27 rue de la Paix (1937) - film review

Gloria Grand is determined to divorce her wastrel husband Denis so that she can marry her true love, the lawyer Maître Bernard.  One of Denis’ mistresses, a Parisian nightclub singer named Jenny Clarens, agrees to support Gloria’s case for divorce, but a short while later her dead body is found in the River Seine.   Denis is the obvious suspect, but Maître Bernard is honour-bound to defend his rival in court.  A necklace is discovered which confirms Denis’ guilt, but this mysteriously disappears.  Bernard finds he has the power to clear Denis, or have him condemned for murder…

27 rue de la Paix is one of those strange 1930s French films that functions both as a detective thriller (a near forerunner of film noir) and an effective piece of social satire.  Not only does the film mock the double standards of the French middle classes (without resorting to the blatant stereotypes we see so often in contemporary films, even those of Jean Renoir); it also takes a pretty hefty swipe at the black art of journalism, portraying the practices of news-hungry journalistic hacks in a very nasty light indeed.

Whilst it may not be a masterpiece, the film shows us a director, Richard Pottier, who is competent and, occasionally, inspired.  Some of the camerawork is ahead of its time, conveying mood and dramatic tension to great effect, presaging the suspense thrillers of later directors, notably Alfred Hitchcock.  Of the cast, only Jules Berry is still widely remembered, although keen French film enthusiasts will recognise at least three others: Renée Saint-Cyr, Suzy Prim and Gaby Basset.  The performances are surprisingly good for a film of this kind, conveying genuine human feeling without diminishing the film’s keen satirical edge.

© James Travers 2005

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