La fin du monde (1931) Review: Abel Gance’s Beautiful, Loud Mess

You should probably watch La fin du monde if you like seeing a director’s brain actually explode on the screen. It is for people who enjoy big ideas even when those ideas don't quite fit through the door.

If you want a tight plot or something that makes total sense, you are going to hate this. It’s a mess, but it’s a fascinating one. ☄️

It starts with a play within a movie. Jean, one of the brothers, is playing Jesus on stage and he looks incredibly tired. Like, he actually looks like he hasn't slept in three days.

Then we meet the other brother, Martial. He is an astronomer, and he’s played by the director, Abel Gance. He has this intense stare that makes you feel like he’s trying to see through your soul and into the next room.

Martial figures out a comet is coming to kill everyone. But instead of calling the government, he decides this is the best time to start a 'Universal Republic.' It’s such a 1930s vibe to think a comet is the best tool for political reform.

The sound in this movie is something else. It was Gance’s first time using sound, and he clearly decided that more is more. It is loud. There are sirens, bells, and this weird electronic whining that never seems to stop.

It actually starts to give you a headache after a while. But honestly? That kind of works for a movie about the world ending. It should feel stressful.

There is a scene at the Stock Exchange where everyone is screaming and throwing bits of paper. It feels more 'real' than the parts with the telescopes. You can almost see the spit flying off the actors' faces because they are yelling so hard.

The special effects are... well, they are from 1931. Some of the shots of the comet look like a glowing potato floating in a bowl of soup. But then, suddenly, there’s a shot of the sky that looks genuinely terrifying and huge.

I found myself thinking about The Last Attraction during some of the crowd scenes. There’s that same feeling of people just milling about, waiting for something big to happen.

The romance is the weakest part, I think. Both brothers love Genevieve. She spends most of the movie looking worried or standing between them while they argue. She’s very good at looking worried, though.

One reaction shot of a guy in the crowd lingers for about five seconds too long. It starts to feel like he’s waiting for someone to tell him to stop looking at the camera. It’s those little mistakes that make me love these old films.

Martial spends a lot of time talking into a giant microphone called 'Radio-Astra.' He gives these long, preachy speeches about world peace. Everyone in the movie listens with these wide, blank eyes like they are being hypnotized.

It gets a bit much after the third speech. You kind of want the comet to just show up already. 🎬

But when the panic finally sets in, the movie gets way better. There are these 'end of the world' parties that look like absolute chaos. People are drinking and dancing while the walls literally shake. It looks like a very bad night at a very expensive club.

The editing is fast and jerky. Gance was famous for this in his silent movies, but here it feels even more nervous because of the sound. It’s like the movie itself is having a panic attack.

I noticed a weird smudge on the lens during one of the laboratory scenes. It’s right near the edge of the frame. It probably shouldn't be there, but it made me feel like I was actually in the room with them.

If you've seen Sein letzter Trick, you know how these early sound films can be a bit clunky with the dialogue. This one is the king of clunky. People don't just talk; they proclaim things.

There are these villains who are just 'The Rich.' They sit in dark rooms and wear fancy suits and look mean. They aren't very deep, but they serve their purpose as people for Martial to yell at.

The movie is surprisingly long, and the middle section drags a bit. I think they could have cut about twenty minutes of the political speeches and it would have been much stronger.

I kept thinking about The Love Piker and how different the stakes were back then. Here, it’s not just about a girl; it’s about the entire planet. But Gance still treats the love story like it’s the most important thing in the universe.

The ending is a lot. I won’t tell you what happens, but there is a lot of screaming. It feels like everyone involved just decided to go out at 100% volume.

It’s not a 'perfect' movie by any means. It’s actually pretty broken in some places. But I would rather watch this than a boring, 'perfect' movie any day of the week.

One weird detail: the way Martial wears his hat. It’s always at this slightly aggressive angle. It’s a very specific choice that I couldn't stop looking at.

Anyway, if you want to see what happens when a silent film genius tries to invent the disaster movie while also trying to save the world, this is it. Just be prepared for a bit of a ringing in your ears afterward. 🥂

It reminds me a bit of Felix Puts It Over in how much energy is packed into every frame, even when that energy is totally misplaced. It's just... a lot.

Did I mention the music? There is this early synthesizer called a Martenot. It sounds like a ghost singing in a bathtub. It’s incredibly creepy and perfect for a comet movie.

Check it out if you're in the mood for something that feels like a historical artifact and a fever dream at the same time.