This enduring classic of French cinema is often cited as director Jacques Feyder’s finest
film and it certainly earned him great acclaim on its release in 1935... [More...]
Un carnet de bal is a good example of French cinema of the late1930s, and one of
the earliest successful attempts at the episodic film which became so popular in subsequent
decades.
The multi-part structure of the... [More...]
Based on two of Guy de Maupassant’s short stories, Boule de suif was one of the
first films to be made in France after the Liberation in 1944... [More...]
Although this film now feels very dated and just a tad ridiculous (almost the parody of
a French bedroom farce), it was hugely popular when it was first released in France... [More...]
Jules Dassin was the man who was originally slated to direct Fernandel in this lavish
gangster film parody. When he was unable to return to the United States to shoot
the film’s exterior locations scenes... [More...]
Swashbuckling action historicals were hugely popular in France in the 1950s, and André
Hunebelle was presumably hoping to capitalise on the success of Christian-Jaque’s 1952
film Fanfan
la Tulipe with his... [More...]
Jean Gabin stars in one of his most famous roles, that of Inspector Maigret, in this atmospheric
1950s policier directed by one of France’s most talented directors... [More...]
Lino Ventura gives one of his legendary tour de force performances in
this intricate mystery-thriller, a compelling film which appears to have
been influenced by both American film noir and the work of Alfred Hitchcock... [More...]
Rue des Prairies was based on a novel by the
well-known French actor, René Lefèvre, and gave Claude Brasseur his first
significant film role... [More...]
Just as French cinema was going through its most significant upheaval for decades, FBI
agent Lemmy Caution made a welcome return to cinema screens after an absence of nearly
five years... [More...]
Few films stand alone on the strength of a single actor’s performance, but this is one
such film. Although Verneuil’s direction cannot be faulted and Michel Audiard’s
script is exemplary... [More...]
One of the most significant films of the French New Wave, Vivre sa vie is quintessentially
Jean-Luc Godard at his best. The approach used in this film is quite different to
his earlier films... [More...]
