Les Enfants du Paradis aka Children of Paradise (1945) is being broadcast at 2AM on TCM tonight, March 30th.
The collaboration between director Marcel Carné and writer Jacques Prévert is often called "a masterpiece of world cinema." The story, set in 19th century France, depicts the vagaries of love and life in the world of the French theater as a young woman uses her charms to play one heart against another and to make her way in the world. Made under tense conditions at the end of the Nazi occupation of France, the film has a Gallic charm and melancholy, as well as a tolerant view of human nature as each of us tries to figure out the real and the ephemeral during our lives. Many find this aspect and the sweeping story both enjoyable and touching. The movie has a massive cast, with Arletty as Garance, and Jean-Louis Barrault as Baptiste Debureau among the leads, many of whom are based on real life figures in 19th century theater.
I hope that you'll post your impressions of this movie if you'd like.
If you are interested in this film, perhaps you'll enjoy this article:
An Article on Marcel Carné and Les Enfants du Paradis in the Guardian
Les Enfants du Paradis aka Children of Paradise (1945)
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Re: Les Enfants du Paradis aka Children of Paradise (1945)
I saw this picture 20+ years ago at the old Theater 80 on St. Mark's Place. My recollection of it is not detailed, but I loved it, particularly Jean-Louis Barrault, one of my favorite french actors. What stands out most in my memory about this film is the closing shot (I won't describe it to avoid spoilers) and the conflicting emotions it evoked.
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Re: Les Enfants du Paradis aka Children of Paradise (1945)
Oh that's such a wonderful picture! Do watch it! You won't regret it. The poetic dialogue by Prévert and the acting by Barrault, Arletty and Pierre Brasseur are just fantastic.
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Re: Les Enfants du Paradis aka Children of Paradise (1945)
I watched it a couple of years ago, I should revisit it, it left me with the distinct impression that it would improve on each subsequent viewing. I was very impressed.
Failure is unimportant. It takes courage to make a fool of yourself - Charlie Chaplin
Re: Les Enfants du Paradis aka Children of Paradise (1945)
Now this is what I'd call an "essential."
And I'd especially recommend it to any classics fan that tends to avoid older foreign language films because of subtitles or for whatever other reason. I felt obligated to give the movie a look because it was so highly regarded, yet given its length I fully expected to be bored out of my mind. I'm so glad I gave it a chance. It remains one of my favorite films.
-Stephen
And I'd especially recommend it to any classics fan that tends to avoid older foreign language films because of subtitles or for whatever other reason. I felt obligated to give the movie a look because it was so highly regarded, yet given its length I fully expected to be bored out of my mind. I'm so glad I gave it a chance. It remains one of my favorite films.
-Stephen
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Re: Les Enfants du Paradis aka Children of Paradise (1945)
I set the dvr to record it last night! I love films set in Paris. I love the atmosphere and architecture.
Sandy K
Sandy K
Re: Les Enfants du Paradis aka Children of Paradise (1945)
I rented the Criterion DVD Release a couple of years ago and I think it's one of the most poetic and beautiful films I have ever seen. Along with "Beauty and the Beast" (1946) it is one of the most bewitching French films made in the 1940s.
Re: Les Enfants du Paradis aka Children of Paradise (1945)
I agree, Nando. I'll also point out that when I was in college, both of these films were the ne plus ultra of foreign films for those of us who considered ourselves oh so sophisticated about The Cinema, and they were shown frequently at film festivals in NYC. At that time, I liked Children of Paradise more than Beauty and the Beast, which I found a little creepy.feaito wrote:I rented the Criterion DVD Release a couple of years ago and I think it's one of the most poetic and beautiful films I have ever seen. Along with "Beauty and the Beast" (1946) it is one of the most bewitching French films made in the 1940s.
Nowadays, however, I get a little impatient with Baptiste, the love-smitten patsy, and am consistently far more enchanted by Belle and her Bête.