A nous la liberte (1931)

A nous la liberte (Freedom Forever!)
Directed by Rene Clair
Written by Rene Clair
1931/France
Films Sonores Tobis
IMDb page
Repeat viewing/Criterion Channel
One of 1001 Movies You Must See Before You Die

[Voice over Singer]: Liberty is the happy man’s due / He enjoys love and skies of blue / But then there are some / Who no worse crimes have done / It’s the sad story we tell / From a prison cell

As usual during this part of Clair’s career, he has made a sound movie with very little dialogue but plenty of singing and noises. This one might be his best.

Two cellmates, Henri Marchand and Raymond Cordy, work on the prison assembly line making toy horses. When they try to execute their escape attempt Henri is left behind and distacts the guards from pursuing Raymond. Raymond makes it to town, cleverly gains a suit of clothes, and starts from the bottom as a street vendor of gramaphone records. Raymond prospers more and more as time passes and currently owns a gigantic gramaphone factory. His employees work with military precision on an assembly line not so different from the one at the prison.  Raymond becomes accustomed to formal dining and absolute deference.

Henri succeeds in his second escape. He is attracted to the factory by a young beauty he watched while gazing out his cell window. After some adventures he spots Raymond and expects him to greet him as a brother. Raymond, fearing exposure, tries to buy him off. No deal. He threatens him with a gun but cannot shoot him.  Finally, they renew their connection and Raymond accepts Henri as his dear friend. Henri creates chaos in the factory culminating in the fantastic penultimate scene of the film.

This is a scathing social satire exposing the evils of capitalism.  It is also a complete delight.  The industrial design of the sets is absolutely wonderful.  Recommended.

Lazere  Meerson was nominated for the Best Art Direction Oscar, making A nous la liberte the first foreign-language film to be nominated.

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I’m still watching a film a day but am way behind in my reviewing.  Coming up are Lady Killer, The Smiling Lieutenant, and One Hour with You.

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