This film was originally a segment of the fantasy anthology film "Flesh and Fantasy" (1943). The footage was excised from the final print and expanded into an independent feature.(IMDb) That film was directed by French director Julien Duvivier and it's probably the last part of the movie ,including the scene of the nightmare -by far the best of the whole movie;only a great artist could reach such peaks : Duvivier had transferred to the screen Jules Renard 's "Poil De Carotte" twice ,and one of the chapters he omitted (La Tempête Des Feuilles (the leaves storm))probably inspired him for the nature going mad ;the contrast between the quietness of the garden where the blind girl finds solace and the night these plants seem to come alive is striking.Snow White lost in the forest or Shyamalan's "the happening" ! Taken out of context ,the rest of the movie seems derivative .The key to it is given in the warden's office: "Have you already done something for somebody? " Selfishness only leads to betrayal (Marie who "helps "the fugitive then turns him in ).It's only when the hero shows some sympathy for his fellow man that he will redeem his soul .
The last part is really great and any French lover of Duvivier's work will feel his pessimistic touch and his sense of mystery and of supernatural :(which was not born in "flesh and fantasy" but which was already present in "La Charrette Fantôme" and "la Tête D'Un Homme" ) the blind girl has got a sixth sense (actually a fifth one for she can't see),she sees thing we don't.I'm not sure that Duvivier would have kept the happy end but who knows?
The last part is really great and any French lover of Duvivier's work will feel his pessimistic touch and his sense of mystery and of supernatural :(which was not born in "flesh and fantasy" but which was already present in "La Charrette Fantôme" and "la Tête D'Un Homme" ) the blind girl has got a sixth sense (actually a fifth one for she can't see),she sees thing we don't.I'm not sure that Duvivier would have kept the happy end but who knows?