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Fall in love with unusual `Night'

Well, no one can accuse this movie of being ordinary and predictable.

"When Night is Falling" is the story of Camille, a Protestant school teacher engaged to a fellow professor (male). By chance one day, she meets Petra, a performer with a traveling circus (female). The two start an affair, and the film becomes Camille's struggle to decide which of her two separate lives makes her most happy and fulfilled.

At one point, Camille is afraid of her feelings for Petra and asks if they can just be friends.

"Sounds like a buddy movie to me," Petra replies. Ironically, this film is about as far from a conventional, Hollywood buddy picture as it can get.

The cinematography, costumes and color are absolutely beautiful and give the film an unreal, fairy-tale quality. Certainly, this circus doesn't look anything like the Barnum and Bailey mom and dad took you to as a kid.

There is also a lot of powerful and haunting imagery like the opening dream sequence in which Camille imagines herself trapped underwater. The meaning of this recurring scene is revealed later in the film.

The dialogue is often awkward and melodramatic, like when Petra announces, "Camille, I'd love to see you in the moonlight with your head thrown back and your body on fire."

Also, the messages about homosexuality seem mixed in the beginning. Although Camille's debates with the church offer some intelligent insight ("I think there is room for multiplicity in God's creation"), homosexuality's association with the circus made me wonder if it was being equated with some sort of aberrant behavior. The second half clears this up.

A turning point in the film occurs when Camille and Petra finally consummate their relationship. Their lovemaking is intercut with two trapeze artists practicing a routine. It is beautiful in the sense that the coming together of two women is related to a graceful, synchronous dance. We also can't help but smile (yes, a sex scene in which people actually are swinging from the ceiling).

After this, the film suddenly becomes worthwhile. The situation and the characters become real and sympathetic. As the women and the film come into their own, things become much less self-conscious and much more effective.

Both women have trouble dealing with their new emotions. Petra worries that Camille is only experimenting and will desert her when the going gets tough.

Camille has to decide whether she is willing to face exile from her old life. Throughout the film, she must also deal with many harsh realizations -- especially when she becomes what the church judgmentally labels "people like you." We also see a bit of Martin's (the fiancee) struggle to deal with the situation.

For example, in the beginning of the film, Camille's dog dies and, unable to let go, she keeps its body in the refrigerator. Near the end, Martin discovers it and confronts her.

In a wonderful scene, the two discuss their relationship over the dead dog's body. Throughout the discussion, the dog becomes a symbol for the hidden side of Camille. To her, it represents all that is unique and sacred about herself; to Martin, however, it is only foolish and problematic.

The ending of the film (I won't ruin it) is excellent and keeps us guessing to the last minute. And don't leave until you watch the first minute of the credits. It's probably the best part of the film.