French cinema: 1930s
Don Quichotte (1933)
Georg Wilhelm Pabst
Don Quixote squanders his fortune by buying books about chivalry, which he reads assiduously. After doing so for many years, he believes he is himself a knight, sent on a divine mission to wrong all of the injustices in the world...
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Georg Wilhelm Pabst
Le Drame de Shanghaï (1938)
Georg Wilhelm Pabst
In the 1930s, China is a country that is descending into anarchy in the midst of an escalating civil war. The popular leader Cheng is dedicated to uniting his nation, but he has many enemies who are determined that he should fail...
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Georg Wilhelm Pabst
Drôle de drame (1937)
Marcel Carné
England, circa 1900. The unassuming botanist Irvin Molyneux has a dark secret: he earns his living by writing lurid crime novels under the pseudonym Felix Chapel...
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Marcel Carné
Du haut en bas (1933)
Georg Wilhelm Pabst
After graduating with a doctorate, Marie de Ferstel is eager to find temporary work until a permanent teaching job turns up...
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Georg Wilhelm Pabst
Le Duel (1939)
Pierre Fresnay
Thérèse Jaillon is unhappily married to an aviator who is obsessed with breaking aeronautical records. One Christmas, when her husband sets out on a flight she wishes that he would die in an accident...
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Pierre Fresnay
L'École des cocottes (1935)
Pierre Colombier
Monsieur Labaume is a solitary middle-aged man who has developed an infatuation for the young woman who has taken up residence in the apartment opposite his own... [More...]
Pierre Colombier
Monsieur Labaume is a solitary middle-aged man who has developed an infatuation for the young woman who has taken up residence in the apartment opposite his own... [More...]
L'École des contribuables (1934)
René Guissart
Gaston Valtier is an idler who is more than content to live the life of a man of leisure than work for his living, if only to avoid having to pay income tax... [More...]
René Guissart
Gaston Valtier is an idler who is more than content to live the life of a man of leisure than work for his living, if only to avoid having to pay income tax... [More...]
Éducation de prince (1938)
Alexander Esway
Silistria, a small country in the Balkans, is in a state of permanent revolution, which is not good for business. The financier Chautard is the man who suffers most from this neverending succession of coups d'états... [More...]
Alexander Esway
Silistria, a small country in the Balkans, is in a state of permanent revolution, which is not good for business. The financier Chautard is the man who suffers most from this neverending succession of coups d'états... [More...]
Entente cordiale (1939)
Marcel L'Herbier
In 1898, the aging Queen Victoria presides over a flourishing empire whilst her eldest son, Edward Prince of Wales, amuses himself in the fleshpots of Paris... [More...]
Marcel L'Herbier
In 1898, the aging Queen Victoria presides over a flourishing empire whilst her eldest son, Edward Prince of Wales, amuses himself in the fleshpots of Paris... [More...]
Entrée des artistes (1938)
Marc Allégret
One of the high points of director Marc Allégret's career, Entrée des artistes offers both a compelling melodrama and a rare insight into the training of actors at France's leading drama school, the Paris Conservatoire... [More...]
Marc Allégret
One of the high points of director Marc Allégret's career, Entrée des artistes offers both a compelling melodrama and a rare insight into the training of actors at France's leading drama school, the Paris Conservatoire... [More...]
L'Équipage (1935)
Anatole Litvak
France, 1916. An idealistic young man Jean Herbillon enlists in the French flying corps, unaware that his chances of survival are less than that of an infantryman... [More...]
Anatole Litvak
France, 1916. An idealistic young man Jean Herbillon enlists in the French flying corps, unaware that his chances of survival are less than that of an infantryman... [More...]
L'Esclave blanche (1939)
Marc Sorkin
In the early 1900s, a Turkish diplomat Vedad Bey returns to his home country, accompanied by his young French wife Mireille... [More...]
Marc Sorkin
In the early 1900s, a Turkish diplomat Vedad Bey returns to his home country, accompanied by his young French wife Mireille... [More...]
L'Étrange Monsieur Victor (1937)
Jean Grémillon
No one would guess that the respectable Toulon shopkeeper Monsieur Victor is leading a double life. Who would think that this apparent model citizen, a devoted husband and scrupulously honest man of business, could possibly be mixed up in crime... [More...]
Jean Grémillon
No one would guess that the respectable Toulon shopkeeper Monsieur Victor is leading a double life. Who would think that this apparent model citizen, a devoted husband and scrupulously honest man of business, could possibly be mixed up in crime... [More...]
La Famille Duraton (1939)
Christian Stengel
The Martins are an ordinary French family who live a simple but contented life in the country. When a stranger, Sammy Walter, injures himself in a car accident just outside their front door they naturally come to his help... [More...]
Christian Stengel
The Martins are an ordinary French family who live a simple but contented life in the country. When a stranger, Sammy Walter, injures himself in a car accident just outside their front door they naturally come to his help... [More...]
Fanny (1932)
Marc Allégret
Such is the status accorded to single mothers in France of the 1930s that Fanny has no choice but to surrender herself to a marriage of convenience... [More...]
Marc Allégret
Such is the status accorded to single mothers in France of the 1930s that Fanny has no choice but to surrender herself to a marriage of convenience... [More...]
Fantômas (1932)
Pál Fejös
One dark stormy night, the Marquise de Langrune is hosting a large dinner party at her spacious château. As thunder rages around them, the assembled guests become increasingly agitated when their conversation turns to the notorious master-criminal Fantômas, who is now at liberty after a stretch in prison... [More...]
Pál Fejös
One dark stormy night, the Marquise de Langrune is hosting a large dinner party at her spacious château. As thunder rages around them, the assembled guests become increasingly agitated when their conversation turns to the notorious master-criminal Fantômas, who is now at liberty after a stretch in prison... [More...]
Le Fauteuil 47 (1937)
Fernand Rivers
During his frequent visits to his sister's boarding house, Paul Séverac attracts the attention of a friend of hers, an attractive young woman named Loulou... [More...]
Fernand Rivers
During his frequent visits to his sister's boarding house, Paul Séverac attracts the attention of a friend of hers, an attractive young woman named Loulou... [More...]
La Femme du boulanger (1938)
Marcel Pagnol
The baker Aimable Castenet has recently settled into the small Provençal village of Sainte Cécile and soon makes himself popular with the locals with his delicious bread, the finest they have ever tasted... [More...]
Marcel Pagnol
The baker Aimable Castenet has recently settled into the small Provençal village of Sainte Cécile and soon makes himself popular with the locals with his delicious bread, the finest they have ever tasted... [More...]
Ferdinand le noceur (1935)
René Sti
An employee in a pharmaceuticals laboratory, Ferdinand is obsessed with coming up with a pill that will allow easily cowed men like him to overcome their crippling timidity... [More...]
René Sti
An employee in a pharmaceuticals laboratory, Ferdinand is obsessed with coming up with a pill that will allow easily cowed men like him to overcome their crippling timidity... [More...]
La Fin du jour (1939)
Julien Duvivier
After a final performance, the faded star Raphael Saint-Clair is ready to take up residence at the Abbaye de Saint-Jean-la-Rivière, a retirement home for actors who have fallen on hard times... [More...]
Julien Duvivier
After a final performance, the faded star Raphael Saint-Clair is ready to take up residence at the Abbaye de Saint-Jean-la-Rivière, a retirement home for actors who have fallen on hard times... [More...]
La Fin du monde (1931)
Abel Gance
The astronomer Martial Novalic is horrified when he discovers that a comet is on a collision course with planet Earth. With only 114 days to impact, Martial sets about trying to alert humanity to the encroaching disaster, but his efforts are frustrated by the unscrupulous stockholder Schomburg, who hopes to capitalise on an impending war between the major powers... [More...]
Abel Gance
The astronomer Martial Novalic is horrified when he discovers that a comet is on a collision course with planet Earth. With only 114 days to impact, Martial sets about trying to alert humanity to the encroaching disaster, but his efforts are frustrated by the unscrupulous stockholder Schomburg, who hopes to capitalise on an impending war between the major powers... [More...]
Forfaiture (1937)
Marcel L'Herbier
As the engineer Pierre Moret devotes himself to working on a major road construction project in Mongolia, his wife Denise lends her support to charity work in the little town that has become her new home... [More...]
Marcel L'Herbier
As the engineer Pierre Moret devotes himself to working on a major road construction project in Mongolia, his wife Denise lends her support to charity work in the little town that has become her new home... [More...]
François Premier (1937)
Christian-Jaque
Honorin is the timid stage manager of the Théâtre Cascaroni, which is currently rehearsing a production of “François 1er ou les amours de la Belle Ferronnière ”... [More...]
Christian-Jaque
Honorin is the timid stage manager of the Théâtre Cascaroni, which is currently rehearsing a production of “François 1er ou les amours de la Belle Ferronnière ”... [More...]
Fric-Frac (1939)
Claude Autant-Lara
Marcel is an honest, perhaps too trusting, young man who works for a small firm of jewellers in Paris. His employer's daughter Renée has made up her mind to marry him but he shows her no interest and resents her attempts to control his life... [More...]
Claude Autant-Lara
Marcel is an honest, perhaps too trusting, young man who works for a small firm of jewellers in Paris. His employer's daughter Renée has made up her mind to marry him but he shows her no interest and resents her attempts to control his life... [More...]
Les Gaietés de l'escadron (1932)
Maurice Tourneur
Despite the best efforts of its commander, Captain Hurluret, the barracks of the 51st Rifles has yet to be acquainted with the notion of military discipline... [More...]
Maurice Tourneur
Despite the best efforts of its commander, Captain Hurluret, the barracks of the 51st Rifles has yet to be acquainted with the notion of military discipline... [More...]
Les Gangsters du château d'If (1939)
René Pujol
In Marseille, Jean Mariol publishes a magazine that is devoted to hunting, fishing and tall stories. Jean and his former mistress Odette Paradis, an aspiring young author, have agreed to go their separate ways, but as a publicity stunt the two stage a fake kidnapping so that Odette can obtain a fat cheque from a publisher for her latest novel, The Daughter of Monte Cristo... [More...]
René Pujol
In Marseille, Jean Mariol publishes a magazine that is devoted to hunting, fishing and tall stories. Jean and his former mistress Odette Paradis, an aspiring young author, have agreed to go their separate ways, but as a publicity stunt the two stage a fake kidnapping so that Odette can obtain a fat cheque from a publisher for her latest novel, The Daughter of Monte Cristo... [More...]
La Garçonne (1936)
Jean de Limur
In the early 1920s, Monique Lerbier is leading a contented life in the country with her elderly aunt when her parents summon her to Paris on the pretext of marrying her off... [More...]
Jean de Limur
In the early 1920s, Monique Lerbier is leading a contented life in the country with her elderly aunt when her parents summon her to Paris on the pretext of marrying her off... [More...]
Gargousse (1938)
Henry Wulschleger
Trépigny is one of the more tranquil towns in France, and it would no doubt have stayed that way if the newly elected mayor, Lebrennois, hadn't set his sights on modernising it in the hope of attracting more tourists to the area... [More...]
Henry Wulschleger
Trépigny is one of the more tranquil towns in France, and it would no doubt have stayed that way if the newly elected mayor, Lebrennois, hadn't set his sights on modernising it in the hope of attracting more tourists to the area... [More...]
La Garnison amoureuse (1934)
Max de Vaucorbeil
Frédéric, Paul and Pierre are three recent recruits in a cavalry regiment stationed in a small town in France in the 1920s... [More...]
Max de Vaucorbeil
Frédéric, Paul and Pierre are three recent recruits in a cavalry regiment stationed in a small town in France in the 1920s... [More...]
Gaspard de Besse (1935)
André Hugon
In 1774, the young Gaspard Bouis works as a blacksmith with his older friend Samplan in the provençal village of Besse... [More...]
André Hugon
In 1774, the young Gaspard Bouis works as a blacksmith with his older friend Samplan in the provençal village of Besse... [More...]