Silence is gold (1947)
| Movie | |
|---|---|
| German title | Silence is golden |
| Original title | Le silence est d'or |
| Country of production | France |
| original language | French |
| Publishing year | 1947 |
| length | 90 minutes |
| Rod | |
| Director | René Clair |
| script | René Clair |
| production | Adrien Rémaugé |
| music | Georges van Parys |
| camera | Armand Thirard |
| cut |
Louisette Hautecoeur Henri Taverna |
| occupation | |
| |
Silence is gold (original title Le silence est d'or ) is a nostalgic French feature film from 1947 by René Clair with Maurice Chevalier in the leading role. This was the first post-war film for the director who had just returned from exile in the US (1946) and for the star singer who stayed at home.
action
France at the time of the Belle Époque . The 20th century has just begun, and in the first, still fairly simple Parisian film studios, some daredevils are enthusiastic about capturing scenes and actions on celluloid. At the center of the action is the old man and womanizer Émile Clément, who also tries his hand at this profession and creates little films as a director. One day the very young Madeleine Célestin turns up at his place, the daughter of an old childhood friend. Emile is told to watch out for the little girl in “sinful” Paris, but the girl has a lot of fist behind her ears. Madeleine knows wonderfully how to wrap old and young men around her finger. Monsieur Émile, as Clément is called respectfully everywhere, and his assistant and adoptive son Jacques Francet, who had previously been personally initiated into the “secrets of women” and how to deal with them, immediately fell in love with the pretty young woman.
In his own case, Émile no longer follows his own “wise” advice and, like a green-nosed teenager, wants to conquer the young thing from the provinces for himself. Jacques also has his eye on Madeleine. He quickly became a competitor and rival for Madeleine's favor. But Jacques learned a lot from his adoptive father and role model and beats him with his own weapons. Thanks to Émile's teaching, the young assistant knows how to conquer the young lady's heart. Realizing that she has no chance, Émile finally has to admit defeat. But this does not detract from the close relationship between the two men, which Madeleine knew nothing about before. The old man withdraws with age and leaves the happiness of love to the youth. The film closes with a commitment to a happy ending. The last words are: "Do you like it when this ends well?"
Production notes
Silence is gold was created in Paris from October 14, 1946 to February 1, 1947. The premiere took place on May 21, 1947, the German premiere took place in the same year, on October 22, 1947. On January 30, 1967, Schweigen ist Gold was first broadcast in Germany on ARD .
The Chevalier role was originally supposed to be played by the actor Raimu , but he died immediately before shooting began on September 20, 1946. This film gave Maurice Chevalier the opportunity to ban the film that was initially pronounced against him during the liberation of France (1944/45) break through. He had appeared before German soldiers during the German occupation, which had brought him the charge of collaboration. Evil tongues then called him (in German translation of his French name) "Herr Moritz Reiter".
Léon Barsacq and Guy de Gastyne created the film structures. Alain Douarinou worked as a simple cameraman for Armand Thirard .
Half of the film was financed with US money (from the RKO ). It cost around 100 million (old) French Francs .
Awards
The film received several awards:
- 1947: Critics' Award (Best Film) for René Clair at the Locarno International Film Festival
- 1948: Critics' Award of the French Syndicate of Film Critics in 1948
- 1952: CEC Prize in Spain for the best foreign film
Reviews
“This René Clair film is also impregnated by the inimitable character of its ingenious creator. It flashes, flashes and sparkles with ideas, charming and burlesque situations. Everything has the nimble pace of Parisian vaudevilles. And here too René Clair loves to immerse himself in a romance that touches on the surreal. It turned out to be a very French film. There's nothing American about it, except for one small thing: half the money it cost. And it cost a lot: 100 million francs. A sound film from the silent film. "
Reclam's film guide said: “After his return from exile, Clair picked up where he had left off around 15 years earlier: he made an amiable comedy from the everyday life of ordinary people. At the same time, however, this was a 'homage' to the pioneers of French film. And the loving irony with which he drew the world of film is one of the best in Le silence est d'or. "
"Clair also uses the sentimental, but ironically prepared story for a perfect staging of the cinema beginnings around 1900. A lovingly staged film that is coherent down to the smallest detail."
"... Clair returned to his homeland shortly after the end of the war and, with the melancholy swan song to love, 'la vie parisienne' and the beginnings of cinematography, ' silence is gold ', seamlessly continued his pre-war art."
Individual evidence
- ↑ Kay Less : "In life, more is taken from you than given ...". Lexicon of filmmakers who emigrated from Germany and Austria between 1933 and 1945. A general overview. ACABUS Verlag, Hamburg 2011, ISBN 978-3-86282-049-8 , p. 28.
- ↑ Der Spiegel , No. 21, of May 24, 1947
- ↑ Reclams Filmführer , by Dieter Krusche, collaboration: Jürgen Labenski. P. 523. Stuttgart 1973.
- ↑ Silence is gold in the lexicon of international film