Being very lucky in 2019 to have a marathon viewing of every French film from 1932 (20 of them) which had English Subtitles that I could find online or on disc,I was delighted to recently find a new '32 title with Eng Subs, leading to me stepping into the projectionist booth.
View on the film:
From the magnetic, long opening crane shot from the Silent Movie within a film to the cinema, co-directors Max de Vaucorbeil & Hanns Schwarz are joined by Eyes Without A Face (1960-also reviewed) cinematographer Eugen Schufftan in looping the graceful style of Silent cinema, with the punch of Film Noir, via gliding panning shots over a elegant score from Paul Abraham keeping track of Lucette attempting to foil the grubby plans of her brother, which the directors unveil, with a comedic Noir atmosphere of jagged whip-pans reeling Noir loner Charlot into the circle of gangsters.
Secretly falling in love with Charlot, Josseline Gael (who just over a decade later, got married to French Gestapo member Antonin "Tony" Saunier) gives a sparkling performance as Lucette, thanks to Gael giving Lucette a feisty edge when standing up against her brother, which is contrasted with a melting heart when round her lover Charlot - played with a great mix of nervousness and fuming temper by Jean Gabin.
Filmed the same year that he made his directing debut, the screenplay by Henry Koster and Jean Guignebert neatly threads a charming, kitsch Silent Movie Rom-Com romance between Charlot and Lucette, with the looming Film Noir menace of the gangsters wanting to plan a jewel robbery, by watching footage played by a projectionist.
View on the film:
From the magnetic, long opening crane shot from the Silent Movie within a film to the cinema, co-directors Max de Vaucorbeil & Hanns Schwarz are joined by Eyes Without A Face (1960-also reviewed) cinematographer Eugen Schufftan in looping the graceful style of Silent cinema, with the punch of Film Noir, via gliding panning shots over a elegant score from Paul Abraham keeping track of Lucette attempting to foil the grubby plans of her brother, which the directors unveil, with a comedic Noir atmosphere of jagged whip-pans reeling Noir loner Charlot into the circle of gangsters.
Secretly falling in love with Charlot, Josseline Gael (who just over a decade later, got married to French Gestapo member Antonin "Tony" Saunier) gives a sparkling performance as Lucette, thanks to Gael giving Lucette a feisty edge when standing up against her brother, which is contrasted with a melting heart when round her lover Charlot - played with a great mix of nervousness and fuming temper by Jean Gabin.
Filmed the same year that he made his directing debut, the screenplay by Henry Koster and Jean Guignebert neatly threads a charming, kitsch Silent Movie Rom-Com romance between Charlot and Lucette, with the looming Film Noir menace of the gangsters wanting to plan a jewel robbery, by watching footage played by a projectionist.
