lucien Bataille

Lucien Bataille

The Officer

Alex Allin

Alex Allin

The Clergyman

Genica Athanasiou

Genica Athanasiou

The Woman

Reviews

CinemaSerf

CinemaSerf

6/6/2022

7/10

Germaine Dulac has created a monster here... Not in any kaiju sense, but by taking a surreal swipe at just about every element of the masculine-driven, religiously flawed environment of the world in the 1920s. The eponymous priest - Alex Allin harbours none too subtle desires about the mistress of "le général" (Lucien Bataille) - the beautiful Genica Athanasiou, and the next half hour illustrates some of the complex ramifications of this infatuation. Now I have watched this many times, each time thinking as I get older, that the penny may drop and that I shall discover a deeper meaning... Each time, I thoroughly enjoy the intimate, creative imagery and the truly characterful performances, but am still really none the wiser. I think that's what is enthralling about this short enigma of a feature. It stimulates questions, but doesn't answer any of them... Clearly, the director has an agenda, and a political point to make - but we are left to imagine a healthy amount of what this might be about. Is it erotic? Is it about frustration, excess...? I still don't really know....

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