Dark Odyssey (1961) User Reviews

An film on white immigration

[kalogera · 7/10 · 1 May 2012]

This is certainly a worth watching film for those interested in the representation of white ethnicity in the 1950s. As far as I can tell it must be one of the first films to depict immigration of white ethnics to the US long before Kazan produced America, America (1963). And what an unusual immigration that is! The film contains many themes that are typical of ethnic literature such as the meeting of the young lovers to be on top of the apartment building, the discussion of bridges and waters as connecting not separating people. An ethnographic look at an ethnic household prevails, but attitudes depicted do not comply with fossilized respect for the way things are done in the old country. Metzger and Kyriakis provide a very compelling view of New York, its monuments and architecture. In a neorealist fashion they employ unknown amateur actors and actresses. And according to their words they used authentic locations. As they said they were really moved by people's willingness to allow them to film in their establishments. The main protagonist Alex Carras was an accomplished dancer and he provides the audience with an extraordinary variation of a Greek folk dance. This dance focalizes the dilemmas the protagonist/immigrant faces and helps him resolve the issues he has on his mind. The ending does not conform to Hollywood formulas and that also makes the film exceptional.

A fairly good drama.

[searchanddestroy-1 · 30 January 2011]

That's the topic a director like Elia Kazan could have made, but perhaps in another manner. Anyway, this story of a young Greek immigrant just arrived in NY City is interesting, very well made, with touching characters. A good score too. I think it's off the records from the Hollywood archives, forgotten in some vaults somewhere in the world. I don't know how it came in my collection. And I don'y know if many people watched it. It's a shame. Not a masterpiece but deserving to be discovered. The - not really said - love story between the lead and the young gal is, as I said, very touching, not usual if we compare to other features.

A very good social drama, more than a genuine film noir.

Worth watching.