BEAUTIES OF THE NIGHT
France, 1952, 87 minutes, Black and white.
Gerard Philippe, Gina Lollobrigida, Martine Carol.
Directed by Rene Clair.
Beauties of the Night is a delightful comic fantasy written and directed by Rene Clair. Clair had begun his career in France with solid classics in the '20s. During the '30s and '40s he continued to make light but insightful comedies. During World War Two he spent some time in the United States and made such comedies as I Married a Witch. On his return to France he continued his career making such classics as his version of the Faustus story, Beauty of the Devil.
Gerard Philippe was the star of this latter film as well as of Beauties of the Night. Popular French actress Martine Carol has a role and this was an early film for Gina Lollobrigida.
1. An enjoyable fantasy? The work of Rene Clair? His Gallic perspective and humour? The light touch?
2. French production of the 1950s, black and white photography, recreation of periods?
3. The importance of the musical score, its style for the different ages? Georges and his writing an opera? The operatic style?
4. The structure of the film, the focus on the hero, his work in the village, his fantasies, their merging, his dreams? His going from one dream to another? The dreams overpowering him? His trying to give up? the final success?
5. His work as a musician, trying to write music, his reputation in the town, friends, his teaching, home lessons?
6. His wafting off into fantasy: going back to 1900, the opera? Back into the 19th century and his becoming a French Legionnaire involved in battles, his moving back to the French Revolution and its dangers, back to the period of the Three Musketeers? The entertainment in the episodes? Derring-do, comedy and adventure, romance? His love for the women in the fantasies? The irony of the old man commenting on the times and how things were better in the past?
7. The women in real life, at the home, at the cafe, in the town, and the woman right under his nose working in the service station? The women, their true life roles compared with their roles in the fantasies?
8. The growing intermingling of the dreams, Georges wanting to go to sleep, his then wanting to keep awake, his dreams and the medication and help?
9. The letter from the opera, the trip to Paris, the nightmare at the Paris Opera? Waking up and all was true? His attraction towards the girl who was always there?
10. The happy ending and a delightful fantasy?
