The plot device of having a story begin with a pivotal event and then filling in the details as to how that event came to pass can be effective, as is illustrated here. The event is a murder and your interest is piqued as to the circumstances that provoked it. Details are supplied using flashbacks intermixed with events subsequent to the murder. As the movie progresses you can see potential motives develop, but it is not until the actual murder takes place that the mystery is resolved.
The appeal of this film for me was in trying to understand the four main characters: François, a blue-collar worker who loves Françoise; M. Valentin, an unctuous older man who also loves Françoise; and Clara, Valentin's partner and François' mistress.
John Gabin plays François as an ordinary man, but with a more complex personality than first meets the eye. He can be amiable and easy-going in most situations, but contentious and angry when pushed a little. I thought Gabin did a great job in integrating these disparate moods into a believable character. I am a bit mystified by his behavior after the shooting - I found his reaction of barricading himself in his room to be unusual. The murder was impulsive and, given the circumstances, could have been presented to an understanding jury in such a way as to yield a minimum sentence. So, why did François immediately behave in a manner to insure his doom? Did he see his future as hopeless? Was it anger bubbling to the surface at a society that he felt had kept him down? Was it to give himself time to decide what to do? This is where a novel may be superior to a movie - a novel could tell us just what François was thinking in his time of being holed up in his room.
Françoise is played with seeming innocent sweetness by Jacqueline Laurent, but her character is also hard to figure. Her relationship with Valentin is never clear. She seemed to love François, but vacillated in committing to him apparently because of her relationship with Valentin.
Jules Berry does a fantastic job in creating a unique and unforgettable character in his portrayal of Valentin. He has an appealingly glib charm but ultimately comes across as being offensive and pathetic. He is aware of his failings and his behavior is due in good measure to his self-hatred. But why did he taunt François in such a provocative and self-destructive way?
And then there is Clara. She dissolves her partnership with Valentin and then takes up with François. What is François doing taking up with Clara when he really desires Françoise? That can't help. And what is Clara doing taking up with François when she knows he loves Françoise? As seen by François, Clara is a mistress, but is there more? Clara understands how François views her, but she develops a deeper attachment anyway. However, she is able to break things off with a world-weary detachment. Behavior is not rational I guess.
As you might expect from director Carné, the black and white cinematography is creative and engaging. The script is tight; every scene has substance. Consider the scene where François first meets Françoise. François is at work in a line of men who are sandblasting heavy equipment. We see the miserable conditions of his workplace, but when Françoise comes on the scene he takes off his head gear and is quite tender with her. We learn a lot from that simple scene. And the scene showing Valentin's act with the trained dogs is transfixing and gives us a quick insight into his character. And the final scene is a memorable classic.
As is shown, life is tenuous - a single impulsive act can change the course of your life.
The appeal of this film for me was in trying to understand the four main characters: François, a blue-collar worker who loves Françoise; M. Valentin, an unctuous older man who also loves Françoise; and Clara, Valentin's partner and François' mistress.
John Gabin plays François as an ordinary man, but with a more complex personality than first meets the eye. He can be amiable and easy-going in most situations, but contentious and angry when pushed a little. I thought Gabin did a great job in integrating these disparate moods into a believable character. I am a bit mystified by his behavior after the shooting - I found his reaction of barricading himself in his room to be unusual. The murder was impulsive and, given the circumstances, could have been presented to an understanding jury in such a way as to yield a minimum sentence. So, why did François immediately behave in a manner to insure his doom? Did he see his future as hopeless? Was it anger bubbling to the surface at a society that he felt had kept him down? Was it to give himself time to decide what to do? This is where a novel may be superior to a movie - a novel could tell us just what François was thinking in his time of being holed up in his room.
Françoise is played with seeming innocent sweetness by Jacqueline Laurent, but her character is also hard to figure. Her relationship with Valentin is never clear. She seemed to love François, but vacillated in committing to him apparently because of her relationship with Valentin.
Jules Berry does a fantastic job in creating a unique and unforgettable character in his portrayal of Valentin. He has an appealingly glib charm but ultimately comes across as being offensive and pathetic. He is aware of his failings and his behavior is due in good measure to his self-hatred. But why did he taunt François in such a provocative and self-destructive way?
And then there is Clara. She dissolves her partnership with Valentin and then takes up with François. What is François doing taking up with Clara when he really desires Françoise? That can't help. And what is Clara doing taking up with François when she knows he loves Françoise? As seen by François, Clara is a mistress, but is there more? Clara understands how François views her, but she develops a deeper attachment anyway. However, she is able to break things off with a world-weary detachment. Behavior is not rational I guess.
As you might expect from director Carné, the black and white cinematography is creative and engaging. The script is tight; every scene has substance. Consider the scene where François first meets Françoise. François is at work in a line of men who are sandblasting heavy equipment. We see the miserable conditions of his workplace, but when Françoise comes on the scene he takes off his head gear and is quite tender with her. We learn a lot from that simple scene. And the scene showing Valentin's act with the trained dogs is transfixing and gives us a quick insight into his character. And the final scene is a memorable classic.
As is shown, life is tenuous - a single impulsive act can change the course of your life.