Le Carrosse d’or (1953) - film review

In the 18th Century, a travelling band of actors arrive in a Spanish colony in South America.  When they are invited to perform before the royal court, the Viceroy, Ferdinand, instantly falls in love with the leading performer, Camilla.  As a token of his love he offers her the golden coach which he has been given for state occasions.  It is an act which infuriates his court and embarrasses Camilla, who has two other suitors...

Le Carrosse d’Or is the film which marked the return of Jean Renoir to European film-making after his 13 year stay in the United States.  It is a lavish production, beautifully filmed in colour, with music provided by Vivaldi.  The film was made in English and filmed in Rome, and three versions of the film were released (in English, French and Italian).

Not as garish or flippant as Renoir’s subsequent films (French Cancan and Eléna et les hommes), Le Carrosse d’Or possesses a melancholic realism which those films lack.  Renoir presents us with an overly romantic, almost theatrical view of life in a Spanish colony in the 18th Century.  However this is not a problem because the film’s major theme is how, in the eyes of the film’s central character, Camilla, real life and theatre are inextricably merged.  The film might well have been shot on a stage – it would still have worked.

This is an exceptional film, but that is only partly due to Renoir’s masterful direction.  The main reason for the film’s success is down to an incredible performance from its lead actress, Anna Magnani. Her portrayal of Camille is both engrossing and intensely moving, reminiscent of the performance of a truly great opera singer.  Everything we see and feel is from her perspective so that the spectator almost becomes a part of the character she is portraying.  Renoir is renowned for getting the best from his actors, and in this film Renoir has hit the jackpot with Magnani.

New Wave director François Truffaut was so taken by this film that it inspired the name of his film production company: Les Films du Carrosse.

© James Travers 2001

Write a review for this film...

What do you think of this film?