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Autor:	redakcija
Datum objave:	05.01.2012
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Le Bourgeois Gentilhomme

Jean Baptiste Lully

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Le_Bourgeois_Gentilhomme

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Molière

Synopsis,

This French social comedy makes fun of the upper crust. It is based on a Moliere play and is the first appearance of the entire Comedie Francaise troupe. Usually, the troupe only allowed one member at a time to appear in a film. ~ Sandra Brennan, Rovi

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jean-Baptiste_Lully

Lully: Le Bourgeois Gentilhomme

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wlZfoHTZy2U&feature=related 1

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=25zWT-Vhd70&feature=related 2

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iV1MSrIFgV0&feature=related 3

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ulTiJHSugoc&feature=related 4

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZaDpJFa4AqA&feature=related 5

Le Bourgeois Gentilhomme

THE first of a series of French films produced by the Comédie Française, intended to preserve in motion pictures the classic theatrical productions of the famous Parisian company, opened at the Paris Theatre. It is a reproduction of Molière's "The Would-Be Gentleman" ("Le Bourgeois Gentilhomme"), and it is probably as competent a filming of what is essentially a stage performance as one could expect.

The lively satire — or comedy of manners — on the pretensions of a rich but silly man to the fopperies and snobberies of the aristocracy is faithfully preserved and played for the broad, almost burlesque, humors and withering mockeries it contains. And it is staged in a single set in costumes of such color and elegance (it is well-photographed in Eastman color) that these are a show in themselves.

Whether the Molière purists will entirely agree with and accept the slight intrusion of twentieth-century stagecraft and cinema closeups as consistent with the seventeenth-century play is a matter for them to settle. From the modern moviegoer's point of view, the rather harmless little spoof would be a fizzle without the colorful staging and broad playing it receives.

Louis Seigner, a French actor familiar in secondary roles in French films, is particularly expansive and generous with facial reactions as the would-be gentleman. He is obviously a seasoned farce performer, and his pursing of lips, rolling of eyes and general deportment of a nitwit could be those of a silent-movie clown.

More elegant in their manners are Jacques Charon, Robert Manuel, Jacques Eyser and Jean-Louis Jemma as sycophants to the "gentleman," as well as Georges Descrieres and Jean Piat as suitors to the ladies involved. These are prettily played by Micheline Boudet and Marie Sabouret. Andrée de Chauveron is broader and more amusing as the wife of the dunce.

Perhaps the best scene for the camera is that in which Georges Chamarat as the elderly academician tries to teach the would-be gentleman how to speak.

Indeed, it is in the diction, in the well-ordered French dialogue, that the principal attraction of this picture is likely to be found for American audiences. One can see secondary-school French classes swarming to the Paris to hear, as well as see, this familiar textbook item during the limited engagement of three weeks for which it is there.

And that — plus the brilliant costumes — should be rewarding, for the speech is good and not too fully "ponied" by English subtitles.

Otherwise, the confined performance is inevitably static in the cinema medium.

The Cast

THE WOULD-BE GENTLEMAN, taken from the play by Moliere; directed by Jean Meyer; produced by Pierre Gerin for Productions Cinematographiques Film; presented by Pathe Cinema Corporation and released by Kingsley-Union Films.

At the Paris Theatre, Fifty-eighth Street, west of Fifth Avenue.

Running time: ninety-five minutes.

Covielle . . . . . Jean Meyer

Mr. Jourdain . . . . . Louis Seigner

Dance Master . . . . . Jacques Charon

Music Master . . . . . Robert Manuel

Philosopher . . . . . George Chamarat

Cleonte . . . . . Jean Piat

Fencing Master . . . . . Jacques Eyser

Dorante . . . . . George Descrieres

Master Tailor . . . . . Jean-Louis Jemma

Mme. Jourdain . . . . . Andree de Chauveron