Set in the early years of the century. A story of a country gentleman haunted by the memory of his first wife. His current wife, had enough of his obsession and has taken a lover, who is mysteriously paralyzed. Meanwhile, main character’s son gets his first taste of sensual experience with a mute peasant girl.
“The Phantom”, or “Widziadlo”, is one of those movies that feels like a photo book come to life. As is usually the case with such movies, things like plot and characterisation get short shift to the pretty pictures, and an hour and a half of looking at photos can get a tad boring.
The film does have a plot buried in their somewhere amongst all the dazzling imagery. Set in the early twentieth century, a Polish guy has remarried but is still haunted by the image of his first wife. His new bride has taken a lover. Meanwhile, his son is dilly dallying with a beautiful young servant girl who apparently can’t speak, and nor can she do up her bodice.
The film has a lot of nudity, but I disagree with the reviewer who says it’s sleazy. It’s the arty nudity crap that you get from, yes, photo books. It suits the film’s look entirely.
The movie has many decent moments, but nothing to really string them together. I was occasionally interested in it, but mostly I was just waiting for it to end.
