100% Parlants et Chantants (1930-1933) Pt. 02

Part 2 of a 13 part series on the history of French cinema. By 1930 it becomes clear that the ‘talkies’ are here to stay and all eyes are turned to the USA. American (RCA, Western Electric) and German (TobisKlangFilm) sound systems are quickly adopted, as well as the short-lived routine of filming several language versions of the same film with different sets of actors. Paramount sets up a studio in Joinville, other studios are buit in Epinay, Boulogne-Billancourt as well as in the South of France (Nice/La Victorine). The production level re-establishes itself around 100 to 120 films per year. Germany’s ‘The Blue Angel’ is the first sub-titled film released in Paris. With this film, talkies become all singing and dancing. The advent of the sound era is also a turning point for many careers. Many film actors must accept that their voice is unsuitable for the new medium, while many stage actors discover that their voice training can open the door to a new career. This is the case for Gaby Morlay and especially for Raimu, whose tonitruant voice can win over microphones that are neither sensitive nor directional. Among the stand-out films of this era are Gremillon’s ‘La petite Lise’ (1929), Rene Clair’s ‘Le Million’ (X000265) and ‘A nous la liberte’ (X000158). [*=held in our collection]

Credits: Director, Armand Panigel ; photography, Claude Casard.
Interviewees include: Rene Clair, Pierre Braunberger, Marcel L’Herbier, Yves Allegret, Henri-George Clouzot.