A BOUT DE SOUFFLE vangelis and others. a bout de souffle, Paris, 1974. The New Wave. New York. 1976 Maccabe Godard: Images, Sounds, Politics, London, 1980 (Breathless) Walsh, Martin, The Brechtian Aspect of Radical Cinema, Lon france. 1959 Lefevre, Rayme an-Luc Godard Paris. 1983 Douin, Jean-Luc, La Nouvelle Vague 25 ans apres, Paris, 1984. Director: Jean-Luc Godard Bordwell. David Narration in the Fiction Film, London, 1985 Weis, Elisabeth, and John Belton, Film Sound: Theory and Practice Production: Imperia Films, Societe Nouvelle de Cinema; black and New York, 1985 white, 35mm; running time: 89 minutes. Released 16 March 1960, Godard, Jean-Luc, Godard on Godard: Critical Writings, edited by Paris. Filmed 17 August through 15 September 1959 in Paris and Jean Narboni and Tom Milne, New York, 1986. Marseilles: cost: 400,000 N F(about $120,000) Loshitzky, Yosefa, The Radical Faces of Godard bertolucci Producer: Georges de Beauregard; screenplay: Jean-Luc Godard, Dixon, Wheeler W, The Films of Jean-Luc Godard, Albany, 1997 from an original treatment by Francois Truffaut; photography Sterritt. David. Jean-Luc Godard: Interviews. Jackson. 1998 Raoul Coutard; editors: Cecile Decugis with Lila Herman; sound: Sterritt, David, The Films of Jean-Luc Godard; Seeing the Invisible, Jacques Maumont; music: Martial Solal from Mozarts Clarinet New York, 1999 Concerto, K 622; artistic and technical advisor: Claude Chabrol. Articles. Cast: Jean Seberg(Patricia Franchini Jean-Paul Belmondo(Michel Poiccard, alias Laszlo Kovacs): Daniel Boulanger( Police Inspec or Vital): Henri-Jacques Huet(Antonio Berrutti): Roger Hanin Truffaut,Francois,in Radio-Cinema-Television(Paris) ( Carl Zombach): Van Doude Journalist Van Doude ): Liliane robin ber 1959 Liliane ) Michel Favre(Plainclothes inspector): Jean-Pierre Mel Variety(New York), 4 February 1960. ville (Parvulesco): Claude Mansard (Used car dealer, Claudius); Le Monde(Paris), 18 March 1960 Sadoul, Georges, in Les Lettres Francaises(Paris), March-April 1960 Jean Domarchi(Drunk); Jean-Luc Godard (Informer); Andre-S Labarthe, Jean-Louis Richard, and Francois Mareuil (Journalists): Billard, Pierre, and others, ""Petit lexique de la nouvelle vague, i Cinema(Paris), April 1960 Richard Balducci (Tolmatchoff): Philippe de Broca: Michael Mourlet: Chevallier, J, in Image et Son(Paris), April 1960. Jean Douche; Louiguy: Virginie Ulman; Emile Villon; Jose Benazeraf; Madame Paul; Raymond Ravanbaz Mopuller, Luc, " Jean-Luc Godard, in Cahiers du Cinema(Paris), Marcorelles, Louis, "Views of the New Wave, in Sight and Sound Awards: Prix Jean Vigo. 1960: Best Direction. Berlin Film Festi- val,1960 London), Spring 1960 Seguin, Louis, in Positif(Paris), no 33, 1960 Crowther, Bosley, in New York Times, February 1961 Kauffmann, Stanley, Adventures of an Anti-Hero, in New Repub Publications Croce, Arlene, in Film Quarterly (Berkeley), Spring 1961 Gow, Gordon, in Films and Filming(London), August 1961 Steen, T M. F, " The Sound Track, in Films in Review(New York) A bout de souffle(screenplay plus Truffauts original August-September 1961 uotations from reviews) in L'Avant-Scene du Cinema(Paris), Pearson, Gabriel, and Eric Rhode, ""Cinema of Appearance, "in Sight March 1968; also published separately, Paris, 1974 and Sound(London), Autumn 1961 Collet, Jean, and others. 'Entretien avec Jean-Luc Godard. in Books Cahiers du Cinema(Paris), December 1962. Feinstein. Herbert. *An Interview with Jean-Luc Godard. in Film Taylor, John Russell,"The New Wave: Jean- Quarterly(Berkeley ), Spring 1964. Cinema Eye, Cinema ear. New York, 1964 Lefevre, Raymond, and Jean-Paul Warren, in Image ef son: Revue do Egly, Max, Regards neufs sur le cinema, Paris, 1965. Cinema(Paris), September-October 1964. Goldmann, Annie, Cinema et societe moderne: Le Cinema de 1958 a Solokov, Raymond, The Truth 24 Times a Second, in Newsweek 1968, Paris,1971 New York ), 12 February 1968
1 A BOUT DE SOUFFLE A (Breathless) France, 1959 Director: Jean-Luc Godard Production: Impéria Films, Société Nouvelle de Cinéma; black and white, 35mm; running time: 89 minutes. Released 16 March 1960, Paris. Filmed 17 August through 15 September 1959 in Paris and Marseilles; cost: 400,000 N.F. (about $120,000). Producer: Georges de Beauregard; screenplay: Jean-Luc Godard, from an original treatment by François Truffaut; photography: Raoul Coutard; editors: Cécile Decugis with Lila Herman; sound: Jacques Maumont; music: Martial Solal from Mozart’s Clarinet Concerto, K.622; artistic and technical advisor: Claude Chabrol. Cast: Jean Seberg (Patricia Franchini); Jean-Paul Belmondo (Michel Poiccard, alias Laszlo Kovacs); Daniel Boulanger (Police Inspector Vital); Henri-Jacques Huet (Antonio Berrutti); Roger Hanin (Carl Zombach); Van Doude (Journalist Van Doude); Liliane Robin (Liliane); Michel Favre (Plainclothes inspector); Jean-Pierre Melville (Parvulesco); Claude Mansard (Used car dealer, Claudius); Jean Domarchi (Drunk); Jean-Luc Godard (Informer); André-S. Labarthe, Jean-Louis Richard, and François Mareuil (Journalists); Richard Balducci (Tolmatchoff); Philippe de Broca; Michael Mourlet; Jean Douchet; Louiguy; Virginie Ullman; Emile Villon; José Bénazéraf; Madame Paul; Raymond Ravanbaz. Awards: Prix Jean Vigo, 1960; Best Direction, Berlin Film Festival, 1960. Publications Scripts: A bout de souffle (screenplay plus Truffaut’s original scenario and quotations from reviews) in L’Avant-Scène du Cinéma (Paris), March 1968; also published separately, Paris, 1974. Books: Taylor, John Russell, ‘‘The New Wave: Jean-Luc Godard,’’ in Cinema Eye, Cinema Ear, New York, 1964. Egly, Max, Regards neufs sur le cinéma, Paris, 1965. Goldmann, Annie, Cinéma et société moderne: Le Cinéma de 1958 à 1968, Paris, 1971. Vaugeois, Gerard, and others, A bout de souffle, Paris, 1974. Monaco, James, The New Wave, New York, 1976. MacCabe, Colin, Godard: Images, Sounds, Politics, London, 1980. Walsh, Martin, The Brechtian Aspect of Radical Cinema, London, 1981. Lefèvre, Raymond, Jean-Luc Godard, Paris, 1983. Douin, Jean-Luc, La Nouvelle Vague 25 ans après, Paris, 1984. Bordwell, David, Narration in the Fiction Film, London, 1985. Weis, Elisabeth, and John Belton, Film Sound: Theory and Practice, New York, 1985. Godard, Jean-Luc, Godard on Godard: Critical Writings, edited by Jean Narboni and Tom Milne, New York, 1986. Loshitzky, Yosefa, The Radical Faces of Godard & Bertolucci, Detroit, 1995. Dixon, Wheeler W., The Films of Jean-Luc Godard, Albany, 1997. Sterritt, David, Jean-Luc Godard; Interviews, Jackson, 1998. Sterritt, David, The Films of Jean-Luc Godard; Seeing the Invisible, New York, 1999. Articles: Truffaut, François, in Radio-Cinéma-Télévision (Paris), 1 October 1959. Variety (New York), 4 February 1960. Le Monde (Paris), 18 March 1960. Sadoul, Georges, in Les Lettres Françaises (Paris), March-April 1960. Billard, Pierre, and others, ‘‘Petit lexique de la nouvelle vague,’’ in Cinéma (Paris), April 1960. Chevallier, J., in Image et Son (Paris), April 1960. Mopuller, Luc, ‘‘Jean-Luc Godard,’’ in Cahiers du Cinéma (Paris), April 1960. Marcorelles, Louis, ‘‘Views of the New Wave,’’ in Sight and Sound (London), Spring 1960. Seguin, Louis, in Positif (Paris), no. 33, 1960. Crowther, Bosley, in New York Times, 8 February 1961. Kauffmann, Stanley, ‘‘Adventures of an Anti-Hero,’’ in New Republic (New York), 13 February 1961. Croce, Arlene, in Film Quarterly (Berkeley), Spring 1961. Gow, Gordon, in Films and Filming (London), August 1961. Steen, T. M. F., ‘‘The Sound Track,’’ in Films in Review (New York), August-September 1961. Pearson, Gabriel, and Eric Rhode, ‘‘Cinema of Appearance,’’ in Sight and Sound (London), Autumn 1961. Collet, Jean, and others, ‘‘Entretien avec Jean-Luc Godard,’’ in Cahiers du Cinéma (Paris), December 1962. Feinstein, Herbert, ‘‘An Interview with Jean-Luc Godard,’’ in Film Quarterly (Berkeley), Spring 1964. Lefèvre, Raymond, and Jean-Paul Warren, in Image et son: Revue du Cinéma (Paris), September-October 1964. Solokov, Raymond, ‘‘The Truth 24 Times a Second,’’ in Newsweek (New York), 12 February 1968
A BOUT DE SOUFFLE FILMS. 4 EDITIoN NEW yOR Berala Gribi 画 a bout de souffle Barr, Charles, " A bout de souffle in The Films of- Luc Godard. A bout de souffle was the first feature directed by Jean-Luc Godard edited by lan Cameron, London, 1969 and one of the films introducing the french new wave in the late Houston, Beverle, and Marsha Kinder, 'Jean-Luc Godard: Breath- 1950s. Godard had made several short films before A bout de souffle less, in Close-Up, New York, 1972 but this feature established the international reputation of the director Ropars, Marie-Claire, The Graphic in Filmic Writing: A bout de who is regarded as one of the most important filmmakers of the 1960s. souffle, or the Erratic., in Enclitic(Minneapolis), Fall 1981 The film's story is fairly simple. Michel Poiccard (Jean-Paul Belmondo), a small time hood, casually kills a policeman. He goes to Falkenburg, Pamela, ""Hollywood and the 'Art Cinema as a Bipo- Paris to collect some money in order to leave the country, and tries to lar Modeling System: A bout de souffle and Breathless, in Wide convince his American girlfriend Patricia Franchini (Jean Seberg)to Angle(Athens, Ohio), vol 7, no 3, 198 go with him. She is less interested in accompanying him than she is in Godard Issue"of Revue belge du Cinema(Brussels), Summer 1986 playing the role of an American intellectual in Paris. She hawks the Durgnat, Raymond, in Monthly Film Bulletin(London), August 1988. New York Herald Tribune on the Champs-Elysees while trying to Pulleine, Tim, in Films and Filming(London), August 1988 establish herself as a journalist. )When Michel finally secures the ensen,G.H, ""Filmvurdering, in Z Filmtidsskrift(Oslo), 0O. money he needs and is ready to leave the city, Patricia betrays him to Kulset, S,"Teoretiker til siste andedrag? "in Z Filmtidsskrift(Oslo), the police, and he is shot as he half-heartedly attempts to escape. no.1,1991 This basic of events is the minimal thread of continuity de graaff, T , Jongleren met ideeen, in Skrien(Amsterdam). December-January 1992-93 and character motivation in the traditional sense are relatively loose Parigi, a bout de souffle, in Castoro Cinema, March/April 1996. While the film does not reject narrative conventions as a whole, it goes a long way towards weakening the tight-knit structure and explanatory mechanisms affiliated with dominant narrative. The
A BOUT DE SOUFFLE FILMS, 4th EDITION 2 A bout de souffle Barr, Charles, ‘‘A bout de souffle,’’ in The Films of Jean-Luc Godard, edited by Ian Cameron, London, 1969. Houston, Beverle, and Marsha Kinder, ‘‘Jean-Luc Godard: Breathless,’’ in Close-Up, New York, 1972. Ropars, Marie-Claire, ‘‘The Graphic in Filmic Writing: A bout de souffle, or the Erratic . . . ,’’ in Enclitic (Minneapolis), Fall 1981- Spring 1982. Falkenburg, Pamela, ‘‘‘Hollywood’ and the ‘Art Cinema’ as a Bipolar Modeling System: A bout de souffle and Breathless,’’ in Wide Angle (Athens, Ohio), vol. 7, no. 3, 1985. ‘‘Godard Issue’’ of Revue Belge du Cinéma (Brussels), Summer 1986. Durgnat, Raymond, in Monthly Film Bulletin (London), August 1988. Pulleine, Tim, in Films and Filming (London), August 1988. Jensen, G. H., ‘‘Filmvurdering,’’ in Z Filmtidsskrift (Oslo), no. 2, 1990. Kulset, S., ‘‘Teoretiker til siste andedrag?’’ in Z Filmtidsskrift (Oslo), no. 1, 1991. de Graaff, T., ‘‘Jongleren met ideeen,’’ in Skrien (Amsterdam), December-January 1992–93. ’’Parigi, a bout de souffle,’’ in Castoro Cinema, March/April 1996. *** A bout de souffle was the first feature directed by Jean-Luc Godard and one of the films introducing the French New Wave in the late 1950s. Godard had made several short films before A bout de souffle, but this feature established the international reputation of the director who is regarded as one of the most important filmmakers of the 1960s. The film’s story is fairly simple. Michel Poiccard (Jean-Paul Belmondo), a small time hood, casually kills a policeman. He goes to Paris to collect some money in order to leave the country, and tries to convince his American girlfriend Patricia Franchini (Jean Seberg) to go with him. She is less interested in accompanying him than she is in playing the role of an American intellectual in Paris. (She hawks the New York Herald Tribune on the Champs-Elysées while trying to establish herself as a journalist.) When Michel finally secures the money he needs and is ready to leave the city, Patricia betrays him to the police, and he is shot as he half-heartedly attempts to escape. This basic sequence of events is the minimal thread of continuity that holds the filmic narrative together. However, causal development and character motivation in the traditional sense are relatively loose. While the film does not reject narrative conventions as a whole, it goes a long way towards weakening the tight-knit structure and explanatory mechanisms affiliated with dominant narrative. The
FILMS. 4th EDItION A NOUS LA LIBERTE films visual construction works even more aggressively again integral part of the films signifying material. Movie posters, art conventional film style. It systematically departs from the aesthetic reproductions, and inserts of magazines and books not only function guidelines and rules defined by continuity editing, relying variously as elements of mise-en-scene but also construct an image of contem- on long-take sequences(often shot with hand-held camera)and jump porary life in terms of cultural collage. In addition the strategy of cutting. The free-wheeling, almost casual, use of the camera is typical narrative digression is important, incorporating lengthy scenes to of the New Wave style. Within individual scenes the systematic use of explore issues which do not serve to develop the story perse. In A bout jump cuts and depiction of rambling, repetitious conversations are de souffle Patricia's taking part in an interview with an author (played a way of testing the limits of narrative film style. It often seems that by French director Jean-Pierre Melville) functions in this way. Both scenes are conceived to show what can be done with cinema rather of these practices testify to an interest in cinema as something more than to develop the story in a coherent fashion than a narrative medium in the conventional sense. As attention is While the film seems willfully to disregard the norms of commer- directed to the ways in which filmic images and sounds create cial, studio filmmaking. it consistently refers to and plays with aspects meaning, the very nature of cinematic signification becomes the of the American cinema. The main character, Michel, styles himself the image of Humphrey Bogart. Early in the film he is seen standing by a movie poster admiring his hero's picture: in comparison his own status as a modern"tough guy" is only a weak imitation. The police n Michel,'s trail are similarly pale shadows of their predecessors in American films; they are bumbling, somewhat comical figures. The character of Patricia, and her portrayal by Seberg, refers to the role A NOUS LA LIBERTE scenes constructed to"" sequences from American films. In Patricia's bedroom, Michel looks at her through a rolled-up poster France. 1931 The camera zooms through the poster tube, followed by a cut to a close-up of Michel and Patricia kissing. These shots mimic a scene Director: Rene clair from Samuel Fullers Forty Guns (with a rifle barrel instead of a poster)described by Godard in a review of the film as a moment of YI The films playfulness extends beyond the inside jokes that refer musical soundtrack with sound effects; running time:97 minutes ure cinema Production: Tobis(Paris)and Filmsonor; black and white, 35mm, to other films. The sometimes abrupt shifts in tone, style, and plot Released 31 December 1931. Filmed 1931 in Tobis studios and development within and between scenes are an investigation of(and around paris challenge to)the medium, based on familiarity with and affection for its history. The opening of the film is instructive in this regard. Michel Producer: Frank Clifford; screenplay: Rene Clair; photograph delivers a rambling monologue as he drives through the French Georges Perinal; editor: Rene le Henaff; sound: Hermann Storr: art untryside. He is speeding, and a policeman starts to follow him. director: Lazare Meerson; music: Georges Auric: musical director Michel drives off the road, and when he is followed, shoots the Armand Bernard; costume designer: Rene Hubert: assistant direc- policeman. The murder is casual in manner and lacking in clear tor: Albert valentin motive. It becomes almosts a comic version of more serious crime dramas in which murders are fraught with tension and often defined as Cast: Henri Marchand (Emile); Raymond Cordy (Louis): rolla the act of ruthless orpsychotic individuals Because of his manner, the france (Jeanne); Paul Ollivier(Paul Imaque, Jeanne's uncle): Jac- haracter of Michel is sometimes seen to exemplify the existentially alienated hero figure often found in New wave films. Harsher critics ques Shelly(Paul): Andre Michaud(Foreman): Germaine Aussey condemn him as a character for his amoral. nihilistic behavior. (Maud, Louis's mistress): Alexandre d'Arcy(Gigolo); William Burke However, this moralising attitude ignores the way in which the (Leader of the gangsters): Vincent Hyspa(Speaker); Leon Lorin Fussy official) character derives from and parodies previous film hoodlums, and the appeal of the character as portrayed by belmondo In various ways the film exemplifies the conjunction of a number of factors contributing to the French New Wave cinema. This includes the use of relatively new cameras(a lightweight Eclair, easily handheld); working with low budgets, which promoted loca- Scripts on shooting and new personnel, including the star Belmondo and cameraman Raoul Coutard. In addition Godard brought a set of attitudes to filmmaking Clair, Rene, A nous la liberte in L'Avant-Scene du Cinema(Paris), November 1968 shared by his fellow New Wave directors, derived from his exper- A Nous La Liberte and Entr'Acte: Films by Rene Clair, New ce as a film critic in the 1950s. among these was the belief that the York,1970. irector was the responsible creative individual behind a film, that film should be approached as a mode of personal expression, an a deep admiration for the visual style of many Hollywood films Books. lo d eyond its status as a"New Wave film, "a bout de soule begins define attitudes and concerns which are more fully developed in Viazzi, G, Rene Clair, Milan, 1946 Godard's subsequent work. a broad range of cultural imagery is an Bourgeois, J, Rene Clair, Geneva, 1949
FILMS, 4 A NOUS LA LIBERTÉ th EDITION 3 film’s visual construction works even more aggressively against conventional film style. It systematically departs from the aesthetic guidelines and rules defined by continuity editing, relying variously on long-take sequences (often shot with hand-held camera) and jump cutting. The free-wheeling, almost casual, use of the camera is typical of the New Wave style. Within individual scenes the systematic use of jump cuts and depiction of rambling, repetitious conversations are a way of testing the limits of narrative film style. It often seems that scenes are conceived to show what can be done with cinema rather than to develop the story in a coherent fashion. While the film seems willfully to disregard the norms of commercial, studio filmmaking, it consistently refers to and plays with aspects of the American cinema. The main character, Michel, styles himself in the image of Humphrey Bogart. Early in the film he is seen standing by a movie poster admiring his hero’s picture; in comparison his own status as a modern ‘‘tough guy’’ is only a weak imitation. The police on Michel’s trail are similarly pale shadows of their predecessors in American films; they are bumbling, somewhat comical figures. The character of Patricia, and her portrayal by Seberg, refers to the role Seberg played in Otto Preminger’s Bonjour Tristesse. There are also scenes constructed to ‘‘quote’’ sequences from American films. In Patricia’s bedroom, Michel looks at her through a rolled-up poster. The camera zooms through the poster tube, followed by a cut to a close-up of Michel and Patricia kissing. These shots mimic a scene from Samuel Fuller’s Forty Guns (with a rifle barrel instead of a poster) described by Godard in a review of the film as a moment of pure cinema. The film’s playfulness extends beyond the inside jokes that refer to other films. The sometimes abrupt shifts in tone, style, and plot development within and between scenes are an investigation of (and challenge to) the medium, based on familiarity with and affection for its history. The opening of the film is instructive in this regard. Michel delivers a rambling monologue as he drives through the French countryside. He is speeding, and a policeman starts to follow him. Michel drives off the road, and when he is followed, shoots the policeman. The murder is casual in manner and lacking in clear motive. It becomes almosts a comic version of more serious crime dramas in which murders are fraught with tension and often defined as the act of ruthless or psychotic individuals. Because of his manner, the character of Michel is sometimes seen to exemplify the existentially alienated hero figure often found in New Wave films. Harsher critics condemn him as a character for his amoral, nihilistic behavior. However, this moralising attitude ignores the way in which the character derives from and parodies previous film hoodlums, and the appeal of the character as portrayed by Belmondo. In various ways the film exemplifies the conjunction of a number of factors contributing to the French New Wave cinema. This includes the use of relatively new cameras (a lightweight Eclair, easily handheld); working with low budgets, which promoted location shooting and stories with contemporary settings; and the use of new personnel, including the star Belmondo and cameraman Raoul Coutard. In addition Godard brought a set of attitudes to filmmaking shared by his fellow New Wave directors, derived from his experience as a film critic in the 1950s. Among these was the belief that the director was the responsible creative individual behind a film, that film should be approached as a mode of personal expression, and a deep admiration for the visual style of many Hollywood films. Beyond its status as a ‘‘New Wave film,’’ A bout de souffle begins to define attitudes and concerns which are more fully developed in Godard’s subsequent work. A broad range of cultural imagery is an integral part of the film’s signifying material. Movie posters, art reproductions, and inserts of magazines and books not only function as elements of mise-en-scène, but also construct an image of contemporary life in terms of cultural collage. In addition the strategy of narrative digression is important, incorporating lengthy scenes to explore issues which do not serve to develop the story per se. In A bout de souffle Patricia’s taking part in an interview with an author (played by French director Jean-Pierre Melville) functions in this way. Both of these practices testify to an interest in cinema as something more than a narrative medium in the conventional sense. As attention is directed to the ways in which filmic images and sounds create meaning, the very nature of cinematic signification becomes the central question for the director and his audience. —M. B. White A NOUS LA LIBERTÉ France, 1931 Director: René Clair Production: Tobis (Paris) and Filmsonor; black and white, 35mm, musical soundtrack with sound effects; running time: 97 minutes. Released 31 December 1931. Filmed 1931 in Tobis studios and around Paris. Producer: Frank Clifford; screenplay: René Clair; photography: Georges Périnal; editor: René le Hénaff; sound: Hermann Storr; art director: Lazare Meerson; music: Georges Auric; musical director: Armand Bernard; costume designer: René Hubert; assistant director: Albert Valentin. Cast: Henri Marchand (Emile); Raymond Cordy (Louis); Rolla France (Jeanne); Paul Ollivier (Paul Imaque, Jeanne’s uncle); Jacques Shelly (Paul); André Michaud (Foreman); Germaine Aussey (Maud, Louis’s mistress); Alexandre d’Arcy (Gigolo); William Burke (Leader of the gangsters); Vincent Hyspa (Speaker); Léon Lorin (Fussy official). Publications Scripts: Clair, René, A nous la liberté in L’Avant-Scène du Cinéma (Paris), November 1968. A Nous La Liberté and Entr’Acte: Films by René Clair, New York, 1970. Books: Viazzi, G., René Clair, Milan, 1946. Bourgeois, J., René Clair, Geneva, 1949
A NOUS LA LIBERTE FILMS. 4 EDITIoN A nous la liberte Charensol, Georges, and Roger Regent, Un Maitre du cinema: Rene Connor, Edward, and Edward Jablonski, in Films in Review(New Clair. Par York), November 1954 olmi. A. Tre maestri del cinema. Milan. 1956 Tallmer, Jerry, in Village Voice(New York), 16 November 1955. De La roche, Catherine, Rene Clair: An Index, London, 1958 Ford, Charles, ""Cinemas First Immortal, in Films in Review(New Amengual, Barthelemy, Rene Clair, Paris, 1963: revised edition, 1969 York ), November 1960. lity, Jean, Rene Clair, Paris, 1969 Berti. V: L'arte del comico in Rene Clair. in Bianco e Nero Samuels, Charles, Encountering Directors. New York, 1972. (Rome), March-April 1968 McGerr. Celia. Rene Clair. Boston. 1980 Baxter. John. "A Conversation with Rene clair. in Focus on Film Barrot, Olivier, Rene Clair; ou, Le Temps mesure, Renens, Switzer- (London), Winter 1972 land. 1985 Pym, John, in Monthly Film Bulletin(London), October 1977. Greene, Naomi, Rene Clair: A Guide to References and Resources Kramer, SP,"" Rene Clair: Situation and Sensibility in A nous la Boston. 1985 liberte, in Literature/Film Quarterly(Salisbury, Maryland), vol Dale, R. C, The Films of Rene Clair, Metuchen, Ne 12,no.2,1984 2vols,1986 Articles. The fear of a static theatrical resulting from the invention Potamkin, Harry, ""Rene Clair and Film Humor, in Hound and Horn of the sound film was very soon dissipated by liberators such as Ernst (New York), October-December 1932 Lubitsch and rene clair. with a concentration on music and move- Causton, Bernard, "A Conversation with Rene Clair, in Sight and ment while maintaining strict control over dialogue the cinema began Sound (London), winter 1932-33 to move again. Clair, with his first two films, had already established Jacobs, Lewis, The Films of Rene Clair, in New Theatre (ne a style, and the cycle of development from which this style emerged is York), February 1936. curious in itself. The french comedian max linder was a direc air Issue"of Bianco e Nero( rome), August-September 1951 influence on Chaplin and the whole slapstick school which in turn
A NOUS LA LIBERTÉ FILMS, 4th EDITION 4 A nous la liberté Charensol, Georges, and Roger Régent, Un Maître du cinéma: René Clair, Paris, 1952. Solmi, A., Tre maestri del cinema, Milan, 1956. De La Roche, Catherine, René Clair: An Index, London, 1958. Amengual, Barthélemy, René Clair, Paris, 1963; revised edition, 1969. Mitry, Jean, René Clair, Paris, 1969. Samuels, Charles, Encountering Directors, New York, 1972. McGerr, Celia, René Clair, Boston, 1980. Barrot, Olivier, René Clair; ou, Le Temps mesuré, Renens, Switzerland, 1985. Greene, Naomi, René Clair: A Guide to References and Resources, Boston, 1985. Dale, R. C., The Films of René Clair, Metuchen, New Jersey, 2 vols., 1986. Articles: Potamkin, Harry, ‘‘René Clair and Film Humor,’’ in Hound and Horn (New York), October-December 1932. Causton, Bernard, ‘‘A Conversation with René Clair,’’ in Sight and Sound (London), Winter 1932–33. Jacobs, Lewis, ‘‘The Films of René Clair,’’ in New Theatre (New York), February 1936. ‘‘Clair Issue’’ of Bianco e Nero (Rome), August-September 1951. Connor, Edward, and Edward Jablonski, in Films in Review (New York), November 1954. Tallmer, Jerry, in Village Voice (New York), 16 November 1955. Ford, Charles, ‘‘Cinema’s First Immortal,’’ in Films in Review (New York), November 1960. Berti, V., ‘‘L’arte del comico in René Clair,’’ in Bianco e Nero (Rome), March-April 1968. Baxter, John, ‘‘A Conversation with René Clair,’’ in Focus on Film (London), Winter 1972. Pym, John, in Monthly Film Bulletin (London), October 1977. Kramer, S. P., ‘‘René Clair: Situation and Sensibility in A nous la liberté,’’ in Literature/Film Quarterly (Salisbury, Maryland), vol. 12, no. 2, 1984. *** The fear of a static theatrical cinema resulting from the invention of the sound film was very soon dissipated by liberators such as Ernst Lubitsch and René Clair. With a concentration on music and movement while maintaining strict control over dialogue the cinema began to move again. Clair, with his first two films, had already established a style, and the cycle of development from which this style emerged is curious in itself. The French comedian Max Linder was a direct influence on Chaplin and the whole slapstick school which in turn
FILMS. 4th EDItION A PROPOS DE NICE inspired the young Rene Clair. And, as if the process of interchange of Publications deas seemed determined to go on, Chaplin in Modern Times drew inspiration from the assembly line sequence in Clairs A nous la liberte. In this film Clair satirizes the industrial malaise which reduces man to the level of a machine. That satire may seem to weaken the Vigo, Jean, Oeuvre de cinema: Films, scenarios, projets de film human element but fun and joy take over as Clair falls so much in love texts sur le cinema, edited by Pierre Lherminier, Paris, 1985 with his characters that he passes that affection to the audience. One cannot even harbor a grudge against the villains because they too are books diculously human. It is not difficult to see how the film failed to measure up to the demands of socially committed critics like Feldman, Harry, and Joseph Feldman, Jean Vigo,London, 1951 Georges Sadoul Smith, Jean, Jean Vigo, New York, 1971 Two companions of a jail-break are the protagonists of this Salles-Gomes, P. E, Jean Vigo, Paris 1957; revised edition, Los musical comedy. One, played with eccentric sympathy by raymond Cordy, is clever and successful and quickly rises in the world of Smith, John M, Jean Vigo, New York, 1962. industry. The other, played by Henri Marchand, wanders innocently Lherminier, Pierre, Jean vigo, Paris, 1967 throughout the film, willing to accept the unexpected. Even the joy of Barnouw, Erik, Documentary: A History of the Non-Fiction Film, New York, 1974 ourtship is as artless as everything else he does Simon, William G, The Films of Jean Vigo, Ann Arbor, Michi- Employing the talents of the brilliant art director Lazare Meerson gan,1981 Clair uses the vast industrial complex to its fullest until it becomes Salles-Gomes, P. E, Jean Vigo, New York, 1999. play. Even th building is deflated. The joyful and carefree music of Georges Auric Articles carries the film along, while Georges Perinal's camera exploits the large white surfaces of the super-factory and the brightness of Calvalcanti, Alberto, ""Jean Vigo, "in Cinema quarterly(Edin burgh), Winter 1935 But it is not the technical excellence of the film which remains in Agee. James, "Life and Work of Jean vigo, tion(New York) ones mind. It is the puncturing of pomposity, the rejection of 12 J1 dehumanizing technical processes, the statement of essential human Weinberg, H. G, " The Films of Jean Vigo, in Cinema(Beverly values and an appreciation of the incongruities of human existence. It Hills), July 1947. is a far cry from the world of Le Chapeau de paille dltalie, but the Barbarow, George, " The Work of Jean vigo, in Politics 5, win- child-like delight in the demolition of the pretentious in Clair er1948 common to both films. Not for him the sighs of high romance or the Amengual, Barthelemy, in Positif(Paris), May 1953 exaggerations of grand opera. His heart is always with ordinary Chardere, Bernard, " Jean Vigo et ses films, in Cinema(Paris), people and their simple predicaments. He sees the world through the March 1955 eyes of the characters Louis and Emile. Maybe his idea of Utopia is Mekas, Jonas, An Interview with Boris Kaufman, "in Film Culture aive and impractical but it is an ideal which has been thought of by New York), Summer, 1955. many people. In an age of mass regimentation and super-states it Ashton, Dudley Shaw, "Portrait of Vigo, "in Film ( London), Decem- remains a recurring vision ber 1955 Vigo Issue of Etudes Cinematographiques(Paris), nos 51-52, 1966 -Liam OLeary Beylie, Claude, in Ecran(Paris), July-August 197 Liebman, S, in Millenium(New York), Winter 1977-78. Vigo, Jean, "Towards a Social Cinema. in Millenium(New York), Winter 1977-78 PROPOS DE NICE Travelling(Lausanne), Summer 1979. Vinnichenko, E,"Po povodu Nitstsy, Frantsiia, in Iskusstvo Kino (Moscow). no. 3, 1989 On the Subject of Nice) Sidler. V. Traeumer des Kinos. Rimbaud des Films. ' in Filmbulletin france. 1930 Director: Jean vigo Jean Vigo' s reputation as a prodigy of the cinema rests on less than 200 minutes of film. His first venture, a silent documentary 25 Production: Black and white, 35mm; running time: about 25 min- minutes long, was A propos de Nice, and in it one can see immediately 1930. Paris. Filmed winter 1929 through March 1930 in Nice the energy and aptitude of this great talent. But A propos de Nice is far more than a biographical curio; it is one of the last films to come out of the fertile era of the French avant-garde and it remains one of the best Scenario: Mr and Mrs. Jean Vigo and mr and Mrs. Boris Kaufma examples to illustrate the blending of formal and social impulses in photography: Boris Kaufman; editor: Jean Vigo
FILMS, 4 A PROPOS DE NICE th EDITION 5 inspired the young René Clair. And, as if the process of interchange of ideas seemed determined to go on, Chaplin in Modern Times drew inspiration from the assembly line sequence in Clair’s A nous la liberté. In this film Clair satirizes the industrial malaise which reduces man to the level of a machine. That satire may seem to weaken the human element but fun and joy take over as Clair falls so much in love with his characters that he passes that affection to the audience. One cannot even harbor a grudge against the villains because they too are ridiculously human. It is not difficult to see how the film failed to measure up to the demands of socially committed critics like Georges Sadoul. Two companions of a jail-break are the protagonists of this musical comedy. One, played with eccentric sympathy by Raymond Cordy, is clever and successful and quickly rises in the world of industry. The other, played by Henri Marchand, wanders innocently throughout the film, willing to accept the unexpected. Even the joy of his escape from prison arises from a potentially tragic situation. His courtship is as artless as everything else he does. Employing the talents of the brilliant art director Lazare Meerson, Clair uses the vast industrial complex to its fullest until it becomes a fun palace with plenty of room for chases and horseplay. Even the building is deflated. The joyful and carefree music of Georges Auric carries the film along, while Georges Périnal’s camera exploits the large white surfaces of the super-factory and the brightness of the walls. But it is not the technical excellence of the film which remains in one’s mind. It is the puncturing of pomposity, the rejection of dehumanizing technical processes, the statement of essential human values and an appreciation of the incongruities of human existence. It is a far cry from the world of Le Chapeau de paille d’Italie, but the child-like delight in the demolition of the pretentious in Clair is common to both films. Not for him the sighs of high romance or the exaggerations of grand opera. His heart is always with ordinary people and their simple predicaments. He sees the world through the eyes of the characters Louis and Emile. Maybe his idea of Utopia is naive and impractical but it is an ideal which has been thought of by many people. In an age of mass regimentation and super-states it remains a recurring vision. —Liam O’Leary A PROPOS DE NICE (On the Subject of Nice) France, 1930 Director: Jean Vigo Production: Black and white, 35mm; running time: about 25 minutes. Premiered June 1930, Paris. Filmed winter 1929 through March 1930 in Nice. Scenario: Mr. and Mrs. Jean Vigo and Mr. and Mrs. Boris Kaufman; photography: Boris Kaufman; editor: Jean Vigo. Publications Script: Vigo, Jean, Oeuvre de cinéma: Films, scénarios, projets de films, texts sur le cinéma, edited by Pierre Lherminier, Paris, 1985. Books: Feldman, Harry, and Joseph Feldman, Jean Vigo, London, 1951. Smith, Jean, Jean Vigo, New York, 1971. Salles-Gomes, P. E., Jean Vigo, Paris 1957; revised edition, Los Angeles, 1971. Smith, John M., Jean Vigo, New York, 1962. Lherminier, Pierre, Jean Vigo, Paris, 1967. Barnouw, Erik, Documentary: A History of the Non-Fiction Film, New York, 1974. Simon, William G., The Films of Jean Vigo, Ann Arbor, Michigan, 1981. Salles-Gomes, P.E., Jean Vigo, New York, 1999. Articles: Calvalcanti, Alberto, ‘‘Jean Vigo,’’ in Cinema Quarterly (Edinburgh), Winter 1935. Agee, James, ‘‘Life and Work of Jean Vigo,’’ in Nation (New York), 12 July 1947. Weinberg, H. G., ‘‘The Films of Jean Vigo,’’ in Cinema (Beverly Hills), July 1947. Barbarow, George, ‘‘The Work of Jean Vigo,’’ in Politics 5, Winter 1948. Amengual, Barthélemy, in Positif (Paris), May 1953. Chardère, Bernard, ‘‘Jean Vigo et ses films,’’ in Cinéma (Paris), March 1955. Mekas, Jonas, ‘‘An Interview with Boris Kaufman,’’ in Film Culture (New York), Summer, 1955. Ashton, Dudley Shaw, ‘‘Portrait of Vigo,’’ in Film (London), December 1955. ‘‘Vigo Issue’’ of Etudes Cinématographiques (Paris), nos. 51–52, 1966. Beylie, Claude, in Ecran (Paris), July-August 1975. Liebman, S., in Millenium (New York), Winter 1977–78. Vigo, Jean, ‘‘Towards a Social Cinema,’’ in Millenium (New York), Winter 1977–78. Travelling (Lausanne), Summer 1979. Vinnichenko, E., ‘‘Po povodu Nitstsy, Frantsiia,’’ in Iskusstvo Kino (Moscow), no. 3, 1989. Sidler, V.,’’Traeumer des Kinos, Rimbaud des Films,’’ in Filmbulletin (Winterthur, Switzerland), no. 4, 1992. *** Jean Vigo’s reputation as a prodigy of the cinema rests on less than 200 minutes of film. His first venture, a silent documentary 25 minutes long, was A propos de Nice, and in it one can see immediately the energy and aptitude of this great talent. But A propos de Nice is far more than a biographical curio; it is one of the last films to come out of the fertile era of the French avant-garde and it remains one of the best examples to illustrate the blending of formal and social impulses in that epoch