Les Gens du voyage
| 1938 Drama / Comedy |  |
Credits Director:
Jacques
Feyder
Script: Jacques Feyder and Jacques Viot Dialogues: Bernard Zimmer Directeur de la Photo: Franz Koch and Josef Illig Music: Wolfgang Zeller Cast: Françoise Rosay (Flora, la dompteuse), André Brulé (Fernand), Marie Glory (Pepita), Guillaume de Sax (Barlay), Fabien Loris (Marcel), Sylvia Bataille (Yvonne), Louise Carletti (Suzanne), André Roanne (Le lieutenant), Yves Deniaud (Le bonimenteur), Daniel Mendaille (Jo), Georges Prieur (Gaëtan), Alfred Adam (Le médecin), Madeleine Sologne Runtime: 108 min; B&W Sortie: 9 mars 1938 Aka: People Who Travel Summary Flora, a tough, strong-willed lion-tamer, is the star
attraction at the Barlay travelling Circus. However, even she
is ill-prepared when her former lover, Fernand, returns to her after twenty
years. Fernand, a crook who has just escaped from prison, tells Flora
that unless she helps him he will tell the world he is the father of her
son, Marcel, who also works at the circus as an acrobat. Using
his charms on Mr Barlay, the circus’ owner, Fernand soon finds himself
managing the circus. Meanwhile, Flora’s son Marcel is having a secret
affair with Barlay’s daughter, Yvonne. When they realise that Barlay
is against their union, the two lovers plan to elope. As soon as
he discovers what is afoot, Barlay sends his daughter away from the circus
without telling Marcel, unaware that she is expecting a baby…
Review Jacques Feyder’s flair for depicting the lives of ordinary
people with humanity and insight is apparent in this captivating portrayal
of circus life. Filmed in Germany, the film was made in parallel
with a German-language version entitled “Fahrendes Volk”, which had a cast
of German actors (although Françoise Rosay starred in both versions).
Les Gens du voyage is probably best remembered for Françoise Rosay’s gutsy performance as the spirited middle-aged lion-tamer, Flora. With the support of her husband, Jacques Feyder, Rosay became one of the leading actresses of the 1930s, renowned for taking on strong female roles which perfectly suited her austere physical appearance and authoritarian personality. As Les Gens du voyage shows, Rosay can also reveal a softer side, making her as endearing as she is formidable. One particular scene which perfectly captures her character’s strength and vulnerability in this film is when she is performing her circus act – she may well have the upper-hand over her cageful of tigers but her fear is still evident. What is perhaps most striking about Les Gens du voyage is how fresh and modern the film still feels. This is partly due to its daring mix of cinematic styles, reflecting the rapid evolution of cinema in the late 1930s. The liberal use of location filming gives the film a neo-realist feel in places; the plot is a mix of melodrama and policier; and elements of early film noir and poetic realism are also noticeable. Some engaging comic touches provide a pleasing contrast to the films darker moments, without undermining the dramatic content. What is surprising, and what is surely a sign of its director’s genius, is the way in which Feyder manages to combine all these different styles and themes and delivers a work that is cohesive and satisfying. © James Travers 2002 |
|
|
||||||||
| HOME |
| |
FILMS TO BUY | | |
FILMS INDEX |
| |
ACTORS |
| |
DIRECTORS |
|
||||||||
 |