365 Days: #32 Le jour se lève (1939)

I am dedicating the month of February to French cinema, which gives me a good excuse to indulge myself in some favorite French movies I haven't seen in awhile, as well as watch all the new ones I've acquired because of Journeys Through French Cinema. This week, I am starting out with French movies that inspired adaptations in other countries.

#32  Le jour se lève

François has shot a man, and then refuses to open the door to the police, instead shooting at them through the door. They run away to seek reinforcements, allowing François time to reflect on the circumstances that led up to him becoming a murderer. We learn he is a working stiff with a sandblasting job that's damaging his health, who falls in love with a cute, young girl who's been taken in by charming creep, Valentin. When she doesn't put out after 3 weeks of dating, and sees Valentin on the sly, he decides to hook up with Valentin's former assistant, who's agreeable to a no strings relationship. François and Françoise finally decide they love each other enough to commit to one another, but Valentin isn't having it, and he confronts François in a way that isn't very smart. 

"Sure, I'm a killer, but killers are a dime a dozen. They're everywhere. Everyone kills! They just do it quietly so you don't see. It's like sand--it gets deep inside you. " 

I enjoyed revisiting this film and developed a greater appreciation for it on this viewing. I first saw this movie in 2010, after having seen Gabin in Port of Shadows and Arletty in Children of Paradise, which made me want to see more of their work. I love the brooding, doomed dirge that plays at the beginning of the film, which leaves no hope that the situation will end well. There are some nice shots to appreciate in this film, and if you enjoy film noir, you owe it to yourself to check this one out, as well as the American adaptation I will be watching tomorrow.

365 Days: #1 Drôle de drame (1937)

Happy New Year, movie lovers! Last year, I made a resolution to watch a new movie every day, which lasted longer than most resolutions, but still fell apart pretty quickly. Since it was a lot of fun, I decided to give it another go, and am giving myself 365 days to fall in love with more movies. Some, like today's feature, will be movies I know and love well, while others will be new to me. 

#1 Drôle de drame

Botanist Irwin Molyneaux, who doubles as a crime writer incognito to support his wife's demands for social standing, finds himself the target of a murder investigation after his sanctimonious cousin wrongly suspects him of murdering his wife, while a serial killer of butchers targets him for the influence his crime novels have had on him. 

"However, poor sinners, you are not the most guilty. The authors of these books are the real criminals."

I acquired this movie in 2016 as part of an effort to collect every Marcel Carné-Jacques Prévert collaboration I could find, that stemmed from my obsession with Children of Paradise (Les enfants du paradis), a movie that started me on my mad movie collecting adventure. This movie was based on the novel, His First Offence by Joseph Storer Clouston. While I have been unable to obtain that novel, this movie inspired me to seek out some of his other works, and I have just begun to read one of his most popular novels, The Lunatic at Large. I'm only on Chapter 3, but I am already enjoying his wit and well crafted storytelling.

Every frame of this satirical film is a true delight, and I never tire of watching it. The actors give top notch performances and the music adds just the right feel to scenes. At some point, I will cover it more thoroughly, as this is a hidden gem that deserves greater recognition. For this 365 Days project, posts will necessarily be brief in order to keep up my madcap adventure. While I may be hard pressed to offer any insightful commentary on such a schedule, hopefully those of you who choose to follow along may also discover some movies you love.