La Cinématographie française (Jan - Apr 1937)

150 CXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX3 CIME ♦♦♦♦♦♦♦»♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦ A REVIEW OF 1936-1937 LEADING FILMS by Pierre AUTRE and B. FRASER During the year 193(i, French studios hâve turned oui 117 feature pictures — two inore lhan in the year 1935, and three more than in the year 1934. Il is to be noticed that the total amount of films produced yearly in France is about the saine. One of the principal eharacteristics of the French Production is that it is made up, not of important companies, who turn ont a large quanti ly of filins per year, but of Indépendant Producers, who never produce more lhan three or four films during the year, and, more often than not, turn out two, or only one film per year. This System of Independent Production has had very successful resuEts and it is certain that with the exception of very important foreign films, it is the French film, with French dialogue, and acted by French film stars, which is the most highly appreciated on the French Market. The year 1936 has definitively shown the supremacy of the French film in France. There is no doubt that the improved quality of the films produced in France lias been of great importance in the matter. Out of the 117 French feature films produced in 1936, al least 25 to 30 were enough good to rivalize advantagously with important, and sometimes the best, foreign productions on the International markets. BEST FRENCH PICTURES PRODUCED IN 1936 For example, films such as: Sous les Yeux de l'Occident (Seen by Western eyes), a gripping drama from Joseph Conrad's novel, directed by Marc Allégret, and starring Pierre Fresnay. Seven men... one Woman, a delightful comedy written and directed by Yves Mirande, starring the famous French comedian Fernand Gravey, who has just made his first American appearance in Warner's film: «The King and the Chorus Girl». Ménilmontant, a charming film giving a curions insight into life in a famous district in Paris. Le Grand Refrain, an excellent musical comedy by Yves Mirande, again starring Fernand Gravey. L'Appel du Silence (Call of the Wilderness), a Léon Poirier production depicting the life of the famous French Monk, Père de Foucault, in the Sahara. Because of its cinematographic and moral value, this film luis been awarded the «Grand Prix» of the French Cinéma for 1930. Mayerling, an outstanding and moving iilm from Claude Anet's book on the famous historical tragedy. This excellent picture was directed by Anatol Litwak and stars Danielle Darrieux and Charles Boyer. Le Roi (The King), a very amusing and well-known French stage play which has been filmed with an ail-star cast including Gaby Morlay, Elvire Popesco, Raimu, Victor Francen, and André Lefaur. Les Bas-Fonds (The Underworld), from Maxime Gorki's novel «Na-dnié», directed by Jean Renoir, with Jean Gabin, Louis Jouvet, and Junie Astor; this film was awarded the «Grand Prix» of the Independent Film critics». Nitchevo, a drama of the deep seas, written and directed by Jacques de Baroncellli, starring Harry Baur, Marcelle Chantai and Lisette Lanvin. Un Grand Amour de Beethoven (Beethoven's Greatest Love), directed by Abel Gance, with Harry Baur in the title rôle, best value of this film cornes from the original and clever use of the îinisic. Jer.ny the first lilm of a promising young French Director: Marcel Carné; which was received everywhere with the greatest success. Excellent cast with Françoise Rosay, Albert Préjean, Lisette Lanvin, Charles Vanel, Jean-Louis Barrault and Robert Le Vigan. Le Mioche (The Kid), a delightful picture directed by Léonide Moguy and starring Lucien Baroux. Samson, a melodrama directed by Maurice Tourneur from Henry Bernslein's play, starring Harry Baur. Les Hommes nouveaux (New Men), a lilm directed by Marcel L'Herbier, depicting the life of the first French settlers in Morocco. The picture was adapted from Claude Farrère's novel and starred Harry Baur in the principal rôle. César, a film written, produced and directed by the famous French author Marcel Pagnol, it is the sequel to Marins and Faillit/. Le Mort en Fuite (Death escaped); an original comedy with Michel Simon, directed by André Berthomieu (director of the British Unity Production: «Girl in the taxi»). Avec le Sourire (Keep smiling), a pleasant comedy with songs, starring Maurice Chevalier. Direction by Maurice Tourneur, and taken from original story by Louis Verneuil. L'Homme du Jour (Man about town), another comedy starring Maurice Chevalier. Ths is an intersting film from a story by Charles Vildrac, directed by Julien Duvivier. Hélène from Vicky Baum's novel : «Hélène Vilfur» with Madeleine Renaud, JeanLouis Barrault, Constant Rémy, directed by Jean-Benoît Lévy. Les Amants Terribles, from Noël Co ward's play: «Private Lives», with Gaby Morlay and André Luguet. Tarass Boulba, a Russian story directec by Granowsky, with Harry Baur. La Porte du Large (Door to the open seas), a film depicting the life of Cadets in the new Naval Collège at Brest, with Roland Toutain, Victor Francen, Marcelle Chantai and Jean-Pierre Auinont. Club de Femmes (Girls'club), written and directed by Jacques Deval (now in Hollywood), with Danieile Darrieux, Junie Astor, Valentine Tessier, and Betty Stockfeld. la Belle Equipe (The Fine Team), directed by Julien Duvivier with Jean Gabin, Charles Vanel, Aimos, ant the new French star Viviane Romance. La Tendre Ennemie (The Gentle Eneniy), directed by Max Ophûls and starring Simone Berriau. Le Roman d'un Tricheur (The Life of a cheater), an original film, written, directed and played by the famous French author and actor Sacha Guitry. Courrier Sud (Southern Mail), from Antoine de Saint-Exupéry's novel, a film directed by Pierre Billon, showing life of the pilots in the first days of the air line : ParisToulouse-Casablanca-Dakar. Pépé le Moko, one of the best French pictures of récent years, directed by Julien Duvivier and starring Jean Gabin and Mireille Ballin; this is an original gangster story, in the Arabian district of Algiers. Cargaison blanche (The Way to Rio), directed by Robert Siodmak, with Kate de Nagy and Jean-Pierre Aumont. Mademoiselle Docteur, a spy-story directed by G.-W. Pabst, and played by Pierre Blanchar, Dita Parlo and Pierre Fresnay. Marthe Richard Espionne, another spystory, directed by Raymond Bernard, with Edwige Feuillère and Eric Von Stroheim. Mon Père avait Raison (My Father was rigbt) Faisons un Rêve (Let's dream), and Le Nouveau Testament (The New Testament), three plays by Sacha Guitry, adapted to the screen, directed and played by their author. 25 French speaking pictures bave been made in Foreign studios, mainly in Germany, Where Ufa and Tobis hâve produced 15 French pictures. 3 French speaking versions of English films bave been made in British studios: The Beloved Vagabond starring Maurice Chevalier, The Guilty Melody, starring Gitta Alpar, and more recently Widows'lsland, starring Marcelle Chantai. 5 French speaking films hâve been made in Prague, of which the most important is Port-Arthur, a story of the 1905 RussianJaponese war, written by Pierre Frondaie, and directed by Nicolas Farkas, with Danielle Darrieux.