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Cult Review
Senior Film Conservator
You should probably watch this today if you are tired of every movie feeling like it was made in a factory. It is a great pick for anyone who likes that weird, scratchy sound of early 30s talkies and doesn't mind a plot that wanders around.
People who need high-stakes action or a story that makes perfect sense will probably hate it. It’s a movie for people who like to look at the background of scenes and wonder what the extras were thinking about.
The whole thing is basically about a guy named Fortuné who works in a gloomy Paris office. He wins a contest and suddenly he is down in the south of France where everything is bright and everyone is singing.
The movie is called Paris-Soleil and it realy lives up to the 'soleil' part once they get out of the city. I love how Fortuné looks so uncomfortable in his suit the whole time.
He has this face that just screams 'I don’t belong here but I’m going to try my best anyway.' The way he handles his luggage in the train station made me laugh out loud for no real reason.
It’s that kind of physical comedy that feels real because it is so clumsy. It isn't choreographed like a modern movie; it just looks like a guy struggling with a heavy bag.
The actress Paulette Dubost is in this too. She is always so full of energy, like she is about to pop right out of the cinima screen.
She has this way of looking at the other actors like she knows a secret they don't. It reminds me a bit of the chaotic energy in The Wildcat of Paris, though this movie is much lighter and less intense.
Claude Dauphin is also here, looking very young. He has this charm that you can tell was going to make him a star later on.
Sometimes the editing is a bit choppy and it catches you off guard. One second they are talking in a hallway, and the next, they are halfway across a garden without actually walking there.
The music is... well, it is a lot. Every time someone feels a tiny bit of emotion, the orchestra goes absolutely crazy.
It is not like Film 4 where things feel a bit more grounded and quiet. Here, the music wants you to know exactly how to feel at every single second.
There is a scene in a cafe where the extras are clearly just staring at the camera. One guy in the back is holding a coffee cup and he hasn’t moved his arm for like three minutes straight.
I wonder if he was told to stay perfectly still or if he was just nervous because it was 1933 and cameras were scary. The writing by Michel Duran is pretty funny in a 'dad joke' kind of way.
It is definitely more about the vibe of the vacation than the actual story. If you’ve seen Is Marriage the Bunk?, you know how these old comedies love to poke fun at how people act in public.
The lighting in the outdoor scenes is gorgeous even though it is black and white. You can almost feel the heat on the back of their necks when they are standing on the pier.
I noticed a dog in the background of one shot that looked exactly like the one in A Lucky Dog. It probably wasn't the same dog, but it made me wonder if there was a specific 'movie dog' agency back then.
The movie doesn't really have a big, explosive ending. It just kind of... stops when everyone is happy enough.
But that is okay because I didn't want it to get too serious or dramatic anyway. It’s way better than some of the stuffy, boring dramas from that era like The Lady.
There is a weird moment where a character talks about a 'pearl' which made me think of The Seven Pearls, but it was just a metaphor about a girl. I think I preferred the metaphor to a literal pearl hunt anyway.
If you want to see a movie that feels like a warm afternoon nap in a chair, this is it. Just don't expect it to change your life or provide deep philosphical answers.
It is just a nice time with some funny people who wear excellent hats. Seriously, the hats in this movie are the real stars.
The office boss has a mustache that looks like it is trying to escape his face. I'll probably forget the plot by tomorrow morning, but I will remember how the sun looked on the water.
It’s a bit like The Kick-Off! in how it just wants you to have a good time and then go home. Watch it with a snack, maybe some fresh bread like in Bread. 🥖
Okay, I am done. Go find a copy if you can, it’s worth the 80 minutes of your life.
IMDb —
1927
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