Carnival of Sinners (1943)

We have had a dozen installments so far into our journey through the featured Letterboxd Lists. Surprisingly, this week happens to be the first time that a horror movie appears. That’s right, we are looking at the Letterboxd Top 250 Horror Films this week. If you peruse that list, you’ll find today’s film sitting at number 210…Carnival of Sinners (1943).

Title: Carnival of Sinners (originally titled La Main du Diable)

Director: Maurice Tourneur

Runtime: 1 hour 20 minutes

Released: March 21, 1943 (France)

Available to stream on: The Criterion Channel

Roland Brissot (Pierre Fresnay) bursts into the hotel, startling and surprising the guests stranded by an avalanche. He is missing his left hand and the only thing with him is a small casket.

Immediately, Brissot asks the innkeeper if there is a cemetery nearby. The innkeeper informs Brissot that there isn’t, leaving him visibly dejected as he answers a phone call. While on the phone, a blackout washes over the hotel. During the blackout, Brissot discovers that someone has stolen his casket.

The moment the power returns, the guests barrage Brissot with questions about how he arrived. Giving in, Brissot takes a seat and begins to tell his story. From this point on, the majority of the film is told through flashbacks.

As the flashback begins, we see Roland Brissot living his life as a painter. More importantly, he’s living life as a painter with both of his hands. However, Brissot is far from successful as a painter. Adding to his woes, the saleswoman posing for him breaks up with him right in the middle of a cafe.

After watching the breakup play out, the cafe chef, Mélisse (Noël Roquevert) decides to approach Brissot with an offer. Mélisse claims that he’s in possession of a talisman that can solve all of Brissot’s problems. A cure for all of his problems, all for the low price of one cent. Although, if you thought this sounded too good to be true, you’d be correct. Of course there is a catch. To avoid eternal damnation, Brissot must sell the talisman at a loss before he dies.

Brissot brushes off an old man named Angel who urges him not to purchase the talisman and follows Mélisse upstairs. Upstairs, Mélisse reveals the talisman as a severed left hand. Further, he shows Brissot that the hand obeys his commands. While skeptical of the supernatural powers, Brissot agrees to purchase the talisman. After sealing the deal, Mélisse’s left hand vanishes, and he screams in agony.

Flashforward a year and we see Brissot is now a successful artist. In fact, Brissot is now wildly successful in all aspects of his life. However, continuing the trend of something sounding too good to be true, Brissot is visited by a small man dressed in all black who informs him that he still has the Devil to pay. As Brissot’s luck would have it, the small man claims to be the Devil himself. The Devil astutely points out that since Brissot paid only one cent for the talisman, it would be impossible for him to sell it at a loss.

Therefore, the Devil offers to buy the talisman back for the same price Brissot paid, one cent. Sell it back and all is forgotten. Well, Brissot is hesitant to agree. The Devil advises that the deal remains on the table, however, the price at which he’ll accept the talisman will double with every day that passes.

Will Brissot keep the talisman and the perks that come with it?

Or will he manage to secure enough funds to rid himself of the talisman?

Well, this isn’t quite what I expected by any means. That’s not to say that I didn’t enjoy it, just not what I thought would be on a Top 250 list for Horror movies.

The use of shadows casts an eerie feeling over the entire story, especially during specific flashback sequences. The music also helps to enhance the sense of dread and worry throughout. Meanwhile, the performances are passable. They certainly aren’t anything to write home about, but at the same time, they don’t hinder the story either. And yes, you could argue that anything with the Devil automatically lands under the genre of horror.

However, despite there being elements of horror present, there could be more at play here. Granted, I’m not a historian and could be way off-base. That being said, given the time in which this was made, one could read into things and look at the talisman representing a sort of French Resistance. A Resistance that, when unified, can overcome its adversaries/enemies (Germany). Once you’ve seen the film for yourself, you can let me know if you agree with this take.

All of this combined, in my opinion, still doesn’t add up to a horror movie. A dramatic thriller with elements of fantasy? Sure. But a horror movie deserving of being on the Letterboxd Top 250? Far from it.

While I might not agree with the list it appears on, that’s not to say I don’t recommend you see it. In fact, I’m recommending the opposite. Start yourself a free trial of The Criterion Channel and be sure to give Carnival of Sinners (1943) at least one viewing.

If you’ve seen Carnival of Sinners (1943), tell me what you thought of it in the comments below or by reaching out to me on social media!

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