CREPUSCULE

(TWILIGHT)

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FESTIVAL TODAY, New Delhi, December 8 , 1969. Excerpts :

He is a real Prince among the film makers of the world. Scenario, dialogue and setting are by the Prince. The film is produced by the Société Nationale de Cinématographie du Cambodge. It is in Eastmancolour. Cameraman : Som Sam Ol.

An interesting feature of the film is that it has Indian background and has shown the cultural links between India and Cambodia. The following is the Synopsis of the story of "TWILIGHT" ("Crépuscule", in French). :

Prince ADIT, a retired General of the Royal Khmer Army, receives Maharani MAYA from India as his guest. The Prince is staying at his country residence in Siemreap. Adit and Maya came to know each other in New Delhi, where the Prince was his country's Military Attaché in the Cambodian Embassy. They were at a French Embassy reception and the beauty of Maharani MAYA dazzled ADIT. Since then he found himself deeply in love with the Maharani. ADIT invited both the MAHARAJA and the MAHARANI to visit Cambodia and see the temple of Angkor.

But ADIT had to return to his country after his tenure in New Delhi before his Princely friends could avail themselves of his invitation. On return to Cambodia, ADIT fell a victim to ill-times. His wife deserted him for a man, a young cinema star. ADIT himself was crippled by chronic malaria. He met with an accident to boot, which made him lame for life. Dejected and crestfallen, he was staying in his villa at Siemreap. The Government of Cambodia sent him a trained nurse who served him with devotion.

It was at this time that Maharani MAYA arrived as his guest. By now, She is a widow, having lost the Maharaja a year earlier. MAYA and ADIT go round the historic sites of Khmer civilization. Later, MAYA takes a trip to Phnom Penh for Cambodia's Independence Day celebrations. But ADIT could not accompany her as he fell ill again. The devoted nurse, SOPHEAP, helps him return to normalcy.

SOPHEAP, who came from Khmer peasant stock, was very loyal to the Royal family. ADIT’s ailing condition and the constant attention she bestows on him kindle flames of deep love for ADIT in SOPHEAP. But the Prince was totally unaware of the rumblings in her heart.

He was in a hurry to go to Phnom Penh to meet MAYA. ADIT discovers that his love for MAYA is amply riquetted. The nurse became wise about the relationship between Maya and Prince Adit.

Returning to Siemreap, ADIT falls ill again. This time MAYA replaces the nurse and stays at her lover's bed-side day and night to tend him. This draws them further close. On recovery, ADIT obliquely tells MAYA that he is in love with her. This was more than SOPHEAP, the nurse, could stomach. Rather than see ADIT go to MAYA, the nurse preferred to drown herself.

The worst tragedy was yet to strike ADIT. Maharani MAYA, returning to India, writes to tell him that the tragic death of the nurse is an obstacle to the fulfillment of their heart's desire.

Like the Sundown he had reached a point of no return.

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THE HINDUSTAN TIMES, Tuesday, December 9, 1969.

Excerpts:

This film by Prince Norodom Sihanouk presents in a leisurely, stylized fashion the tragic love triangle of Prince ADIT of Cambodia, Maharani MAYA of India and the Prince's young Khmer nurse, SOPHEAP.

But the story is only a peg to explain Cambodia's culture, history and present development with some lovely visual glimpses of its architecture and scenery.

Prince Norodom explains that his choice of an Indian heroine is to illustrate that while Cambodia owes a debt to India it had also been under other influence and that its civilization and works of art (like Angkor) are essentially a product of its own genius.

MONIQUE SIHANOUK looks lovely as the Maharani and DY SAVETH is pretty as the nurse.

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THE INDIAN EXPRESS, 7 December 1969. Excerpts:

A statement by Prince NORODOM SIHANOUK about his film "TWILIGHT" is given below: "the subject matter of "TWILIGHT" was provided by the excellent book sent to me by my friend BERNARD GROSLIER, the French world-famous archaeologist, a book very simply entitled "ANGKOR". This book is remarkable from all points of view: its presentation, its text, its photographs, its scientific value, its poetic value (for instance, the admirable translation in French of the Khmer poems engraved on the stones. In a work, it is the achievement of a famous experienced and deeply cultured writer. The reading of this book inspired me the turning of a film. I did not want to depict in the film all that is described, suggested or evoked by the eminent archaeologist. I no longer wanted to film a trite document about ANGKOR. I did want to create a "fiction" film, according to my habit. Then I have imagined a love story which can be used as a clue by the spectators who are invited to make a rather pleasant journey that they will thoroughly enjoy, across my country, presented to them under its most interesting features. (...) Why are the Khmer poems of the film told in French? In fact, these poems were engraved in Sanskrit (...). The use of subtitles would have prevented from following easily the courses of the images; they present masterpieces and sites of a rare interest, which require a continuous and tireless attention. Moreover the French translation of these poems is by itself beautiful and magnified by friend Groslier's gift: undoubtedly, my fellow countrymen and the foreigners too will enjoy it ".

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Excerpts from the Indian Weekly magazine "SHANKAR", New-Delhi, December 1969:

"TWILIGHT"

(Cambodia)

" " (...) There are two ways of looking at this film. First, it is an assertion against the theory hat the wonderful remains of ANGKOR are but manifestations of Hindu revivalist culture. Secondly, it is an enjoyable excursion to the beautiful land of the Khmers.

In combining these two aspects Prince Norodom Sihanouk exercises his imagination and brings into being (the) story of a Maharani of Rajputana.

As far as aspect number one goes, it is for historians to agree or content with the Prince. The excursion with the Maharani (in real life, Prince Sihanouk’s wife) is a delightful experience.

The story has it that there was Platonic love between the widowed Indian Maharani and the divorced Prince ADIT. The Prince is spending the Twilight of this life in the quietude of Angkor, attended by the faithful nurse Sopheap. Fire returns in the invalid when the Maharani visits him. The nurse pines for him and when she knows his heart, commits suicide, Ophelia style.

The tragic end of this girl separates the Prince and the Maharani forever.

Madame Sihanouk as Maharani Maya exudes charm all the way. Both the leading artistes live up to the traditions of graceful, highly formal royalty.

(...) The picture is as clean as the child’s mind and as fresh as a flower.

Photography by Som Sam Ol is excellent.

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