La route est belle: A creaky, singing trip to 1930 France

Should you watch this today? Honestly, only if you have a deep love for the very early days of sound or if you just really like looking at vintage cars from the thirties.

Anyone looking for a fast-paced plot or clear audio is going to hate this. It’s a slow, crackly experience that feels like listening to a ghost story told through a tin can.

The movie is basically a musical, but not the kind we have now. It’s more like a guy just decides to start singing because he’s happy about his car or the road.

André Baugé plays Pierre, and man, does he have a voice. It’s that old-school operatic style that feels like it’s vibrating your teeth.

He’s got this wide, painted-on smile that stays there even when things aren't going great. It’s a bit creepy if you look at it too long.

The plot is about a lottery ticket. Pierre wins, then he loses the ticket, and then there is a lot of searching and singing.

It’s not exactly a nail-biter. You know he’s going to find it because the movie is called The Road is Beautiful, not Everything is Terrible and I’m Broke.

I noticed the sound quality is pretty rough. There is this constant hissing in the background that sounds like someone is frying bacon just off-camera. 🥓

It reminded me of the technical struggles in The New Babylon, though that one had a lot more visual energy than this.

In this movie, the camera mostly just sits there. It’s like the director was afraid if he moved it, the microphones would stop working.

There is a scene in a tavern where everyone is standing perfectly still. They look like wax figures waiting for someone to yell 'action'.

I think they were just terrified of making noise that wasn't the dialogue. Early sound tech really made actors act weird.

The car is the real star for me. I don’t even know what model it is, but it looks like a giant metal bathtub with wheels.

Watching Pierre drive it down these dusty, empty roads is the best part of the whole thing. The scenery is actually quite nice, even with the grainy film stock.

It makes you miss a time when roads didn't have billboards every five feet. Just trees and dirt and the occasional person walking a goat.

There’s a lady in it too, Laurette Fleury. She’s fine, but she doesn't have much to do except look worried about the ticket.

The romance feels very rushed. One minute they’re talking, the next they’re practically married. 💍

It’s much less intense than something like The Fall of the House of Usher. That movie actually tries to do something with the camera.

Cinematic perspective: Exploring the visual vocabulary of La route est belle (1929) through its definitive frames.

Here, the director Robert Florey seems to be just trying to get through the day without the equipment breaking down.

I spotted a guy in the background of a street scene who was definitely staring right at the lens. He looked so confused, like he’d never seen a camera before.

Moments like that are why I love these old movies. They feel accidental and real in a way modern stuff doesn't.

The music is very 'of its time'. Accordions everywhere. If you hate accordions, this movie will be a nightmare for you.

I found myself humming the main tune though. It’s catchy in a really annoying way that stays in your head for hours.

There is a bit of physical comedy that doesn't quite land. A guy trips, and the sound effect for it happens about a second too late.

It’s those little sync issues that remind you how hard they were working to make this tech work. It was all brand new back then.

If you want something with a bit more 'kick' to it, maybe try Fast and Fearless. This one is definitely more of a slow stroll.

It’s a bit of a museum piece. You look at it, you say 'that’s neat,' and then you probably never watch it again.

But there is a sweetness to it. Pierre just wants to be happy and sing to his girlfriend in his car.

We don't really make movies that simple anymore. Now everything has to be a 'profound exploration' or whatever.

This is just a movie about a guy who likes his life. And a lottery ticket. And a really loud singing voice.

The ending is exactly what you think it is. No twists here. 🚗

I fell asleep for about five minutes in the middle and I don't think I missed a single thing. That’s not a complaint, really.

It’s just a very gentle movie. Like a warm blanket that smells a bit like mothballs.

I’d give it a pass unless you’re doing a project on 1930s French cinema. Or if you’re a big fan of Saturnin Fabre, who is always fun to see.

He has this way of popping his eyes out that makes him look like a startled frog. It’s the best bit of acting in the film.

Anyway, the road is indeed beautiful. The movie is just okay.