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Director's Spotlight
Senior Film Conservator
Director's Spotlight: United States
A Deep Dive into the 1936 Vision of Roland D. Reed
The brilliance of In Paris, A.W.O.L. (1936) is inseparable from a monumental shift in War filmmaking spearheaded by Roland D. Reed. Occupying a unique space between War and pure art, it serves as a blueprint for future generations of War directors.
In In Paris, A.W.O.L., Roland D. Reed pushes the boundaries of conventional narrative. The film's unique approach to its subject matter has sparked endless debates and interpretations among cinephiles and critics alike.
To fully appreciate In Paris, A.W.O.L., one must consider the cinematic climate of 1936. During this period, United States was undergoing significant artistic shifts, and Roland D. Reed was at the forefront of this War movement, often challenging established norms.
| Cinematography | Noir-Inspired |
| Soundtrack | Minimalist |
| Editing | Slow-Burn |
| Art Direction | Brutalist |
Visualizing the convergence of Roland D. Reed's style and the core War narrative.
While attending a show, a World War I veteran has a flashback to his days as a vaudeville performer: When the veteran's female vaudeville partner accuses his male partner of helping to steal a necklace, the male partner breaks off his relationship with her because she is too attentive to another man. The veteran and his male partner then join the army entertainment unit, and the male partner is about to marry another woman when his old love appears, performing in a Paris show to entertain soldiers. The veteran intervenes to reunite his old friends. During a bombing, the woman is caught in a scuffle with the other man in a cellar shelter. The male partner rescues her by fighting her assailant and then proves the man is a German spy. Declared a hero, the male partner wins back his old sweetheart.
Decades after its release, In Paris, A.W.O.L. remains a vital piece of the cinematic puzzle. Its influence can be seen in countless modern works, solidifying Roland D. Reed's status as a master of the craft in United States and beyond.