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6.6/10
Senior Film Conservator
A definitive 6.6/10 rating for a film that redefined the boundaries of cult cinema. Celles qui s'en font remains a cornerstone of transgressive art.
If you like old movies that feel a bit like a fever dream, yes. It is only about six minutes long, so you aren't losing much time if you hate it.
People who love French Impressionism will dig the blurry shots. If you want a story with a beginning, middle, and end, you will probably be annoyed.
I watched this on a whim because the title sounded interesting. It translates to something like "Those Who Make Do," which is a polite way of saying the movie is about women who have to do whatever it takes to survive. 🍷
The main lady, Lilian Constantini, is great. She has this look in her eyes that is just... heavy. You can tell she's been drinking way before the movie even started.
The whole thing feels very close-up. Like the camera is too close to her face and won't let her breathe.
It’s much darker than something like Betty's Bath. That one is just lighthearted fun, but this is a punch in the stomach.
There is this one scene where she is looking out at the street. The way the light hits the window makes everything look greasy and cold.
You can see the other women outside. They look like they have money, or at least better shoes. Our main character just looks at them with this weird mix of hate and wanting.
The movie doesn't really explain why she’s in this bar. She just is. I like that the director didn't feel the need to give us a whole backstory about a dead husband or a lost job.
Sometimes the editing gets really fast. It’s supposed to match the rhythm of a song by Georges Vallée, but since it’s a silent film now, it just feels like the movie is having a panic attack.
I noticed a small detail where she fumbles with her glass. It felt real. Like she actually had a few too many before the cameras started rolling. 🥴
It reminded me a little of the grit in New York Nights, but without the Hollywood polish. This feels like it was filmed in a basement that smells like old cigarettes.
The lighting is actually pretty cool for 1928. They use shadows to hide her face sometimes, which makes her look even more desperate.
I think I saw a cat in the background of one shot, but it was too blurry to be sure. It probably wandered onto the set.
Some people might find the ending a bit sudden. It just sort of... stops. No big moral lesson. No "don't drink, kids" message. Just a woman sitting there.
It’s a bit like Lightnin' Strikes in how it focuses on a specific character's energy, but way less funny. Actually, it isn't funny at all.
The film uses these superimposed images where things overlap. It’s a bit messy. But it works because she is supposed to be drunk and confused.
I wouldn't call it a masterpiece, but it’s memorable. I kept thinking about her face for an hour after it ended.
The print I saw was a bit scratched up, but that kind of added to the vibe. It made it feel like a lost memory someone found in a trash can.
If you're into the history of how movies tried to show what's happening inside someone's head, this is a neat little artifact.
Just don't expect to feel good after watching it. 🥀
IMDb —
1917
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