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Orpheus

Orpheus

Romance · Fantasy · Drama · 1950

A famous poet in postwar Paris, scorned by the Left Bank youth, is in love with both his wife Eurydice and a mysterious princess. Seeking inspiration, the poet becomes obsessed and follows the princess from the world of the living to the land of the dead.

Movie details

Orpheus

1950 Romance · Fantasy · Drama 1h 35m

Critical arithmetic

One number, for now.

TMDB

7.7 / 10

Community rating

A famous poet in postwar Paris, scorned by the Left Bank youth, is in love with both his wife Eurydice and a mysterious princess. Seeking inspiration, the poet becomes obsessed and follows the princess from the world of the living to the land of the dead.

CriticWise case file

What this film says about your taste.

Not a recommendation score. A measure of how closely the film’s taste signals resemble yours.

The archetype split

Who fights over Orpheus?

The split comes from the same five-axis model used by the test, not audience ratings or review sentiment.

Taste neighbourhood

Nearby on the taste map.

TMDB supplies the candidates. CriticWise reorders them by craft, strangeness, prestige, emotion, and pace.

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Mélo

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Names above the title

The people responsible.

Directed by

Jean Cocteau

Written by

Jean Cocteau

Jean Marais

Jean Marais

Orphée

François Périer

François Périer

Heurtebise

María Casares

María Casares

Death

Marie Déa

Marie Déa

Eurydice

Henri Crémieux

Henri Crémieux

Editor

Juliette Gréco

Juliette Gréco

Aglaonice

Roger Blin

Roger Blin

The Poet

Court is in session

Put Orpheus on trial.

Two incompatible taste archetypes. One film. Read the arguments, then issue a completely binding cultural ruling.

The defence The Prestige Tourist

“Ambition earns the room.”

The film reaches for consequence and scale, accepting the risk of seriousness instead of shrinking from it.

The prosecution The Popcorn Loyalist

“Importance has entered the chat.”

The production keeps announcing its significance, as though awards-season posture were proof of insight.