Film Review
Trois de Saint-Cyr belongs to
that rarest of categories in French cinema, the war propaganda
film. Made in 1938, at a time when war in Europe was a virtual
certainty, it is a paradoxically upbeat film and has none of the
fatalistic gloom that pervades most French film dramas of this
era. It doesn't so much glorify war as present it as a noble
calling, requiring not only guts and stamina but also intellect and
integrity. Whilst paying tribute to the ethos of France's top
military school, it also conveys the
esprit
de corps, a sense of shared commitment, that is an essential
part of military life. In stark contrast to the pessimism that
pours like a sickly stench from the majority of French films of the
late 1930s, this one bristles with sanguine cheeriness, anticipating
the impending conflict not with despair but with confidence of
victory. Needless to say, when war did break out the film became
hugely popular and did a lot to help bolster a nation's confidence in
its armed services.
The film was directed by Jean-Paul Paulin, the son of the sculptor Paul
Paulin. Although Paulin made 18 films in total, he is almost
completely forgotten today, which is remarkable considering the impact
that
Trois de Saint-Cyr and
the similar film he directed straight after this,
Le Chemin de l'honneur (1939), had
at the time. Likewise, almost the entire cast of the film now
languish in unmerited obscurity, despite the presence of some very
well-known actors of the period. Top billing went to Roland
Toutain, who was famous for playing Rouletabille in Marcel L'Herbier's
Le Mystère de la chambre jaune
(1930) and
Le Parfum de la dame en
noir (1931). If Toutain is remembered at all today, it is
for his role as the aviator André Jurieux in Jean Renoir's
La
Règle du jeu (1939). If there is one area where
the film excels it is in the quality of the acting. The main
characters are all convincingly drawn and you can easily fool yourself
into thinking that you are watching a documentary rather than a
fictional drama.
The fact that much of the film was shot on the premises of Saint-Cyr
adds greatly to its authenticity. More than anything, the film
celebrates the values and traditions of the elite military academy,
which is renowned for the quality of its education: "They study to
vanquish" being the school's cherished motto. In its first (and
best) half, the film gets across not only the barrack room camaraderie
but also the intensity and sophistication of the training. As
well as parade ground exercises there are also lectures in military
strategy, showing that combat isn't merely question of brute force, it
is also about planning, strategy, understanding the enemy and learning
from history.
It is when the location shifts to Syria in its second half that the
film loses its focus and impact. It then becomes a pretty
ordinary desert war film, with a pretty ordinary outcome, and Paulin's
workmanlike direction does little to fend off the mild ennui that
descends on the spectator before the film reaches its entirely
predictable denouement. As a piece of cinema,
Trois de Saint-Cyr is not without
its flaws, and it is easy to see why it has been overlooked for so
long. However, as a historical document, testifying to the
short-lived optimism that was current in France at the start of the
Second World War, it is of immense value. An anomaly in French
cinema, it is a film well worth discovering.
© James Travers 2014
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Film Synopsis
Despite the objections of his father, a wealthy banker, Jean Le Moyne
enters Saint-Cyr, France's most prestigious military academy, to become
an officer in the French army. Here, he is delighted to be
reunited with his childhood friend, Paul Parent. Jean is so in
awe of his instructor, Pierre Mercier, that he introduces him to his
family, with the result that his sister Françoise is soon in
love with Pierre. When the latter's widowed mother falls on hard
times, she must take out a loan so that her son can complete his
studies. After graduating, the three soldiers are posted to Syria
to fight against the rebels in the desert. Only two of them will
return to France alive...
© James Travers
The above content is owned by filmsdefrance.com and must not be copied.