Quatorze Juillet (1933)
Directed by René Clair

Film Review

Is there a film that evokes the romance and poetry of Paris more vividly than René Clair's effortlessly alluring Quatorze Juillet?  As in his earlier Sous les toit de Paris (1930), Clair pays tribute not only to the town itself, the famed City of Light, but also to the folk who live there - all people, regardless of their age and social standing.  Like so much of Clair's work, this is also a film that rejoices in the intricacies and ironies of human relationships, showing how misunderstandings and quirks of fate can one minute result in broad comedy, the next in all-consuming tragedy.  What other film offers both despair to rival that of the bleakest film noir and comic diversions that would not be out of place in a Feydeau farce or Tom and Jerry cartoon?  With the fate of its protagonists driven as much by chance as by their own actions, Quatorze Juillet has echoes of the poetic realist dramas that would define French cinema in the 1930s, courtesy of such notable filmmakers as Marcel Carné and Julien Duvivier.

What is most striking about Quatorze Juillet, even in relation to René Clair's other films (which include many timeless masterpieces), is how smoothly and gracefully the narrative flows. Assisted by Maurice Jaubert's melodious score (which resounds with popular airs of the day), the far from mundane story unfolds with the elegance of a Tchaikovsky suite, the mood gently alternating between poignant drama and boisterous farce.   Long and ambitious tracking shots emphasise this sense of fluidity and where scene breaks occur there are subtle yet ingenious transitions to link one scene with its successor. These little tricks give the impression of a continuous flow, so that, once hooked, the spectator has no occasion to be diverted from the dream-like experience which Clair has so kindly woven for him.  Today's filmmakers can learn a great deal from the way in which this film is constructed.

As is typical for a René Clair film, this engaging little chef d'oeuvre benefits from an attractive cast of performers who are perfectly matched to the characters they play.  Annabella, who had previously starred in Clair's phenomenally successful Le Million (1930), is utterly beguiling as the lovelorn heroine, skilfully underplaying the pathos to devastating effect.  Raymond Cordy, one of the leads in À nous la liberté (1931), appears here in a memorable supporting role, as the comic sidekick to the leading male protagonist, a surprisingly mercurial character adeptly played by the Argentinean born actor George Rigaud.

Quatorze Juillet encapsulates just about every aspect of René Clair's cinema - the romantic entanglements which come so near to total disaster, amusing little vignettes of ordinary folk, and, best of all, the shameless excursions into out-and-out farce (the hilarious gun sequence might well have been lifted from a Marx Brothers film).  In both visual and thematic terms, Clair was years ahead of his time - the slickness of his mise-en-scène, camerawork and editing is as noteworthy as the realism of his characters and the authenticity of their situation.  The influence of other great directors of this period, particularly Chaplin (whom Clair greatly admired) can be glimpsed in this film, yet its author's unmistakable signature can be seen in virtually every shot.  Could this rare cinematic delight be René Clair's most perfectly composed film?

Film Synopsis

Anna, a modest flower seller, is in love with Jean, a Paris taxi driver.  They plan to spend the evening of the 14th of July in each other's arms, dancing the night away at an open air ball.  Unfortunately, cruel Fate has other ideas.  Retuning to his lodgings, Jean is surprised and appalled to find his ex-lover Pola waiting for him.  Jean's passion for Pola has long since cooled but she, a seductive manipulator, is confident she can win him back.  When Anna learns that another woman is staying in Jean's room, she is devastated and refuses to have anything more to do with Jean.   Rejected by the only woman he loves, Jean goes off with Pola and falls in with a band of petty criminals.  Anna's woes are compounded by the sudden death of her mother, her only relative.  It seems that the storm clouds will never pass...