French cinema: 1930s
Le Jour se lève (1939)
Marcel Carné
François, an ordinary factory worker, barricades himself in his one-room lodgings, after shooting dead another man...
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Marcel Carné
Les Jumeaux de Brighton (1936)
Claude Heymann
France, 1890. Alfred Beaugérard could not be happier when his wife presents him with two identical twins. His paternal joy is short-lived however, since his rich American uncle has made it quite clear to him that he will only inherit his fortune if he has just one son...
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Claude Heymann
Justin de Marseille (1935)
Maurice Tourneur
In 1930s Marseille, Justin makes a dishonest living as the town's most respected gangster. Loyal to those who serve him well, Justin has few enemies and he rules the town unopposed - until he gets into a deadly feud with an unscrupulous Italian rival, Esposito...
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Maurice Tourneur
Kameradschaft (1931)
Georg Wilhelm Pabst
During the Great Depression, France and Germany are both beset with high unemployment. In a French border town, unemployed German miners are turned away when they try to find work in a French mine...
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Georg Wilhelm Pabst
La Kermesse héroïque (1935)
Jacques Feyder
1616. In the small Flemish village of Boom, the burgomaster is preparing a banquet for his daughter's wedding to the local butcher...
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Jacques Feyder
Lac aux dames (1934)
Marc Allégret
Éric Heller, an unemployed engineer, finds work as a swimming instructor at a popular Austrian resort beside the alluring Lac-aux-dames lake... [More...]
Marc Allégret
Éric Heller, an unemployed engineer, finds work as a swimming instructor at a popular Austrian resort beside the alluring Lac-aux-dames lake... [More...]
Liliom (1934)
Fritz Lang
Liliom Zadowski is a carousel barker whose two favourite pastimes are fighting and womanising. His employer Madame Muscat dismisses him when she sees him flirting with a maid named Julie... [More...]
Fritz Lang
Liliom Zadowski is a carousel barker whose two favourite pastimes are fighting and womanising. His employer Madame Muscat dismisses him when she sees him flirting with a maid named Julie... [More...]
Louise (1939)
Abel Gance
Louise, a young Parisian seamstress, is in love with Julien, a struggling composer who lives opposite her apartment in Montmartre... [More...]
Abel Gance
Louise, a young Parisian seamstress, is in love with Julien, a struggling composer who lives opposite her apartment in Montmartre... [More...]
Lucrèce Borgia (1935)
Abel Gance
At the end of the 15th Century, Rome is held in the iron grip of Cesare Borgia, the eldest son of Pope Alexandre VI. Taking the advice of Machiavelli, Cesare sets out to unify Italy through various alliances, which can only increase his power... [More...]
Abel Gance
At the end of the 15th Century, Rome is held in the iron grip of Cesare Borgia, the eldest son of Pope Alexandre VI. Taking the advice of Machiavelli, Cesare sets out to unify Italy through various alliances, which can only increase his power... [More...]
Macao, l'enfer du jeu (1939)
Jean Delannoy
In the late 1930s, China and Japan are locked in a fierce military conflict. Mireille, a French actress, is one of many hundreds of westerners who are desperately seeking a safe way out of war-torn China... [More...]
Jean Delannoy
In the late 1930s, China and Japan are locked in a fierce military conflict. Mireille, a French actress, is one of many hundreds of westerners who are desperately seeking a safe way out of war-torn China... [More...]
Madame Bovary (1933)
Jean Renoir
In the summer of 1839, Dr Charles Bovary is happy with his mundane existence as a country doctor near Rouen, married to an older woman he scarcely notices... [More...]
Jean Renoir
In the summer of 1839, Dr Charles Bovary is happy with his mundane existence as a country doctor near Rouen, married to an older woman he scarcely notices... [More...]
Mademoiselle Docteur (1937)
Georg Wilhelm Pabst
During the First World War, Anne-Marie Lesser operates as a German spy under the pseudonym Mademoiselle Docteur. Posing as an American journalist, she travels to Salonika in Greece at the request of her superior, Colonel Matthésius, to shore up an important spy ring... [More...]
Georg Wilhelm Pabst
During the First World War, Anne-Marie Lesser operates as a German spy under the pseudonym Mademoiselle Docteur. Posing as an American journalist, she travels to Salonika in Greece at the request of her superior, Colonel Matthésius, to shore up an important spy ring... [More...]
Mademoiselle ma mère (1936)
Henri Decoin
In her search for the perfect husband, Jacqueline Vignolle is slowly driving her parents to distraction. After fourteen failed engagements, Jacqueline still hasn't found her beau idéal, and so she decides to marry the next eligible man she meets... [More...]
Henri Decoin
In her search for the perfect husband, Jacqueline Vignolle is slowly driving her parents to distraction. After fourteen failed engagements, Jacqueline still hasn't found her beau idéal, and so she decides to marry the next eligible man she meets... [More...]
Le Maître de forges (1933)
Abel Gance
The wealthy Claire de Beaulieu is about to marry the Duke de Bligny, an impoverished nobleman, when disaster strikes. Her family ruined, Claire is not surprised when her fiancé gives her up to marry instead a rich heiress... [More...]
Abel Gance
The wealthy Claire de Beaulieu is about to marry the Duke de Bligny, an impoverished nobleman, when disaster strikes. Her family ruined, Claire is not surprised when her fiancé gives her up to marry instead a rich heiress... [More...]
Mam'zelle Nitouche (1931)
Marc Allégret
1880, a garrison town in France. Not content with being an organist at a convent, Célestin composes comic operas in his spare time under the name Floridor... [More...]
Marc Allégret
1880, a garrison town in France. Not content with being an organist at a convent, Célestin composes comic operas in his spare time under the name Floridor... [More...]
Maria Chapdelaine (1934)
Julien Duvivier
Maria Chapdelaine lives with her parents and siblings in a remote corner of Quebec. The nearest town is Peribonka, where, one fine spring day, Maria meets François Paradis, an introverted but likeable hunter... [More...]
Julien Duvivier
Maria Chapdelaine lives with her parents and siblings in a remote corner of Quebec. The nearest town is Peribonka, where, one fine spring day, Maria meets François Paradis, an introverted but likeable hunter... [More...]
Marius (1931)
Alexander Korda
César is the owner of a café in the French port of Marseilles, which he runs with his twenty-year-old son Marius... [More...]
Alexander Korda
César is the owner of a café in the French port of Marseilles, which he runs with his twenty-year-old son Marius... [More...]
La Marseillaise (1938)
Jean Renoir
On 14th July 1789, the Duke of Rochefoucauld informs King Louis XVI of France that the Bastille has fallen to a Parisian mob... [More...]
Jean Renoir
On 14th July 1789, the Duke of Rochefoucauld informs King Louis XVI of France that the Bastille has fallen to a Parisian mob... [More...]
Marthe Richard au service de la France (1937)
Raymond Bernard
At the start of the First World War, Marthe Richard sees her parents arrested by German soldiers, taken away and shot. When she loses contact with her fiancé, André, a soldier on the Western Front, the young woman hastens to Paris with one thought in her mind - to take revenge on the Germans by serving her country... [More...]
Raymond Bernard
At the start of the First World War, Marthe Richard sees her parents arrested by German soldiers, taken away and shot. When she loses contact with her fiancé, André, a soldier on the Western Front, the young woman hastens to Paris with one thought in her mind - to take revenge on the Germans by serving her country... [More...]
Le Martyre de l'obèse (1933)
Pierre Chenal
Angèle Léger is outraged when she discovers that her husband Henri has been seeing another woman, so outraged that she decides to take a lover herself, just to make Henri jealous... [More...]
Pierre Chenal
Angèle Léger is outraged when she discovers that her husband Henri has been seeing another woman, so outraged that she decides to take a lover herself, just to make Henri jealous... [More...]
La Maternelle (1933)
Jean Benoît-Lévy
After her father's bankruptcy Rose, an educated woman in her early twenties, is abandoned by her fiancé and is forced to fall back on her own resources... [More...]
Jean Benoît-Lévy
After her father's bankruptcy Rose, an educated woman in her early twenties, is abandoned by her fiancé and is forced to fall back on her own resources... [More...]
Mauvaise graine (1934)
Alexander Esway
The son of a prosperous surgeon, Henri Pasquier is a good-for-nothing playboy who spends most of his time speeding around Paris in his roadster... [More...]
Alexander Esway
The son of a prosperous surgeon, Henri Pasquier is a good-for-nothing playboy who spends most of his time speeding around Paris in his roadster... [More...]
Mayerling (1936)
Anatole Litvak
In the late 1880s, Archduke Rudolph is the crown prince of Austria, a rebellious young man who prefers the company of ordinary folk to that of the nobility... [More...]
Anatole Litvak
In the late 1880s, Archduke Rudolph is the crown prince of Austria, a rebellious young man who prefers the company of ordinary folk to that of the nobility... [More...]
Mélo (1932)
Paul Czinner
After many years, Pierre is overjoyed to be reunited with his old friend Marcel, who has become a world famous virtuoso violinist... [More...]
Paul Czinner
After many years, Pierre is overjoyed to be reunited with his old friend Marcel, who has become a world famous virtuoso violinist... [More...]
Merlusse (1935)
Marcel Pagnol
The undisciplined pupils at a boarding school in the south of France have a habit of giving their teachers a hard time. The main target of their evil sense of humour is poor Monsieur Blanchard, a teacher they nickname Merlusse on account of his very peculiar odour... [More...]
Marcel Pagnol
The undisciplined pupils at a boarding school in the south of France have a habit of giving their teachers a hard time. The main target of their evil sense of humour is poor Monsieur Blanchard, a teacher they nickname Merlusse on account of his very peculiar odour... [More...]
Le Messager (1937)
Raymond Rouleau
It is in a blaze of impetuosity that Nick Dange divorces his rich English wife Florence so that he can marry another woman, Marie... [More...]
Raymond Rouleau
It is in a blaze of impetuosity that Nick Dange divorces his rich English wife Florence so that he can marry another woman, Marie... [More...]
Le Million (1931)
René Clair
A penniless artist, Michel, is pursued by creditors when he discovers he has won the million florin lottery. He realises that he left the winning lottery ticket in his jacket, which he gave to his girlfriend, Béatrice, to repair... [More...]
René Clair
A penniless artist, Michel, is pursued by creditors when he discovers he has won the million florin lottery. He realises that he left the winning lottery ticket in his jacket, which he gave to his girlfriend, Béatrice, to repair... [More...]
Miquette et sa mère (1934)
Henri Diamant-Berger
When Miquette Grandier isn't helping her mother out in her tobacco shop, she dreams of becoming an actress. A disappointment in love prompts her to take her chance and within no time she has signed herself up with a travelling theatre company run by an ageing thespian, Monsieur Montchablon... [More...]
Henri Diamant-Berger
When Miquette Grandier isn't helping her mother out in her tobacco shop, she dreams of becoming an actress. A disappointment in love prompts her to take her chance and within no time she has signed herself up with a travelling theatre company run by an ageing thespian, Monsieur Montchablon... [More...]
Mirages (1937)
Alexandre Ryder
With the help of her friends, Jeanne succeeds in getting herself into Paris's top night spot, the Folies-Bergères, and within no time she is a star of the music hall... [More...]
Alexandre Ryder
With the help of her friends, Jeanne succeeds in getting herself into Paris's top night spot, the Folies-Bergères, and within no time she is a star of the music hall... [More...]
Les Misérables (1933)
Raymond Bernard
Jean Valjean leaves jail, having served a 15-year sentence for stealing a loaf of bread, a hard and bitter man. The kindness of a bishop sets him on a new course, however, and eight years later he has become Monsieur Madeleine, a respected mayor and industrialist... [More...]
Raymond Bernard
Jean Valjean leaves jail, having served a 15-year sentence for stealing a loaf of bread, a hard and bitter man. The kindness of a bishop sets him on a new course, however, and eight years later he has become Monsieur Madeleine, a respected mayor and industrialist... [More...]