Le Quai des brumes (Port of Shadows) is a 1938 French romantic drama film directed by Marcel Carne.
The story follows an army deserter (Jean Gabin) as he finds love in a French port city.
The movie also stars Michel Simon, Michèle Morgan, Pierre Brasseur, Edouard Delmont and Raymond Aimos.
Tropes:
- Animals Hate Him: One of the first clues that Nelly's guardian, Zabel, is more villainous than he lets on comes when the stray dog that has been following Jean starts barking angrily when Zabel visits the seaside bar to wash blood off his hands. When Jean and his dog later stop by Zabel's shop, the dog starts barking at Zabel again. It is later learned that the blood on Zabel's hands belonged to Nelly's would-be boyfriend Maurice, whom Zabel killed out of jealousy born of his own lust for her.
- Dangerous Deserter: Jean, is a deserter from the French army who is on the run for an unnamed crime. He is short-tempered and prone to violence, slapping gangster wannabe Lucien Legardier when the latter starts harassing him over his bond with Nelly, and brutally murdering Nelly's godfather, Zabel, after he admits to having killed Nelly's would-be boyfriend Maurice out of jealousy over Nelly's affection for him.
- Dark and Troubled Past: Army deserter Jean admits to Nelly that he is a wanted man and is planning to flee France under a new identity to start a new life in Venezuela. It is never learned what precisely what crime he committed, but it's serious enough that he can't stay to face the consequences.
- Evil-Detecting Dog: The stray dog that follows Jean around for most of the film starts barking angrily at Zabel when he shows up at the seaside bar where Jean is hiding in a back room with Nelly, Zabel's ward. When Jean stops by Zabel's shop later in the film, the dog starts barking at Zabel again. It is later learned that Zabel killed Nelly's would-be suitor, Maurice, in a jealous rage born of his own lust for her.
- What Beautiful Eyes!: The iconic scene with Jean's line to Nelly, "T'as d'beaux yeux tu sais" ("Y'got beautiful eyes, you know"). The Big Damn Kiss ensues.
