When Night Is Falling (VHS, 1997)

I saw this on TV and HAD to buy the DVD! Get this, I am actually a HORROR film buff so this dvd is way off base for me. I am also 'straight'(not that it matters, right?) Anyway, I can't explain it but I was fasinated by this DVD to get the whole version! You should too. Education & enjoyment! OK, here we go!

Camille, a professor at a conservative Christian college, who is engaged to Martin, a minister and fellow professor. The couple is being urged by the Dean to marry soon so that they can become the new co-chaplains for the college. Yet, for some reason not quite apparent to Camille, she has mixed feelings about her life, Martin, and their plans for the future.

One morning her dog gets loose and subsequently is struck by a car. Deeply saddened, Camille discovers her pet, takes it home, and tries to lose herself in the mundane activities of the day. It is while she is at the laundromat that she meets Petra, a vibrant and flamboyant young woman who is in between performances with an avant-garde surrealist circus company. Immediately attracted to the weeping Camille, Petra offers her solace and unobtrusively manages to switch their laundry in order to see Camille once again. Soon both women will realize that there is such a thing as a true soul mate, that the conventional is not always preferable, and that life is indeed a conundrum.

Patricia Rozema has created an appealing and intriguing portrait of one woman’s thoughtful yet tentative search for her purpose in the scheme of things. Her captivating screenplay engages the viewer from the opening scene through the closing credits. (By the way, stay until the end of these credits; you will be pleased that you did.) Her writing is crisp, cogent, and introspective. Devoid of any maudlin sentimentality or religiosity, Rozema’s story could just as well have been about a store clerk. She has Camille questioning the parameters of her faith and its doctrine. As she begins to accept who she really is, Camille puts her own faith and ideals to the test. Rozema’s direction is subtle and carefully understated. The story unfolds at a leisurely pace, which allows the viewer to step into the film. The film gathers momentum once Camille and Petra meet in the entryway of the former’s apartment. As their relationship begins to develop, the pace of the film reflects this growing intensity.

Set in and around Toronto during winter, the predominantly gray and overcast landscape reflects Camille’s uncertainty and hesitation. The hang gliding sequence is especially evocative as Camille breaks through her mundane cocoon to experience yet another challenge. The visual appeal of this film rests in its imagery devoid of any dialogue. This is also true of the tastefully filmed erotically charged love scenes. The scene conveys everything the viewer needs to know and appreciate. Leslie Barber’s musical score enhances the quietude of each scene juxtaposed with the raucous cirque sequences. Underlying themes reinforce the emotional chaos that both Camille and Petra are experiencing as they re-evaluate their hopes and desires.

At first, Camille and Petra seem an unlikely pair, but each woman has indeed so much to offer the other. A satisfying counterpoint is created by the deft direction of Patricia Rozema. Their cautious discovery, then committed journey together is an indisputably realistic and poignant attempt to re-define the existence and purpose the women hope to achieve with & for each other.