"The Night Porter" is a dark, misunderstood film with a very adult, and often disturbing subject matter. It has an underlying focus of deviant sex, concentration camp atrocities and former Nazi's alluding prosecution. The plot evolves to us as follows: Vienna - WWII has been over for a dozen years and Lucia (Charlotte Rampling), a concentration camp survivor, discovers her ex-torturer, Maximillian (Dirk Borgarde), is employed as an evening porter in her hotel. It seems the psychological entrapments of their sadomasochistic history have irreparably embedded themselves into their carnal desires. In a realistic transgression - their old relationship is ignited and the veritable flame is indeed fed again. As this transpires Max and his old buddies are sought and in danger of being tried for war crimes. Slow paced for some it is keen and unpredictable with an unusual nobility. Rampling and Bogarde are excellent and lift the film to a more respectable critical level. Certainly not a film for everyone, but like its intent - good for those open enough to experiment with their own ideals of film as simply entertainment. We are dealing with powerful forces and emotions, that are better understood by very few individuals.

Gary Tooze