Rendez-vous de juillet (1949)

Rendez-vous de juillet is a French romantic film drama first released in 1949, directed by Jacques Becker.  The film stars Daniel Gélin, Brigitte Auber, Nicole Courcel, Pierre Trabaud and Maurice Ronet.  It has also been released under the title: Rendezvous in July.  Our overall rating for this film is: very good.


Lucien is a young man whose ambition is to become a famous explorer, against the wishes of his middle-class parents who hope he might settle for a more conventional career.  After a row with his father, he leaves home and meets up with his friends, a wild bunch of aspiring young actors, writers and film directors.  The latter have offered to join Lucien on his expedition – if he can get the transportation.  Lucien is so preoccupied with planning his expedition that he does not notice when his girlfriend Christine is taken from him by the theatre director she is working for.

Rendez-vous de juillet is in many ways one of the most remarkable and unexpected French films of the 1940s.  It certainly represents a clear break from the traditional style of film which that decade excelled in.

With its exuberant depiction of youth culture and realistic portrayal of young people rollicking in the happy interval between education and full time employment, the film is a full ten years ahead of its time.  It has the energy, charm, wit, social commentary and even the feel of a New Wave film — a full decade before the New Wave was officially launched with the arrival of Godard, Truffaut, Chabrol and Rohmer (directors who were all inspired by and great admirers of Jacques Becker’s films).   The origins of the French New Wave are clear for all to see in this film, although, technically, it is a traditional film (no fancy camera work or crude editing, other traits which marked the New Wave films).

It is certainly rare to see such a wealth of young talent in one film, and some of those young unknown actors went on to become major figures in French cinema, most notably Daniel Gélin, Maurice Ronet and Nicole Courcel.   Instantly recognisable in spite of his youth, Daniel Gélin gives a spell-binding performance, leaving no doubt that he is destined for fame in future years.  Ronet is nearly as impressive, although his lack of experience is more noticeable.  To be fair, the quality of the acting is probably just about the least important thing in this film.  The film’s sheer energy, cheeky ebullience, coupled with a perceptive portrayal of the attitudes, dreams and anxieties of young adults, is impressive enough to make this a captivating and entertaining piece of cinema.

© James Travers 2002

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