Having failed to make much of a mark in cinema’s silent era, Jean Renoir made the transition
to sound films which much greater success than many of his contemporaries... [More...]
La Bandera is one of Julien Duvivier’s most memorable films, providing a satisfying
and early example of poetic realism, albeit in a setting far removed from contemporary
France... [More...]
La Belle équipe is one of director Julien Duvivier’s most enduring and popular
films. Although it is not quite his best work, it has several moments of brilliance
which easily afford it the status of a masterpiece... [More...]
L’Étrange Monsieur Victor is unquestionably one of Jean Grémillon’s
best films, an atmospheric, sombre tale of guilt, betrayal and retribution... [More...]
After his largely lacklustre stint in Hollywood during World War II, Julien Duvivier returned
to France a changed man, and this is clearly reflected in his first French film after
the war... [More...]
In contrast to many French period films, L’Affaire des poisons is a decidedly dark,
humourless affair, having perhaps more in common with the contemporary thriller genre
than the tradition of historical drama... [More...]
This is a well-made and satisfying example of the popular French crime thriller.
It was directed by Henri Verneuil, who had a reputation for making popular films with
a quality feel... [More...]
Coming towards the end of Claude Chabrol’s second gold run of
films, which ran from the late 1960s to the mid 1970s, Nada stands out as something of an
oddity... [More...]
