(1945; French) An epic (running over three hours), romantic, allegorical drama of the German occupation of France, set in early 19th-century Paris among thespians. The filming of director Marcel Carné's masterpiece began in 1943 while the Nazis occupied France and with German oversight of the production, which ironically was also used by the French Resistance for cover. Allegorically Garance, who regards her independence far above emotional attachments, represents France temporarily engaged to Count Montray (Germany). The title refers to the gods in the highest balcony of the popular theater, populated by the Parisian poor, whose expectations the entertainment had to satisfy to become successful. The film is in two parts, "The Boulevard of Crime" and "The Man in White" in which the events are separated by six years.

A former artist's model, Garance (Arletty), attracts the attentions of several men, but she remains largely aloof from each. To an ambitious actor, Frédérick Le Maître (Pierre Brasseur), she says on more than one occasion: "Paris is small for those who share as grand a passion as ours," and for awhile she will live with him. She is rescued from an accusation of thievery and the police by Baptiste Debureau (Jean-Louis Barrault), a mime, to whom she tosses a flower, symbolic of her name. Ever after Baptiste cannot escape the allure of her magnetism, haunted by his fumbling when he had a chance to fulfill her desire for "a simple love" (but "not your dream"), not even after he marries and has children with Nathalie (Maria Casares), an actress who loves and remains loyal to him throughout his early hardships.

When a fight breaks out on the Funambules's stage, resulting in a mutiny of a faction of actors, Frédérick appears, gallantly saving the show. With the discovery of Baptiste's enormous talent at pantomime and approval from the gods, the Funambules mime theater, including Frédérick and Garance, becomes must-see entertainment. However, Frédérick, who longs to act with speeches upon the stage, breaks away from the Funambules to become a dramatic competitor to Baptiste's uncanny silence on the boards.

Impressed with her beauty and performance, the wealthy and influential Le comte de Montray (Louis Salou) sends flowers and offers Garance an opportunity of "one word to change your life." Though she initially declines his bid for her submission, the count's card releases her once again from the clutches of the law when she becomes implicated as an accessory to attempted murder and robbery, the work of Pierre-François Lacenaire (Marcel Herrand), a criminal and former admirer.

Years later, Frédérick has become famous - a wonderful scene has him insulting the authors of a dramatic play by performing it for laughs and making the comedy popular - as well as hounded by creditors and husbands. Jealous of his silent rival's success and discovery that Garance has returned to Paris where she attends every performance of Baptiste's The Ragman, Frédérick plays Shakespeare's Othello to sold-out audiences.

Garance, who has been away with Le comte Montray, seeing the far reaches of the world, resides in his palace. Lacenaire, playing his role as Iago, uses his machinations to bring Frédérick and Montray together for his own tragical farce from which the dead do not get up off the stage at the end of the performance.

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Copyright © 2007 Patrick Ivers. All rights reserved.
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