The Queen of Spades
classified PGPlease note: This was screened in Dec 2022
A brand new 4K restoration from the original nitrate negative, Alexander Pushkin’s supernatural tale of greed, guilt and madness is brought to life in all its surreal glory in this classic of late-1940s British cinema, masterfully directed by Bristol-born Thorold Dickinson.
An elderly countess (Edith Evans) strikes a bargain with the devil and exchanges her soul for the ability to perpetually win at cards. Learning of the woman’s talent, embittered army officer Captain Herman Suvorin (Anton Walbrook) becomes obsessed with discovering her secret, before events take an unforgettably eerie turn.
From the outset, Dickinson propels his drama with an urgency and invention that is nothing short of breathtaking. Set in a claustrophobic world of secret doors and passageways, shimmering candlelight and ominous shadows, Dickinson gradually cranks up the tension, propelled further by Walbrook and Evans’ captivating performances. This restoration is a reminder that Dickinson’s neglected gothic masterpiece stands alongside the best of David Lean, Carol Reed and the fantastic worlds of Powell and Pressburger.