Film Review
The plot is a familiar one - you can probably cite half a dozen
melodramas of the 1930s and 40s offering a similar lachrymose tale of a
virtuoso musician succumbing to an ill-fated infatuation with his
student - but Léonce Perret's take on it has a warmth and
simplicity that makes it appear fresh and genuine.
L'Automne du coeur is an engaging
piece but is suffers from one obvious flaw, which was the decision by
Perret to cast himself in the lead role. Perret's skill as a
director was never matched by his acting ability and whilst he has a
likeable screen presence his tendency for over-expressive histrionics
does tend to undermine the subtlety of his art as a director.
Yvette Andréyor is far more convincing as the object of Perret's
infatuation, and you can see why Louis Feuillade gave her prominent
roles in his thriller serials
Fantômas (1913) and
Judex
(1916). Near the start of the film, there is a flawless use of
superimposition, with Andréyor appearing out of nowhere and
sitting beside Perret before fading away again. The technique
would be 'borrowed' (but never improved upon) by several avant-garde
filmmakers of a later decade, notably the French impressionists of the
1920s - Abel Gance, Germaine Dulac, etc. This just serves to
remind us how far ahead of his time Léonce Perret was - and how
unfairly he is now overlooked.
© James Travers 2015
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Next Léonce Perret film:
Le Chrysanthème rouge (1912)
Film Synopsis
Eugène Vanesco, a great violinist, has fallen in love with one
of his students, the beautiful Yvette. Despite the immense
difference in their ages, Vanesco dreams incessantly about Yvette and
he is devastated when the young woman announces she is to be married to
another man. Returning to his lonely appartment after the
wedding, Vanesco contemplates suicide but he has a change of heart and
takes solace in his music...
© James Travers
The above content is owned by filmsdefrance.com and must not be copied.