Heart of the country… L’Arlésienne (1922), Il Cinema Ritrovato, Günter Buchwald and L’Octuor de France

This quietly stunning film is operatic but not quite the simplistic melodrama I had expected it to be, with a skilfully woven narrative that foreshadows events throughout whilst pushing repeated beats concerning love, duty, innocence and the almost mystical connection between nature – ours and that of location. Filmed in the gorgeous city of Arles and the surrounding countryside of the Camargue, it’s almost entirely shot outdoors, featuring the images of locale and rural practice you’d expect from André Antoine, the director of L'hirondelle et la mésange (1920) and La Terre (1921). Sadly, it was to be his last film as studio interference curtailed his instincts too much and he focused on writing, but what a legacy he left.

 

This 4k restoration is a thing of beauty completed in 2020 by Fondation Jérôme Seydoux-Pathé and La Cinémathèque française from two unique diacetate prints preserved at the latter and this streaming version benefited mightily from musical accompaniment based on orchestral arrangements by Gabriel Diot from the score edited by Pathé in 1922. Günter Buchwald rearranged the score, which features compositions from Bizet (who incidentally wrote an opera based on this story), Gillet, Rachmaninov and others. He also added his own Impressions d’ Arles and conducted L’Octuor de France to create a perfectly synchronised emotional narrative that not only pull at present day heartstrings but also recreats the sound of the contemporary silent experience.

L'Arlésienne began as a short story, later a play (which Antoine directed), written by Alphonse Daudet and first published in his collection Letters from My Windmill (Lettres de mon moulin) in 1869 and Antoine shows us the man and the mill as if to say that he’ll be doing his best to pay respect to the source material. Having not read the story I can’t judge the director’s faithfulness but there are certainly many rich characters all of whom are explained and who contribute to the wholeness of the story… it’s very diligent storytelling.

 

Arles itself is a very important character here and having stayed there in the past, this film brings back memories of the town we visited chiefly on a Vincent van Gogh location spot. Whether by intention or design, Antoine features Alyscamps Cemetery, the Langlois Bridge, Saint-Trophyme Cathedral and other places painted by the Dutch master, but then he left few vistas un-catalogued in this uniquely atmospheric place of magical light. Just as it attracted the painters so the Camargue with its Roman heritage, wild horses and micro-climate, was ideal for film making and Antoine’s camera men, Pierre Trimbach and Léonce-Henri Burel, had an absolute blast from the evidence here.

Marthe Fabris and Gabriel de Gravone

 

From the opening shots of the city, its people and the family farm at the centre of the tale, the focus is on the sense of place as well as the transitory drama of the human lives. We meet Rose Mamaï (Lucienne Bréval) the matriarch of Castelet Farm, a large stone building set atop a rock with a view of the Arles skyline some miles away. Widowed young she runs the show with the help of her energetic elder son Frédéri (Gabriel de Gravone, later in Gance's La Roue) along with her father and a wise old shepherd, Balthazar (Louis Ravet of L'hirondelle...).

 

Her younger son has what we would now term special needs and is referred to as The Innocent (Jean Fleury). I’m always interested in how such characters are portrayed in early film and here he is seen as “good luck” by Balthazar who expends far more love and attention than the boy’s mother who has less time for a mind that will never “awaken”. Needless to say, the boy will prove important to the story and is very much a key component as one of the most sympathetic characters.

Maguy Deliac

 

Another is Vivette (Maguy Deliac, also on board for L'hirondelle…) Rose’s goddaughter and, it is assumed, Frédéri’s intended. Vivette lives with her grandmother, La Renaude (Berthe Jalabert) who rarely leaves their farm, her heart broken long ago by an unspecified liaison, these are passionate folk, for whom their sense of duty is as important as their sense of truth. Later on, Rose’s brother will mock the Camargue sensibilities, a jaded modern voice removed from the land, literally, as a river boat man fond of wine and appearances; the eternal push and pull of the new and the old is here too.

 

On a trip into Arles to see Vivette working in the vegetable market, Frédéri has an instant connection with a striking dark-haired woman. In Daudet’s story she is never named and here she is simply the Girl from Arles, L'Arlésienne, played by Marthe Fabris as a worldly-wise woman, possibly on the make. These City Girls are everywhere from Sunrise to the South of France… ready to distract men at the drop of a hat but, in fairness to this film, L'Arlésienne has nuance, she’s not just in it for the good time and good prospects, she just goes for what she wants even if it means throwing rose petals at him or faking a twisted ankle to get Frédéri to help her home.

 

Luis Ravet

Frédéri is besotted and soon starts seeking every opportunity to visit his new love, leaving Vivette bruised and on the backburner; he’s as keen as his new girl to make the match. He begins staying overnight, which surely would not happen in a British film of this vintage and is keen to marry his new love. Two problems emerge though on a visit to the bullfighting at the Roman arena, a “sport” that still takes place there to this day. Rose’s brother, Captain Marc (Jean Jacquinet) is disturbed to see that his nephew’s new girl is wearing a petticoat (I know!) whilst a handsome but tough-looking horse handler, Mitifio (Charles de Rochefort) looks daggers in L’Arlésienne’s direction.

 

Rose being insistent that no son of hers will marry anyone other than a maiden, she gets Marc to investigate the family background only for him to get drunk and lose the plot but far more severe are the revelations from the fearsome Mitifio… these devastate Frédéri and set out the far darker final third of the film as the film’s key questions get answered.

Charles de Rochefort

 

L’Arlésienne (1922) for all it’s light touches and scenic beauty earns its dramatic finale through force of storytelling logic, and fierce performance; love has to be honest and true and Antoine knew this just as much as Alphonse Daudet, writing perhaps broken-hearted from his windmill, fifty years before. Certainly, one of the best films in this year’s Ritrovato digital stream and one you still have a few days left to enjoy.

 

It’s on until 3^rd August so you better be quick.

Bonus van Gogh location spots: The Langlois Bridge and the Alyscamps Roman cemetary 

Hot media… Figaro (1928), Il Cinema Ritrovato 35 Digital Streaming

 

As the UK sweats and my new home office warms up over 30 degrees centigrade, the weather is almost Italian and therefore the perfect ambiance for watching restored and rediscovered film in the annual cinematic celebration that is Il Cinema Ritrovato. This year Bologna has a live event but as travelling remains an issue from the UK, some of us have to watch from a far via the festival’s streaming channel, a choice selection from the main programme. Very engaging it is too for withing minutes of clicking play on this film, the 918 miles between my laptop and Bologna disappear and I’m sat in the Cinema Jolly, a cool bottle of iced tea in my hand, rehydrating as I’m lost in this sparkling restoration… Travel is all in the mind, man, and in time as well as space.

 

Figaro exemplifies the ambition of late silent period French film and of course its director, Gaston Ravel who had twenty years of filmmaking under his belt by this stage as he decided to combine the Beaumarchais trilogy, Le Barbier de Séville, Le Mariage de Figaro and La Mère coupable into one two-hour film. These plays pre-dated the French Revolution and were controversial in their day – the second was banned by Louis XVI after a private reading, although Queen Marie-Antoinette was a fan – for addressing changing attitudes to the ruling classes as well as sexual politics. Naturally enough they were still appealing to later Third Republic viewers not least for their fame as operas from Mozart, Rossini and Milhaud.

 

Ravel deftly handles these three related narratives and brings out the extraordinary energy of his cast, especially dancer and performer par excellence, Edmond van Duren as Figaro and Marie Bell as his wife Suzanne. Van Duren is full of Fairbanks force and is in near constant flow, free running his way as the catalytic cohesion binding the story and defining the mood throughout. As the finest barber in town, he keeps tabs on every head he’s had the pleasure to know including the great and good such as Count Almaviva (Tony D’Algy, dimpled and handsome) who he helps to romance Rosine (Arlette Marchal, a divine profile...).

 

Arlette Marchal

Rosine is of noble birth but the ward of Doctor Bartholo (Léon Bélières) and entrapped – sorry – engaged to be married to the old duffer who attempts to keep her under lock and key. Figaro has a plan, he always does, and gets the Count to pretend to be a commoner, Lindor, sent to help Rosine with her piano playing. It almost works as well until Bartholo spots too much close attention from teacher to pupil and after chasing his competitor out, takes advice from the sinister Basile (José Davert with long dank hair and daft hat) to slander the Count’s reputation. There’s a superimposition of snakes as don Basile’s words literally poison Rosine’s mind and she accepts her only refuge with the Doctor.

 

Cue another plan from Figaro…

 

Edmond van Duren and Tony D’Algy

The years move on and married life does not suit the Count who, whilst he loves his wife, also loves other women too, if for different reasons. There are lavish and frankly shocking, parties involving all kinds of naked cavorting – checks notes, “blimey, this is French!” – as amorous Almaviva collects conquests much as millennials used to catch Pokemon. Meanwhile Figaro has found love too and met his perfect match in Suzanne (Marie Bell, another fantastic presence from the stage) who he asks permission to marry. The Count agrees on one condition… and the couple must find a way to re-direct his energies.

 

Plan A involves young Chérubin (Jean Weber), Rosine’s godson, dressing up as the bride to be… which would have been an interesting surprise for the Count had he not interrupted the ruse. But the team of Figaro and Suzanne is irrepressible and there’s so much delight in seeing their eyes light up as yet another plan is hatched! The rhythm of the film is so perfectly judged by Ravel and the pace never drops as invention is uninterrupted by every counter move from the Count.

 

No social distancing at the Count's party...

The final part of the story moves things on another year or so after Almaviva has sent Chérubin off to serve in the army for being a little too tall and handsome for the life at court… Rosine has had a baby by this point and things seem to have calmed down for the couple. Then we see the noble and promoted Colonel Chérubin in battle – some excellent mobile camera work amongst the charging horses – before, mortally wounded, he passes on a secret to comrade in arms Major Bogaerts (Genica Missirio).

 

Bogaerts takes the message to Rosine who, in gratitude, has him employed as the Count’s secretary. By this stage Rosine’s child is a toddler enjoying a Punch and Judy show from Figaro and Suzanne – there is no limit to their talents. The two see Bogaerts for what he is and know they must defend the Count and Rosine from whatever mischief he is up to… this calls for not one but two cunning plans… and, as Figaro says: “Suzanne you are so shrewd. Worthy of your husband!”

 

The film is rich in character as well as cinematography, sets and costume design – from JK Benda who also worked with Jacques Feyder and others. There are sumptuous moments, on location too especially at the Château de Rochefort-en-Yvelines where we see Suzanne spellbinding Bogaerts, supposed sweethearts among the sweet peas.

 

Marie Bell and Tony D'Algy

It’s hard to understand how Ravel was practically forgotten for decades as Pierre Philippe points out in the catalogue essay, but his success here came just as sound pictures were about to change along with tastes. The director and film are exactly why Il Cinema Ritrovato is essential viewing though, restoring not only the physical results of his work but also his reputation as new memories are created by an audience eager for the delightful shocks and surprises of the old.  

 

Figaro was restored in 2K in 2020 by Gaumont in collaboration with CNC - Center national du cinéma et de Immagage animée, at Éclair laboratory. It comes with a delightful new score from Alvaro Bello Bodenhöfer, guitarist and composer, who weaves some lovely lines around this comedy of love and light.

 

The streaming festival continues and there is a lot more to come, all viewable up to 3rd August. Details here!!

 

She can hear music...