If wealth and power were on the cards, how much would you be willing to gamble for a chance to win them? According to Russian poet Alexander Pushkin, there are some people who would risk their very souls for it. Pushkin’s internationally-renowned 1834 work “The Queen of Spades”, the classic tale of a gambler who becomes ensnared in a devilish gambit in his search for the perfect winning hand, has been adapted for the screen numerous times since its first rendition in 1910 – according to IMDb, a whole eighteen cinematic versions of the story exist. Considering the tale’s Slavic origin, it may surprise you to learn that what many consider to be the definitive screen take on “The Queen of Spades” hails from the West, that being British director Thorold Dickinson’s 1949 adaptation. Let’s have a look, shall we?
The Queen of Spades follows Captain Herman Suvorin (played by Austrian actor Anton Walbrook), a control-obsessed military officer who scoffs at the games of chance that his fellow soldiers play. This all changes when Herman learns of the elderly Countess Ranevskaya (prolific stage actress Dame Edith Evans), who attained her riches through playing consistently perfect rounds of Faro (a card game with similar rules to Snap) – and, allegedly, through selling her soul for the secret to her success. Determined to find fame and fortune in his own cards, Herman sets his eyes on the Countess’s ward, Lizavyeta (a young Yvonne Mitchell), in the hopes that seducing her will lead him into the heart of the ageing noblewoman – but as it turns out, trying to force the hand of fate isn’t as easy as it would seem, especially when you’re dealing in the realm of the supernatural.
Though its tone is largely grounded, its scares being subtle and leaving the true nature of a lot of the supernatural imagery up to the imagination, there’s a certain tension to some of the film’s more haunting sequences which don’t fail to grip the modern viewer
Once you get past the confusion of which pasty white man in military garb is which, The Queen of Spades is an entertaining and well-made tale of supernatural spooks and karmic comeuppances. Even without an explicit paranormal element until its last half-hour, it’s a compelling drama of manipulation and deceit, with Walbrook being particularly fiendish and dastardly as he cheats and lies his way into the poor Lizavyeta’s heart. His performance is quite brilliant, particularly as Herman spirals further and further into manic desperation throughout the course of the film. Evans is also superb as the Countess herself, giving some fantastic dirty looks to prospective suitors who leave her unimpressed – not to mention Herman himself once his intentions are made clear. Also of note is the film’s smooth visual storytelling – there’s a variation on using a mirror to depict a character in pretty much every single sequence, and yet the technique never feels tiresome.
Of course, it might seem at this point in my review like horror fans may leave empty-handed when it comes to ghost-story spooks and gothic atmosphere – which is a reasonable assumption to make, but it would be wrong. I myself was surprised by just how effectively creepy The Queen of Spades was, and how well its horror elements have aged for a film of its vintage. Though its tone is largely grounded, its scares being subtle and leaving the true nature of a lot of the supernatural imagery up to the imagination, there’s a certain tension to some of the film’s more haunting sequences which don’t fail to grip the modern viewer; there’s a specific sequence towards the end of the film which comes off as particularly chilling, but as old as this film may be, I still don’t want to give the game away for those who haven’t seen it yet. This is all without even mentioning the gorgeously macabre imagery of the extended sequence in which the legend of the Countess’s winning hand is recounted; dark crypts filled with mysterious robed figures, gateways furnished with skull motifs, and a dungeon laboratory full of strange wax figurines all feature – what more can I say to sell you on this?
Though the film has fallen into relative pop-cultural obscurity in recent years, StudioCanal has thankfully revived it via a painstaking six-month restoration job in glorious 4K – a nigh-supernatural feat. Receiving its debut on Blu-Ray in the UK, there’s been no better time to find out what secrets the dead are willing to divulge. By the way, no spoilers, but that ending’s a real kicker!
THE QUEEN OF SPADES IS OUT ON STUDIO CANAL VINTAGE CLASSICS BLU-RAY
