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Beyond The Forest
PG
Why watch?
“This is a riotously camp example of a noir-tinged melodrama from 1940s Hollywood. It’s a must-see for Davis’s deliciously depraved performance as Rosa Moline, a woman gripped by an intense desire to break free from the claustrophobia of her small town life, and whose sexuality and passion cannot be contained. It can be equally enjoyed as a trashy romp and as a subversive feminist work, critiquing the stifling conventions of femininity.”
Alice Miller,
Independent Film Programmer
As Rosa Moline, a small-town doctor’s wife suffocating in boredom, Davis seethes with rage and yearning, clawing her way toward the big-city allure of Chicago and the life she feels she deserves. King Vidor directs with operatic excess, unleashing a feverish mix of lust and hysteria. Dismissed on release but now hailed as a camp classic, Beyond the Forest is a decadent delight, and features Davis’s immortal line: “What a dump!”.
This screening is presented by independent film programmer Alice Miller, who will join us at the cinema to introduce the film.
Showing as part of our season Too Much: Melodrama on Film - supported by the BFI and Film Hub North.