Sumerki zhenskoy dushi (1913) User Reviews

Discovering Greatness

[Cineanalyst · 7/10 · 16 June 2005]

This is why I watch these old silent films. I didn't know anything about Yevgeni Bauer, but now I consider him among Christensen, DeMille, Griffith and Tourneur as the masters of early feature-length films. Stored away until the fall of the Soviet Union, his films are now seeing light thanks to the British Film Institute's (BFI) release and the Milestone series. "Twilight of a Woman's Soul" is his earliest film known to exist, and it is flawed when compared to Bauer's later work, but in itself is an amazing work for 1913.

The camera is mostly stationary (except for a short, slow forward dolly shot), generally with theatrical long takes, but Bauer does some remarkable things with lighting and staging, or mise-en-scène. Most evident are the scenes in Vera's bedroom, with the lit background covered by curtain and a window providing only some light in the shaded foreground, casting shadows on characters who embrace the space. Mirrors are also prominent in these scenes, which Bauer likely took from Danish cinema. Sets, in general, are never left unfilled, creating space, which Bauer finds interesting use for, such as in the party scene.

I liked the sudden cuts to not show the rape and murder, if only because it foreshadows the superior pacing and editing of Bauer's later work. Another cut from Vera pointing for the prince to leave her to a shot of him at the door is a sign of the flow of shots he would later accomplish. Additionally, there is some of the self-referential, explicitly self-aware nature of his other films here. Besides what one could read into the use of mirrors, there is dreaming and the prince finding her on stage. Tinting, masking and superimpositions also demonstrate Bauer's technical skill. Bauer later used dreams to greater effect in his tragedies.

Watching his films has been an exciting experience for me, especially his other tragedies on the BFI DVD ("After Death" and "The Dying Swan"). Reading many film history texts, one would be under the impression that Russian cinema before Lenin, the experiments of Lev Kuleshov and the brilliant montage filmmakers Eisenstein, Vertov, Pudovkin, Dovzhenko and others was inferior and outdated compared to the films being made in Western Europe and America; the only good film to reach Russia being what was imported. Now, film history needs to be rewritten (and some are), to include Russia as a film-making nation (with Bauer, the animation of Starewicz and other filmmakers) to rival America, Scandinavia, France and other states in the art of film, if not the industry.

FRESHMAN EFFORT BY BAUER EXACTLY THAT

[Auburn668 · 6/10 · 24 February 2004]

Very few directors strike gold with their first effort. The subtle nuances, finding what the camera is capable of, dealing with actors, scripts, and so forth, can make for a hell of a time finding yourself. Yevgeni Bauer is no different. And if you watch his works backwards, as I did, you find out that the man is human after all. On a career built on working with lighting, shadows, tracking, and the morbid netherworld, Bauer's first effort, "Sumerki Zhenskoi Dushi," does see him hint at these elements but he is a bit away from anything close to the genius of his later works.

Believe it or not, this is a simple love story about a prince, a high society girl, and the secret that threatens to end their marriage. At times it seems nearly Shakespearean. The two leads, Vera Chernova and A. Ugrjumov, certainly don't damage the picture in any way and V. Demert as the villainous Maksim plays his bit quite well. But the story line is surprisingly bland, drawing little emotion from we the viewer and exceptionally unclimactic.

It does draw slight interest just to see what Bauer does with the camera angles and the way he plays with the lighting but all in all it is just a bump in the road to the director's full grasp of what he will go on to be capable of.

The nutshell: only recommended for hardcore Bauer fans to see how the man began his career. Students of cinema should proceed immediately to "Posle Smerti" to wow over. I'm only giving it the rating I have because it has Bauer's name...6/10.

A mixed bag from Bauer

[planktonrules · 6/10 · 30 July 2006]

This Russian film is really a mixed bag--being both very old fashioned AND very modern at the same time! The film is old is style because it uses a lot of over-the-top emotionality and melodrama and I'm sure many modern audiences would either not watch it at all or laugh at it--but that is true of most of these types of films from the 1910s. Plus, while it deals with very adult themes, the film is so obtuse in addressing the rape and murder that it's pretty easy to conceive of people in the audience having no idea what's happening! It's like they wanted to deal with important topics but they were such taboos to mention that they shouldn't have bothered. But, despite all this baggage, the film also tells a complete story that can hold your attention (something many older films from this era can't do today) and has good production values for the period. An interesting historical curio, but not exactly a memorable film.

Good Early Bauer Feature, & A Sign Of Even Better Things to Come

[Snow Leopard · 24 June 2005]

This early Yevgeni Bauer feature is good in itself, but more than that it shows the potential that he would soon realize in the compelling melodramas he was to film in the mid-1910s. In itself, "Twilight of a Woman's Soul" is just a little better than average compared with the dramas being made elsewhere at the time, but there are flashes of the mood and the techniques that soon afterward made Bauer one of the most creative and interesting (if also under-appreciated) film-makers of his time.

Bauer's technique is even more restrained here that it is in his later features, with very sparing (but effective) use of camera movement and other such techniques, with the movie relying more on the lighting, sets, and actors to create its effect.

The story centers on a lonely young aristocratic woman whose search for a purpose in her life is sadly exploited by one of the men whom she tries to help. The rest of the movie focuses on the ways that this one incident affects her life, and the lives of others, in the years that follow. It's the kind of plot that Bauer, in his later features, would examine deeply, and he would learn how to involve the viewer's emotions almost to the breaking point.

This feature never becomes as chilling, as gripping, or as heart-rending as his best movies do. But it is a solid drama, and a drama that also has plenty to say. Bauer soon learned to make his points even more memorably, but this is also worth seeing, especially for anyone who appreciates his unusual and imaginative style.

A good early filmed melodrama

[AlsExGal · 7/10 · 2 December 2023]

This film tells a fairly simple story of a young noblewoman who helps the poor, only to be taken advantage of by an unscrupulous man. When she tells her newlywed husband her dark secret, it affects both of their lives forever. It was a rather haunting film, and the earliest of Bauer's work that survives. It's not quite as refined as what Griffith was doing at the time, but the lighting and camera angles are occasionally quite interesting. The acting shows the influence of contemporary theater work, but it's more subdued than some other efforts from this time. Overall it's pretty intriguing, and it tells the story in a very economical and precise way.

Cinema in Transition

[CJBx7 · 7/10 · 8 September 2014]

TWILIGHT OF A WOMAN'S SOUL (1913) tells the story of Vera, a reserved young Russian noblewoman who accompanies her mother as she provides charity to the poor. She meets a poor, seemingly injured man who lures her to his home under false pretenses and violates her. Vera struggles with the shame and stigma of this attack, and whether or not to disclose it to the prince whom she is engaged to marry. When she does, there are great consequences for both of them. Directed by Evgeni Bauer.

This film is Bauer's earliest surviving work, and an early example of the feature film (clocking in at approximately 48 minutes). The story is told in an economical and straightforward fashion, something from which this reviewer feels modern-day movie makers could learn. The actors here are effective in their roles, and one can perceive in this film a transitional style of film acting, between the dramatics of the stage and the more intimate, restrained approach demanded by the movie camera. Vera Chernova is particularly effective as Vera, showing all facets of her character's personality and emotions. I found her interesting to watch because she did use some graceful stage gestures, but was able to scale her performance down for the camera appropriately. A. Ugrjumov also does fine work as the prince, although he is a bit more given to big emotive gestures and expressions at times (but come on, this was made in 1913! Let's not be too harsh).

The cinematography in this film is also indicative of the transition between the tableaux style of earlier films, and the more refined cinematic approach that was being pioneered by DW Griffith and others. There are no close-ups, and the camera is stationary for many scenes. The takes can be a bit lengthy, although Bauer does show awareness of the impact of editing, and there is a flashback scene. Bauer does use expressive lighting at times, like when the deceitful Maxim sneaks into Vera's room. He also chooses some interesting angles for overhead shots, and makes use of double exposure during a dream scene.

Overall, TWILIGHT OF A WOMAN'S SOUL is an understated and haunting film, and it displays Evgeni Bauer's emerging talent as a director who is able to produce a memorable work of emotional power. It is an intriguing early feature film, and is worth watching for those interested in early cinema. SCORE: 7/10.

An Entertaining but Silent 48 Minutes

[adriennenoracarter · 6/10 · 4 September 2015]

Bauer's "Twilight of a Woman's Soul" tells the tale of Vera, the daughter of a countess who is very lonely although she is surrounded by luxury. The film follows her through several phases, and ends with her transformation to a powerful, independent woman. The film deals with some intense themes, including rape and murder. It's never explicitly stated that they occur, however—the text refers to them as 'her secret' or something similar, though, making it pretty clear that the horrible deeds did indeed occur. Although the text was rather sparse, it did a good job filling the holes in the plot—there were not that many holes, though. Great performances by Chernova and Ugrajumov respectively in the roles of Vera and the Prince made the movie easy and enjoyable to watch for the most part. The staging was also impressive. Mostly stationary scenes without any camera movement, the scenes were all quite picturesque and beautiful. Bauer also used the tinting technique—both blue and pink tints, which allowed him to capture extremely different moods throughout the film. "Twilight of a Woman's Soul" was impressive and entertaining for its early date, and also surprisingly easy to follow even without a significant amount of text. It is worth a watch to see one of the movies that show how Bauer started his impressive career.

This film is about a young innocent woman that loses herself to darkness when an unexpected event changes her life forever.

[rebe_afaro · 7/10 · 5 September 2015]

Bauer does an exceptional job of conveying his characters emotions without the use of words. Twilight of Woman's Soul especially had an absence of words. Despite this I was still able to follow the key events and understand what was happening in the main character's, Vera, mind. After the rape and murder she seems confused and understandably traumatized which can be seen by the hallucination she has when hugging her suitor. Through the expressions and props the movie also did a job of showing the disparities of the two classes which was one of the most common themes during the time. In this film the camera person actually follows the subject instead of trying to fit them into the frame. Of course the time period is notable because of the slow pace she had to walk to accommodate for the older, much less advanced equipment The use of tinting the films is also present here as in other early silent films which can be representative of a shift to a different worlds. This is a clever film manipulation that highlights a main event. The recurring themes that Bauer presents in many of his works are present here. Much like in Bauer Dying Swan there is a shift between initial innocence to corruption. As the movie progresses there is an overall darkness that can be open to interpretation to its relevance to the time period. The loss of innocence is almost palpable and very well interpreted, which is more than can be said for some of the modern movies that exist now. Overall Bauer does an amazing job of getting his film to convey actual emotions and story.

Stunning Debut From A Former Theater Set Designer

[springfieldrental · 8/10 · 6 May 2021]

Russia's Yevgeni Bauer has been called "The greatest film director you never heard of." Spending years in theater as a producer and set designer, he became involved in movies in the 1910's. His directorial debut, August 1913's "Twilight of a Women's Soul," is a stunning testimony of Bauer's justification of earning the right to be labeled the "first true artist in the history of cinema." "Twilight" is a story of a woman who gets raped and then kills the rapist. Later, she meets a prince who appears to be a very caring person-that is until she relates to him the rape episode shortly after they marry. He's distraught and fails to sympathize with her.

Bauer sets this domestic drama with psychological implications, a trademark of his. Two sequences reflects Bauer's mastery of his unique set designs in his rookie effort: the bedroom scene where our heroine is sleeping and the soon-to-be-rapist passes her a note. The room is amassed in gauze, symbolizing the dream state she's in. The second scene is where she's become a famous stage actress, and the prince, after two years of searching, finds her to ask for his forgiveness. The room is filled with adoring flowers from her fans, showcasing her new-found confidence in her conversation with him.

Bauer would go on to direct 70 films between 1913 and 1917, with only 26 surviving. He would die of pneumonia that year, ending an incredible run of aesthically-charged films. But his influence in Russian cinema would be immense afterwards.

Twilight of a Woman's Soul

[mflynn-69970 · 7/10 · 5 September 2015]

'Twilight of a Woman's Soul' is very much a product of its time, and as such, allows the audience a glimpse of many different things surrounding the time period, in both cinema and society. Cinematically, it is much like its contemporaries. The cinematography is simple; every scene is designed very carefully so that a single shot can be used for an entire scene. That being said, each shot is also beautifully rendered, and the production design often tells a lot about the place and the character. For instance, when the lead character, Vera, is introduced as a lonely woman, she is shown as a very small figure in a large room, and the design of the shot isolates her in an empty space to display her loneliness.

The film relies on a format similar to one that could be found at an opera, play, or ballet to tell the story, perhaps because feature-length films were in the very early stages of existence. To introduce each main character, title cards and non-diegetic shots of the appropriate character are used, much like a program for a play would. Each scene, also like a play, is titled with a card to tell the viewer the location.

The social aspect of the film is perhaps the most interesting of all. It is self-loathing in a way, as the woman shamed becomes an actress, as if that is the only profession she would be able to take up after her assault and subsequent, presumably annulled marriage.

The way class is treated in the film is also very interesting. The lead characters are all very wealthy and often shown as such, draped in furs and surrounded by bouquets of flowers. The poor characters in the film are all shown to be despicable people; the first people they charitably visit hide a table full of food that they have been stuffing their faces with before the wealthy women arrive to give them more food. The second person they visit is shown to be an alcoholic and he eventually assaults Vera, leading to the downward spiral of her life. The film seems to use the difference in class as a plot device, but the intention behind the derision towards the lower class, and the reception of such treatment of perhaps part of the viewing audience, is worth considering when viewing this film.

Skillful Use of Technique and a Great Story

[garcianyssa · 8/10 · 5 September 2015]

Twilight of a Woman's Soul is exactly what the title describes. The film follows Vera through the gradual decline of her soul after major life changing events. Vera starts off as a young, naive woman who wishes to help others, mainly the poor. However, this notion of hers is quickly disavowed because the man who she tries to help violates her and she then kills him. Then she has to suffer through holding onto this guilt while developing a relationship with Prince Dolskii to whom she eventually confides her experience after they are married. Prince Dolskii has a negative reaction and basically tells her off and blames her, which leads to Vera leaving and Prince Dolskii wallowing in his sadness. The film follows Vera and to some degree Prince Dolskii, but it's more of a commentary on the development of a woman's soul. These major events in Vera's life obviously changed her and Bauer's telling of that is skillful.

Bauer even uses some great editing techniques to help convey the story. The use of double exposure in the dream sequence helps convey the persistence Vera feels to help the poor while the tinting helps convey the fact that this scene is a dream. It is also interesting that the scene following with Maxim also uses tinting, and this could be used to show that Maxim is entranced with Vera's beauty. The other scenes that use tinting are the scenes when Vera is acting and when Prince Dolskii kills himself. The use of pink as a tinting color in Vera's acting scene help convey the development of her character and establish that she seems to be in a happier place in her life. Contrast this to Prince Dolskii's suicide scene, which is tinted blue and obviously more somber.

Powerful movie ahead of its time

[MissSimonetta · 9/10 · 6 May 2017]

One of the other reviewers made this movie out to be an old-fashioned movie too timid to deal with its adult topics: rape, sexism, and trauma. I found this rather unfair. While the movie shies away from showing the violation of the heroine, I do not think the attack is as vague as this one reviewer would have you believe. The movie is clear about what happened to the woman and it is shockingly modern in how much agency it gives her in the aftermath. She does not let a man avenge her honor nor does she wallow and weep when her husband rejects her after she reveals what occurred. Realizing his love is not true, she leaves him and lives her own life.

And guess what? Her life is shown as being fulfilling and happy apart from the domestic life! She's a popular stage star, independent and not at all yearning for him because she's moved on. I'm sorry, but that is incredibly forward-thinking for the Edwardian era, and I cannot agree that this is stodgy stuff.

For the early 1910s, the acting is actually quite subdued, especially compared to something like a Griffith two-reeler. The cinematography, on the other hand, is mostly static as most films of this period are, though there is one tracking shot in there. The compositions as divine per usual on a Bauer project.

Solid, if imperfect, with strong writing & acting

[I_Ailurophile · 8/10 · 11 March 2022]

So very early in the history of cinema, there's much about this picture that seems to emphasize its place. Actors break the fourth wall to smile at the camera as the opening credits introduce them; sequencing, and the very execution of individual scenes, accentuate that they are pointedly staged in the course of the production. It's worth noting, meanwhile, that there are also some marvelous techniques employed here - double exposure to overlay one length of footage over another; rudimentary tracking shots - that mark the very, very beginning of development of the art form. There's an inarguable simplicity and even innocence in the very craft of the picture that is endearing, that makes it truly feel like the type of piece that would be displayed alongside wax cylinders in museums as an exhibition of budding technology - or which may make it difficult to abide for viewers who aren't already enamored of silent films. For all that, however, 'Twilight of a woman's soul' is well made and very enjoyable.

Between prohibitive cultural norms delineating "decency," presumed censorial rigor, and basic good taste, there are certainly some scenes and story beats that are somewhat curtailed with an austere hand that means they're not imparted with all due gravity as they present. That is to say, principally, that the film delicately tiptoes around acts of violence, and in a more general sense plot development sometimes skips from A to C. For that shortcoming, however, and for what we don't see - what we get instead are strong performances to highlight the perspectives, reactions, and mental states of the characters. This especially goes for star Nina Chernova, starring as troubled protagonist Vera, who even being thusly limited by the construction of the movie still demonstrates capable range and nuance. And though she is most prominent, so it goes as well with Chernova's co-stars.

Director Yevgeny Bauer shows a keen sense for shot composition - the fundamental arrangement of figures and objects, and indeed the camera itself, within a setting - and it's clear that his reputation as a pioneer of the medium is well-deserved. Rich details like filming locations, set design and decoration, costume design, and hair and makeup are all quite fetching, adding greatly to the worth of the feature. And not least of all - abbreviated (truncated?) as it may be, I quite admire V. Demert's screenplay. Though inherently condensed to their most elementary form in such a tightly structured film, characters as written possess plentiful depth. Scene writing is duly varied, ensuring each adequately conveys the course of events and all necessary feeling regardless of how the tableau is shown to us. And while certainly depressing - frankly what fiction out of Russia is most known for - the overall narrative is coherent, cohesive, and complete, telling a fairly compelling story; if anything, one wishes the tale could have been fleshed out more than what a 48-minute movie in 1913 could relate.

'Twilight of a woman's soul' is quite distinctly a title belonging to the earliest days of cinema, with all the indelicacies and burgeoning inventiveness that quality may carry with it. Yet even with all possible issues that one may perceive with the feature, it's anchored with excellent acting and writing. And despite clocking in at a hair under 50 minutes, the substance of the movie is given room enough to flourish and keep viewers engaged. Again, I think it's fair to say that this probably is a silent film for audiences who already favor the stylings of the era - but with that caveat in mind, I think this is well worth the minute span of time it takes to watch.