A romantic journey through time, Enchantment is the kind of film that is so exquisitely photographed and elegantly acted that you find yourself still lost in the world of the film long after it’s ended. Essentially a dual love story, the film takes place almost entirely in one English house (99 Wilshire Crescent, which also serves as the narrator), from the mid 19th century up to The Blitz bombings of London during World War II.
A series of flashbacks detail the romantic relationship between Roland Dane (David Niven) and his adopted sister Lark (Teresa Wright), while sections taking place during WWII show the budding romance between Roland’s American grandniece Grizel (Evelyn Keyes) and Pax Masterson (Farley Granger), a Canadian pilot. Roland and Lark first meet as children after Roalnd’s father takes the young girl in after both her parents die in a tragic train crash. Growing up, Roland joins the military and soon rises through the ranks while Lark lives under the oppressive eye of Selina (Jayne Meadows), Roland’s older sister. Even though Roland’s older brother Pelham cares for Lark, nothing seems to curb Selina’s distain for their adopted sibling.
Although scenes between Selina and Lark often feel like leftover sections of similar moments from stories such as Cinderella or even Jane Eyre, both Wright and Meadows perform them well enough that the drama feels authentic. The scenes between Wright and Niven, particularly the ones before they recognize their romantic love for what it is, are far more interesting in the romantic chemistry and tension they hold. These two characters show affection for each other, but their longstanding familial relationship obstructs them from recognizing their romance for what it is. Wright is given multiple scenes with other love interests (including Pelham), and she plays Lark’s mixture of childish innocence, budding sexuality, and genuine compassion beautifully. There is a part of her character that longs for happiness and love, but at the same time she cannot force herself to break out of the oppressively subservient role her adoptive sister has forced her into.
The past is always a living character in Enchantment, and it often feels as if Grizel and Pax’s romance is happening at the same time as Roland and Lark’s. During a visit to the Dane house, Pax (who is revealed to be Lark’s nephew) walks Grizel through the estate, giving a guided tour based on memories told to him as a child. As the two observe a hanging chandelier, the present becomes the past, and we’re transported back to Lark and Roland’s youth. Legendary cinematographer Gregg Toland (Citizen Kane, Les Miserables) brings a fluidity to the photography that lends it a dreamlike quality, and effortlessly transitions between past and present. The melancholic, unfulfilled element to Roland and Lark’s story finds new life in the romance between Pax and Grizel, and it feels as if these two relationships, separated by an entire generation, collapse into one epic romance within the comfortable confines of 99 Wilshire Crescent.
A beautifully told cinematic tale, Enchantment is now available on DVD through The Warner Archive. Gregg Toland’s black and white cinematography, Teresa Wright’s honest and nuanced performance, and the film’s elegant structure, which blends past with present, makes Enchantment one of the more engaging on-screen romances.