The Fall of the House of Usher (1928 French film)

Did You Know?

• Roderick Usher summons his friend to his crumbling old mansion in the remote countryside.
• Madeline revives from her catalepsy, exits her coffin and returns to her shocked husband.

Production

The film was written by Luis Buñuel and Jean Epstein, marking Buñuel's second film credit after working as an assistant director on Epstein's Mauprat. Buñuel left the production following an argument with Epstein about his interpretation of the material. Changes from the original story include altering the relationship between Roderick and his sister to man and wife. Usher's obsession with painting his dying wife is a detail from Poe's The Oval Portrait. Film critic Troy Howarth stated it was unclear how much of Buñuel's writing was included in the finished film.

Reception

Critic Troy Howarth described the 1928 silent film as one of the most celebrated experimental works of its era, highlighting its quick editing, obsessive close-ups, and hazy, dreamlike quality. He called it Epstein's greatest gift to cinema. Roger Ebert placed it on his "Great Movies" list. In 2021, The Daily Star ranked it eighth among the finest short story adaptations, calling it a flawless Edgar Allan Poe adaptation. That same year, Paste magazine included it among the 13 best Poe adaptations.