"La légende de Polichinelle" is a very, very confusing and strange film...one that most likely will leave you baffled. First, it is not a comedy--yet it stars the French comic, Max Linder. Second, it's all based on the character Punchinello (also called Polichinelle in France and Harlequin in the USA) and to understand what's happening, you really have to understand the character and know what's supposed to be going on in the film....which few would today. Most folks are NOT familiar with the Commedia dell'arte--a common play style from the 16-18th century! As a result, it left me rather baffled.
The film begins with Polichinelle and a group of weirdly costumed short people entering a castle. There, Polichincelle (Linder) does some magical stuff and eventually rescues his love. Then, in the final portion, the film changes completely. Instead of showing outdoor scenes as well as scenes within a castle, it's a stage-bound dance number that looks a lot like the films of Georges Méliès. There is such a disconnect because the two portions of the short are so different...and this further confused me.
So is this confusing film worth seeing? For most folks, no. For lovers of Linder and very early cinema...perhaps.
The film begins with Polichinelle and a group of weirdly costumed short people entering a castle. There, Polichincelle (Linder) does some magical stuff and eventually rescues his love. Then, in the final portion, the film changes completely. Instead of showing outdoor scenes as well as scenes within a castle, it's a stage-bound dance number that looks a lot like the films of Georges Méliès. There is such a disconnect because the two portions of the short are so different...and this further confused me.
So is this confusing film worth seeing? For most folks, no. For lovers of Linder and very early cinema...perhaps.