Le billet de mille (1935) review: Tracking a cursed piece of paper

If you like old French films where the main character is literally a piece of paper, yes, you should watch Le billet de mille. It is a 1935 anthology about how money makes people do crazy things.

But if you hate movies that jump from story to story every ten minutes without a proper ending, you will probably get annoyed fast. 💸

The Paper Trail

The whole plot is just following a single 1,000-franc bill. It goes from a clean bank vault straight into the messy lives of regular people.

Some people get incredibly happy when they hold it, and others have their lives totally ruined. It is pretty cynical, honestly.

I loved seeing Gaston Modot show up. He always has this intense face that makes you think he is about to start a fight.

But then he is gone in a flash because the bill keeps moving. The pacing is extremely fast, almost too fast.

There is this one scene with a street singer that felt like it went on forever. I think I checked my phone during that part.

It reminded me a bit of the random charm in Paris Asleep, but way more cynical about human nature.

Small Details I Noticed

• The way the actors handle the paper bill is so dramatic. They hold it like it is made of gold or something.
• One guy has a mustache that looks like it was glued on sideways. I could not stop staring at it.
• The sound quality is pretty scratchy, which actually makes the street scenes feel more real.

Some of the stories are super funny, while others are just depressing. Like, one minute you are laughing at a silly misunderstanding, and the next, a family is crying.

It is definitely uneven. But that is kind of the point of these portmanteau films, right?

Honestly, the ending feels a bit rushed. The bill gets destroyed, and the movie just... stops.

I wanted to see what happened to the poor baker, but the movie did not care anymore.

If you want a cozy, slightly weird black-and-white movie for a rainy Sunday, give it a go. Just do not expect a masterpiece.