The big maneuver
| Movie | |
|---|---|
| German title | The big maneuver |
| Original title | Les Grandes Manœuvres |
| Country of production |
France Italy |
| original language | French |
| Publishing year | 1955 |
| length | 107 minutes |
| Age rating | FSK 16 |
| Rod | |
| Director | René Clair |
| script | René Clair |
| production |
André Daven Georges Lourau |
| music | Georges van Parys |
| camera |
Robert Lefebvre Robert Juillard |
| cut |
Louisette Hautecoeur Denise Natot |
| occupation | |
and Jean Bayle , Georges Carrère , Guy Cosson , Jean Degrave , Georges Galley , Gilles Gallion , Madeleine Ganne , Michèle Grellier , Pierre Langlet , Claude Magnier , Pierre Maréchal , Anne-Marie Mersen , Michel Nadal , Paul Préboist , Pierre Roussel , Eugène Stuber , Roger Vincent | |
The big maneuver is a French-Italian feature film from 1955. Directed by René Clair play Gérard Philipe , Michèle Morgan and Brigitte Bardot , the leading roles.
action
The story takes place in an unspecified garrison town, somewhere in the French province shortly before the start of the First World War. In the center of the action is the young and neat lieutenant Armand de la Verne from the 33rd Dragoon Regiment, a charmer, heartbreaker and “homme à femmes” as it stands in the book. One day he makes a questionable bet, which his comrades, a little jealous of his success with the ladies, incited him to make in a kind of champagne mood. You bet that Armand will not be able to conquer a lady of the city shortly before the upcoming maneuvers. The lot hits Marie Louise, who is a little bit brittle and slightly hypothermic and has been very distant since her divorce. The here after their separation from Paris has come Marie-Louise is still a stranger to this place, where she was recently milliner has opened a fashion salon. An admirer, Victor Duverger, who is one of the city's dignitaries, has his eye on her. Before he wants to ask her for her hand, he wants to introduce Marie-Louise little by little into society and introduce her to his family.
Armand plays all his seductive skills to Marie-Louise in order to conquer her. He doesn't want to lose the bet or his reputation as a heartbreaker. For him, unlike Marie-Louise, all of this is just a game, the vagaries of a Don Juan that are not to be taken too seriously. Marie-Louise, who heard of Armand's reputation, is therefore initially very cautious and reserved, which in turn only encourages Armand. When she mistakenly believes that he was killed in a duel, however, it happened to her. All reason is gone, the resistance paralyzes and her heart aflame for Armand. But Armand also feels that this time everything is completely different. His frivolous game became serious for him too. The lieutenant dragoon, who has not yet remained loyal to a woman, is in danger of losing his heart for the first time. But it comes as it has to: The jealous competitor Monsieur Duverger informs his beloved Marie-Louise that the efforts of don Juan Armand are only part of a rather shoddy bet that was even put down in writing. Marie-Louise, for whom feelings are no game, no casino fun for bored officers, feels deeply hurt.
Before going out into the open field the next day for the announced big maneuvers, the officers have come to the casino again for a cheerful cup of coffee. At a feast, the result of the bet should now also be announced. Lieutenant de la Verne would like to admit to his incredulous astonished comrades that for the first time he did not achieve his set goal. For him, the game itself has long since become serious; like Duverger, he too wants to marry Marie-Louise. At that moment Armand is called to the door. A carriage pulled up in front of the casino. Marie-Louise has come to say goodbye to Armand because she obviously believes Duverger's more serious intentions and considers Armand to be someone who plays with the feelings of others. As if moved by thunder, Armand remains behind when the carriage drives away with his lost love. His comrades join them and, in a wet and happy mood, drag the distraught Armand with them, who has been abandoned by a woman for the first time in his life. When Armand and his comrades start maneuvers the next day, the officer rides past Marie-Louise's house. Your window remains closed, a possible request for forgiveness unfulfilled.
Production notes
The big maneuver was filmed from April 28 to July 8, 1955. The French premiere took place on October 26, 1955 in Paris. The film is said to have opened in the USA a day earlier, and its premiere in the USSR is said to have been in the same month. In 1956 the film was also released in German cinemas (West and East).
The buildings were designed by Léon Barsacq , the costumes were designed by Rosine Delamare . Michel Boisrond assisted director Clair.
Reviews
“The most outstanding quality of René Clair is his 'légèreté'. In his new film, he has conjured up the charm of the good old days, the legendary, carefree era before the First World War, easily and unobtrusively. It's like looking at an old family album with emotion, and under the camera withered flowers in their original soft colors, old-fashioned lace dresses their former captivating elegance, and old polka melodies sound intoxicatingly new. René Clair avoids any exaggeration and does not fall into flatness. (...) He did not make it easy for himself and he does not make it easy for the viewer, who ... only gradually discovered the charm and charm of this film. (...) Gérard Philippe is an excellent interpreter of the young lieutenant Armand de la Verne, he is the handsome, somewhat insignificant officer, the dashing, brisk comrade. Unfortunately, Michèle Morgan is not equally suitable for her role. She is too cool, too distant and too distinguished. It is only convincing in a few pictures and especially in the final scene. "
“René Clair staged the old story of the perfidious plan of seduction, which turns into sincere love, sensitively and at the same time sarcastically. As a lady-grabbing lieutenant of the fin du siècle, Gérard Philipe adds a new nuance to his numerous self-parodies. As a constantly disappointed lover, Michèle Morgan is allowed to remain in her own milky melancholy. Director Clair has subdued the Eastman color to autumnal mildness, and the script also saves the unfortunate couple all the more blatant consequences such as death in a duel, suicide or engagement.
“Rene Clair told this painful mixture of flirtation and love in many pieces. Gerard Philipe, a lieutenant like from the most beautiful fairy tale book. Michele Morgan, a melancholy lover as always. And then Brigitte Bardot and the whole melody of a quiet little town somewhere in the province that resounded from the past century. And the officers who have nothing to worry about except women. And the women who open windows and doors when the soldiers march through the city ... A nice game with love. You like to have it played to you, even if you occasionally wished it to be more lively. "
“René Clair's 'Great Maneuver' is a fragile and compassionate but rarely moving portrayal of great passion. His views of a truly colorful past evoke more memorable impressions. "
In the Lexicon of International Films it says: “René Clair's first color film lets the two main characters shine in this actually banal story; the extraordinarily loving staging conveys the director's ability to entertain in a highly intelligent and ironic manner. "
"With the elegant 'Les Grandes Maneuvers' (1955) ... he maintained his reputation as the most important film poet in French cinema."
Individual evidence
- ↑ Jean-Claude Sabria: Cinéma français. Les années 50. Paris 1987, no.420
- ↑ The Great Maneuver . In: Der Spiegel . No. 13 , 1956, pp. 49 ( online ).
- ↑ In the original: "René Clair's" Grand Maneuver "is a fragile and compassionate but rarely moving delineation of the grand passion. His views of a truly colorful past evoke more memorable impressions .. "
- ↑ The great maneuver. In: Lexicon of International Films . Film service , accessed December 11, 2015 .
Web links
- The big maneuvers in the Internet Movie Database (English)