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Henri Marchand,
Raymond Cordy,
Rolla France,
more...
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René Clair
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: Criterion
: Classics, Comedies, Foreign, Classic Comedy, Classic Sci-Fi, France, Classic Comedy, Classic Sci Fi/Fantasy, Fantasy, Classic Fantasy, Criterion Collection
: 83 min.
: French
: English
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À Nous la Liberté is an early talkie from French filmmaker René Clair. Louis (Raymond Cordy) and Emile (Henri Marchand) are a pair of convicts whose lives take decidely different paths after prison. Emile works his way up the ladder of capitalism, becoming a phonograph factory boss, a job that finds him overseeing a bleak outfit of automatous drones. Louis, on the other hand, lives the life of a poverty-stricken vagabond. Despite their contrasting lots, the pair meet up again later in life. À Nous la Liberté is perhaps best remembered for being the main inspiration for Charlie Chaplin's 1936 classic Modern Times. ~ Matthew Tobey, All Movie Guide
Special features: - Deleted scenes
- ENTRACTE (1924), the short Surrealist masterpiece by Clair and artist Francis Picabia
- Video interview with Madame Bronja Clair
- Film historian David Robinson on the Tobis lawsuit against Charlie Chaplin's MODERN TIMES
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| a moving slapstick talkie
by BTemchine
November 25, 2005 - 11:21 AM PST
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3 out of 3 members found this review helpful
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A Nous La Liberte is the name of a song the two main characters sing throughout the movie, which is an odd, and affecting, mix of slapstick, capitalist critique and sentimentality. Emile and Louis are prison buddies, but their escape plan goes awry and, by an act of generosity from Louis, only Emile gets away. The scenes within the prison of forced labor, lousy food, mechanistic and inhuman conditions, are echoed in later scenes of factory life. As Emile becomes more succesful, he becomes more a warden of his own prison. Louis' re-appearance redeems Emile and frees him again, this time from the slavery of the factory.
Emile and Louis exhibit that very strange asexuality of early comic stars. I don't know if where that tradition comes from, but it feels like the movie is a love story to childish exuberance. But unlike the anarchic Keystone Kops movies, it feels like a grown-up was behind the camera the whole time. The friendship between Emile and Louis is truly touching. The extended slapstick scenes (businessmen chasing money in the wind etc.) are ridiculous, and not really in a good way. More pointless really.
The picture clarity is well up to Criterion Collection standards. Very memorable. |
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GreenCine Member Rating
(Average 7.34)
77 Votes
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