The Pale Blue Eye Movie: A Gothic Murder Mystery at West Point

Who is killing U.S. Military Academy cadets in 1830? The first hanging is initially thought to be self-imposed, but upon examining the body, suicide is clearly not the cause of death. Then another cadet is found hanged and a third disappears. The military brass is frantic about the possibility of scandal at the fledgling academy. They hire retired detective Augustus Landor to investigate. The alcoholic widower comes with some baggage and is still mourning his daughter who ran off a few years earlier. Landor enlists the assistance of a young cadet named Edgar Allan Poe, a delicate outcast with a penchant for dark poetry. Suspicion centers on the family of Dr. Marquis, who performed the autopsy of the first victim. A destructive fire seems to resolve the case.

The Pale Blue Eye, adapted from the Louis Bayard novel of the same name, is directed by Scott Cooper (Crazy Heart). Christian Bale (Batman trilogy) stars as Landor and Harry Melling (The Queen’s Gambit) as Poe. The two leads work well together; Bale, understated and taciturn, and Melling, intriguing and peculiar. Their alliance is tested as the search for the killer takes a sinister turn. They also stand in for what the other craves, a father figure for the hesitant Poe and a child figure for the heartbroken Landor. Gillian Anderson, Toby Jones, and Robert Duvall round out a fine cast. The gray, bleak winter, as presented by Cinemaphotographer Masanobu Takayanagi, paints a gothic, tense atmosphere for the military campus.

The Pale Blue Eye has a lot going for it, an accomplished director, stellar performances, and a striking look. Melling’s bringing to life the mind of Edgar Allen Poe is a career highlight. The film’s connection to Poe is an interesting historical narrative. His observational skills will determine the outcome. The story is a compelling slow burn. The ending pulls the rug out. It’s an overlooked gem of 2023.

(The Pale Blue Eye is streaming on Netflix – running time 2 hr 8 m)

D² Rating ◼◼◼◩☐

Trivia: Harry Melling played Dudley Dursley in what film series?

Answer: Melling played Dursley in five of the Harry Potter movies.