User Reviews

At the outset, you assume the producers of this film were insane. After all, they cast Brigitte Bardot and Stephen Boyd in a film set in Spain. So why have the VERY French Bardot?! Why dub Boyd and have an actor that just doesn't look Spanish?! This is clearly a case where the producers had actors and they were going to force them into a script no matter how ridiculous it was.

As for the plot, it isn't much better. Bardot plays a nymphet who has been raised in a convent (despite being VERY sexy and the most un-convent like woman in film history) and comes to live with her guardians--a rich uncle and aunt. In this small town, the uncle is all-powerful--and apparently had abused this position by forcing himself on women. First, his advances resulted in the death of Boyd's sister, then he puts the moves on his niece. As for the niece (Bardot), she is a rather vacuous lady who meets Boyd and INSTANTLY falls in love with him--a bad cliché to say the least. Later, when Boyd kills the uncle, she abandons everything and runs off with him. Now, she is wanted by the police as well--all because of 'love at first sight'--good grief. And, at the 80 minute mark comes a scene that, frankly, made my brain hurt, as Bardot goes bananas and then the two make out like sex-crazed weasels. Wow. You just have to see it.

If you completely ignore the plot and casting of actors, the film IS lovely to see. The color cinematography is very nice as is the setting. So, if you can ignore the problems, at least the film looks nice and is a diversion--and nothing more. This is NOT among Bardot's best films--nor is it even among the best looking (that would be "Contempt"). But, if you are a fan of her work or just have to see the dimpled and jug-eared Boyd play a Spaniard, then this film is for you!

For a movie with such a nice budget, scenery and stars, it should have been a lot better.

Interesting strange tale with great performance by BB and she was never more gorgeous. Stephen Boyd is solid, tough, and has a good feel for this type of loner. Incredible Spanish locales with great cinematography with nice music score. I'm not quite sure of the intent of this flick, but you can't wait to see what happens next. A perfect role for Ms. Bardot at the height of her radiant beauty and power.

An 8 out of 10. Best performance = BB. I didn't expect much before viewing this and was astonished by this strangely paced over the top tale of "love on the run" and betrayal. I don't believe Vadim was a great director by many means, but this is definitely one of his best efforts. Thanks to Ms. Bardot!

French "new wave" director Roger Vadim expertly showcased his then-wife, the youthful Brigitte Bardot in The Night Heaven Fell, and he did a fantastic job. I went into this movie not knowing what to expect, and was delighted to discover that Vadim had made an epic, hard-hitting and moving melodrama somewhat along the lines of what Douglas Sirk might have made if unbound from the restrictions of the U.S. production codes.

I watched the DVD release, and was somewhat surprised to find it filmed in glorious Eastmancolor and wide-screen. The majestic scenery and authentic locales presented within remain spectacular and awe-inspiring even today. The cinematography is lush and beautiful, and the action moves the film along at a brisk pace which never becomes tedious. Fabulous art direction adds to the enjoyment, and the film is like a trip to the exotic, mysterious, and thrilling Spain in the 1950's.

Briefly, the plot has young Brigitte Bardot just out of the convent, going to stay with her Aunt and Uncle. Stephen Boyd is the town "stud," as the movie calls him, who has a vendetta against the Uncle for violating his sister, driving her to suicide. Handsome Boyd plays both Bardot and her Aunt (Alida Valli) off one-another, until the melodramatic situation escalates into violence.

The actors all give solid performances, especially old pro Alida Valli, as the respectable Aunt who conceals her passions beneath a steely exterior. Valli brings an aura of experience and tragedy to a role that breaks many of the conventions usually associated with the roles given to more mature actresses. She looks fantastic, and her subtle transformation caused by her young niece is remarkable.

Bardot also is in fine form, looking stunningly beautiful of course, but also displaying a lot of both charm and unexpected strength. She has a number of scenes with two animals, a mule and a piglet, which are poignant and real.And it's fascinating to watch her interplay with these creatures, considering Bardot's famous and long-standing advocacy for animal rights. Plus, she must have been horrified -- if she ever actually watched the film -- to see a dead bull dragged through the Spanish streets in a scene in which she does not appear. Nevertheless, Bardot's performance here gives me a new respect for her talents, which were so much more than superficial. Another memorable scene has Bardot beating off the unwanted attentions of a lecherous man attempting to force himself on her. The fact that this guy had no idea of who he was tangling with is obvious in Bardot's reaction and its aftermath.

And American Stephen Boyd is surprisingly convincing as a Spaniard, and the dubbed voice used suits him perfectly and the lip sync matches just fine. He's trim, fit and great in the action sequences, including a scene at the start when he catches a ride on the sedan taking Bardot to her new residence. It's edge-of-your-seat stuff, and a great way to start the film! Though tame by today's standards, American audiences back in the 1950s were certainly shocked by the film's matter-of-fact approach to sexuality. While the film looks like an expert Hollywood production, the adult themes and brief nudity clearly illustrate how much more liberal European film makers were allowed to be.

The Night Heaven Fell clearly was made for adults, and Vadim and his crew succeeded in making one of the most memorable, entertaining and provocative films to come out of Europe at that time. And for today's fans of directors like John Ford or the aforementioned Douglas Sirk -- there's plenty here to enjoy.