Jul 18th   
Les Enfants du Paradis**     
Part One: "Le Boulevard du Crime"
Part Two: "L'Homme Blanc" (The Man in White)

Fra 1945. Pathe. 190m. bw

In 19th century Paris, a woman falls in love with a mime artist, is seduced however by a philandering actor, and then comes into the custody of a possessive aristocrat, but all the time is being watched over by a sinister sociopath.   
Much heralded French epic romantic drama (made during and after the Occupation), set evocatively in the long gone ramshackle community of the Boulevard du Temple (aka. "Boulevard of Crime") in the manner of a French version of Dickens, with many colourful characters and settings for this most typically French of plotlines. The director deliberately avoids moments of action or sex, focusing more on the moods and repercussions for the characters, to make it a splendidly theatrical film, in the best sense of the word.

Written by: Jacques Prevert.
Producer: Fred Orain.
Director: Marcel Carne.
Starring: Arletty, Jean-Louis Barrault, Marcel Herrand, Pierre Brasseur, Louis Salou, Maria Casares, Pierre Renoir, Jane Marken, Albert Remy.
Photography: Roger Hubert.
Music: Maurice Thiriet, Joseph Kosma.
Production Design: Alexandre Trauner.