*** boys clothing: depictions in French movies








Movie Depictions of French Boys Clothes


Figure 1.--Here is a poster for one of the first French movies. It was Lumière's movie "L'arroseur arrosé" in 1896.

We have very little informtion about the French film industy. It is one of the world's important movie industry, but the films because of the language are not widely shown in the United States. We do have considerable information on French filns which our readers have provided. The French film industry has made some beautiful films about children, including both school films and coming of age films. Two wonderful classics are Au Revoir les Infantes (France, 1990?) and Murmer of the Heart (France, 1971). Clothes and school uniforms worn during the 1940s are shown in Au Revoir les Infantes. Clothes and school uniforms worn a decade later are depicted in Murmer of the Heart, including the white knee socks worn by schoolboys at Catholic colleges (private secondary-level day and boarding schools). Zero for Conduct (France, 19??) is another well known film. A film made by Americans, but shot in France is Happy Road.

French Film Industry

We have very little informtion about the French film industy. It is one of the world's important movie industry. August and Louis Lumiere were pioneers of the French film industry. They are believed to have collected what may have been the first French box office receipts. Georges Melies was a leader in film narrative. Pathe in the early 20th century virtually diminated the nickelodeon. The early film industry was a very international one, because silent films could be viewd in any country without the complication of language. American film makers tried to block foreign competition, especially Pathe nickelodeon films. The early French film industry was highly innovative and ome of the most important national film industries. Important French filmm industry figures were: Abel Gance, Maurice L'Herbier and Louis Feuillade. Feuillade worked at France's other important studio, Gaumont. His films had few artistic pretences, but wee made as unabashed offerings for mass entertainment. He was especially noted for serials (Fantomas, Les Vampires and Judex). The French film industry was severly impacted by the appearmce of the talkies (sound) abd the loss of mny foreign markets. France continued to make important filns, but distribution was primarily limited to the domestic maket. This of course impaired studio profits, thus affecting operations. Important figures during the 1930s included Julien Duvivier, Marcel Pagnol, Jean Cocteau, Rene Clair, Jean Gremillon and Jacques Feyder. Luis Bunuel made "L' Age d' Or" one of the most important early talkies. As World War II approached saw Marcel Carne emerge as an industry leader with "Port of Shadows" and "Daybreak". Carne's film after te War, "Children of Paradise" is one of thevmasterpieces of French cinema. Jean Renoir also appeared before the War. Even before the War, his"The Rules of the Game" and "Grand Illusion" were two of the great French films. The fall of France to the NAZIs (June 1940) affected the French film industry like other French industries. The NAZIs and Vichy authorities, did not close the film industry, but they did cloesly supervise it. Jews wre dimissed, but as long the films avoided sensitive topics, film makers were left alone and not required to make pro-German propaganda films. NAZI Propaganda Minister Goebbels was particularly interested in movies and beautiful film actresses. He did not crack down on the French film industry. He seems to have felt that making sure that keeping the French theaters supplied with good films would help keep the French occupied amd prevent the growth of the Resistance. [Riding]

Early indidtry

We have very little informtion about the French film industy. It is one of the world's important movie industry. August and Louis Lumiere were pioneers of the French film industry. They are believed to have collected what may have been the first French box office receipts. Georges Melies was a leader in film narrative.

Pathe in the early 20th century virtually diminated the nickelodeon. The early film industry was a very international one, because silent films could be viewd in any country without the complication of language. American film makers tried to block foreign competition, especially Pathe nickelodeon films. The early French film industry was highly innovative and one of the most important national film industries.

World War I

France mobilized fully after the Germans launched World War I. Available resources were directed to support the war effort. This included materials needed by the film industry like film stock. With the fall in movie prodyction, French theaters began showing more foreign films, especially american films. The films that were shot in French studios almost all had war themeses and were overtly propagandistic. Manybof these films were set in German occupied France. Alsace-Loraine was in German hands before the war and tge Germans occupied not only most of Belgium, but substantial areas inof northern France. The French films tend to depict heroic women and children and brutal treatment of the German occupation forces. One source sucintly describes French war-tine films, a beautiful female lead, abused by beastly Germanic Huns, silently suffering and pleading for national redemption. [Stern] We are not sure to what extent these films were distributed in the United States.

Inter-War era

Important French film industry figures were: Abel Gance, Maurice L'Herbier and Louis Feuillade. Feuillade worked at France's other important studio, Gaumont. His films had few artistic pretences, but were made as unabashed offerings for mass entertainment. He was especially noted for serials (Fantomas, Les Vampires and Judex). The French film industry was severly impacted by the appearmce of the talkies (sound) abd the loss of many foreign markets. France continued to make important filns, but distribution was primarily limited to the domestic maket. This of course impaired studio profits, thus affecting operations. Important figures during the 1930s included Julien Duvivier, Marcel Pagnol, Jean Cocteau, Rene Clair, Jean Gremillon and Jacques Feyder. Luis Bunuel made "L' Age d' Or" one of the most important early talkies.

World War II

As World War II approached saw Marcel Carne emerge as an industry leader with "Port of Shadows" and "Daybreak". Carne's film after te War, "Children of Paradise" is one of thevmasterpieces of French cinema. Jean Renoir also appeared before the War. Even before the War, his"The Rules of the Game" and "Grand Illusion" were two of the great French films. The fall of France to the NAZIs (June 1940) affected the French film industry like other French industries. The NAZIs and Vichy authorities, did not close the film industry, but they did cloesly supervise it. Jews wre dimissed, but as long the films avoided sensitive topics, film makers were left alone and not required to make pro-German propaganda films. NAZI Propaganda Minister Goebbels was particularly interested in movies and beautiful film actresses. He did not crack down on the French film industry. He seems to have felt that making sure that keeping the French theaters supplied with good films would help keep the French occupied amd prevent the growth of the Resistance. [Riding]

Post-Ware era


Individual French Films

French films because of the language are not widely shown in the United States. Thus we are not knowledgeable about French movies. We do have considerable information on French filns which our readers have provided. The French film industry has made some beautiful films about children, including both school films and coming of age films. Two wonderful classics are Auervoir les Infantes (France, 1990?) and "Murmer of the Heart" (France, 1971). Clothes and school uniforms worn during the 1940s are shown in "Au Revoir les Infantes" (1990?). Clothes and school uniforms worn a decade later are depicted in "Murmer of the Heart", including the white knee socks worn by schoolboys at Catholic colleges (private secondary-level day and boarding schools). "Zero for Conduct" (France, 19??) is another well known film. A film made by Americans, but shot in France is "Happy Road".

Les Fiches de Monsieur Cinema

The image here is a French movie card--Les Fiches de Monsieur Cinema (Mr. Cinema Picture Cards). It was a series of cards made on films all around the world. They were rather like baseball cards, but you didn't get any bubble gum. Tthe Monsieur Cinema cards were released from 1976 up to at least 2009 and is the longest running series of cards in the world. The series covers almost all films ever made from all countries, covering probably over 15,000 different movies. This was a French product, but not hust about French films. Even so, they provide information on French films which are not as extensively covered in film studies as American and British movie. These cards were released by mail order subscription only, never as a retail set, you had to remit payment each month to continue receiving new decks of cards in the mail. The back of this card has a write up about the film in French language and includes many specifications for the film including length, director, producer, actors, history of the film and much more. Most cards for films from after 1976 were released as the films were, so if the film was from 1980, a good chance the card was also originally released in 1980.

Sources

Lanzoni, Remi Fournier. French Cinema: From Its Beginnings to the Present.

Riding, Alan. And the Show Went On" Cultural life in Nazi Occupied Paris.

Stern, Frank. "Screening Politics: Cinema and Intervention".








HBC






Navigate the Boys' Historical Clothing Web Site:
[Return to the Main movie country page]
[Return to the Main movie page]
[Return to the Main French page]
[Introduction] [Activities] [Biographies] [Chronology] [Clothing styles] [Countries] [Theatricals]
[Bibliographies] [Contributions] [FAQs] [Countries] [Images] [Links] [Registration] [Tools]
[Boys' Clothing Home]



Created: August 10, 2000
Last updated: 3:46 AM 8/16/2012