There has been a murder at West Point. Naturally, Batman is summoned. This being 1830, there is no Batman, only Christian Bale. But there is also West Point cadet Edgar Allan Poe, played by Dudley Dursley (Henry Melling). Did Poe go all Raven on somebody’s ass? Did Dudley go all Rave-claw on somebody’s ass? Did Batman? How about Ichabod Crane? You know Sleepy Hollow is just down the Hudson a bit, right?
Actually, it is Augustus Landor (Bale) who has to inform everybody that the hanging of a cadet was indeed murder. When West Point summons the retired detective, the case is simply a “mysterious death.” A half-hanged cadet was found on the outskirts of the campus and after the body was taken from the makeshift gallows, his heart was removed. Exactly how many grisly tales of murder came from the Hudson Valley during this era?
Hold up. A dude was killed and tortured where exactly? On the campus of the United States Military Academy? So these are the individuals who will defend democracy throughout the world but can’t defend their own home … does that sound about right? Well, maybe in 1830, the Academy didn’t have the same reputation.
The clues don’t exactly lead to a pub, but that’s where Detective Landor is comfortable and where he once again runs into Edgar Allan Poe. Yes, that Edgar Allan Poe. Did he go to West Point? Apparently, he did. And it turns out America’s great-great-great gothfather doesn’t play well with others. Not exactly a surprise, huh? It’s not like Dudley Dursley was good at making friends, either.
You might imagine that a murder mystery gets a little cheesy when you introduce Edgar Allan Poe for no particular reason … but this impression is mistaken. E.A. Poe is a fully fledged character helping out
with the proceedings; he lives in several different worlds – the one of the detective, the one of the soldiers, the one of the beyond – so if you can’t make him your lead detective, this is the next best thing. We also know he didn’t do it because history would know, amIright? Which allows us to flex our minds elsewhere when all the clues point Lenore-ward.
The Pale Blue Eye –and don’t ask me how the novelist chose that particular title- is obviously a very American tale written and directed by American Scott Cooper; despite such, the top six cast are all Brits. What the bloody hell is up with that? Is this revenge for the War of 1812? Whatever the reason, Pale Blue Eye had me in Act I, lost me in Act II, but found me again by the conclusion. Not a strong recommendation here, but for a film that could easily have been cheesy and messy, Pale Blue Eye was better than it wasn’t.
A murderous tale, this Eye, Pale Blue
In the heart of Army’s campus so true
If the black knights of the Hudson
Can’t cut through all the crud, son
Then the Dark Knight will just have to do
Rated R, 128 Minutes
Director: Scott Cooper
Writer: Scott Cooper
Genre: You won’t believe this movie doesn’t suck
Type of being most likely to enjoy this film: Fans of period mystery
Type of being least likely to enjoy this film: The eye-rolling crowd
