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27 rue de la Paix
1937 Crime / Comedy / Thriller
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Credits
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Director: Richard Pottier
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Script: Jacques Prévert, Carlo Rim, T.H. Robert, based on the play “La chaîne des preuves“ by Thomas Förster
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Photo: Enzo Riccioni
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Music: Joe Hajos
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Cast: Renée Saint-Cyr (Gloria Grand),
Suzy Prim (Jenny Clarens),
Jules Berry (Denis Grand),
Jean Galland (Maître Jean Bernard),
Gaby Basset (Alice Perrin aka Jeanne Pinson),
Junie Astor (Olly),
Gabriel Signoret (Le procureur Montfort),
Jean Wall (Furet),
Julien Carette (Jules)
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Country: France
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Language: French
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Runtime: 100 min; B&W
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Summary
Gloria Grand is determined to divorce her wastrel husband Denis so that she can marry
her true love, the lawyer Maître Bernard. One of Denis’ mistresses,
a Parisian nightclub singer named Jenny Clarens, agrees to support Gloria’s case
for divorce, but a short while later her dead body is found in the River Seine.
Denis is the obvious suspect, but Maître Bernard is honour-bound to defend his rival
in court. A necklace is discovered which confirms Denis’ guilt, but this mysteriously
disappears. Bernard finds he has the power to clear Denis, or have him condemned
for murder…
Review
27 rue de la Paix is one of those strange 1930s
French films that functions both as a detective thriller (a near forerunner of film noir)
and an effective piece of social satire. Not only does the film mock the double
standards of the French middle classes (without resorting to the blatant stereotypes we
see so often in contemporary films, even those of Jean Renoir); it also takes a pretty
hefty swipe at the black art of journalism, portraying the practices of news-hungry journalistic
hacks in a very nasty light indeed.
Whilst it may not be a masterpiece, the film shows us a director, Richard Pottier,
who is competent and, occasionally, inspired. Some of the camerawork is ahead of
its time, conveying mood and dramatic tension to great effect, presaging the suspense
thrillers of later directors, notably Alfred Hitchcock. Of the cast, only Jules
Berry is still widely remembered, although keen French film enthusiasts will recognise
at least three others: Renée Saint-Cyr, Suzy Prim and Gaby Basset. The performances
are surprisingly good for a film of this kind, conveying genuine human feeling without
diminishing the film’s keen satirical edge.
© James Travers 2005
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