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DramaRomance

Children of Paradise

- AT LAST! The Celebrated French Film.

In a chaotic 19th-century Paris teeming with aristocrats, thieves, psychics, and courtesans, theater mime Baptiste is in love with the mysterious actress Garance. But Garance, in turn, is loved by three other men: pretentious actor Frederick, conniving thief Lacenaire, and Count Edouard of Montray.

Release Date : 1945-03-15

Language :French

Adult : false

Status : Released

Production Company : Société Nouvelle Pathé Cinéma

Production Country : France

Alternative Titles :

Cast

Arletty

Character Name : Claire Reine, dite Garance

Original Name : Arletty

Gender : Female

Jean-Louis Barrault

Character Name : Baptiste Debureau

Original Name : Jean-Louis Barrault

Gender : Male

Pierre Brasseur

Character Name : Frédérick Lemaître

Original Name : Pierre Brasseur

Gender : Male

Marcel Herrand

Character Name : Pierre-François Lacenaire

Original Name : Marcel Herrand

Gender : Male

María Casares

Character Name : Nathalie

Original Name : María Casares

Gender : Female

Louis Salou

Character Name : Édouard comte de Montray

Original Name : Louis Salou

Gender : Male

Pierre Renoir

Character Name : Jericho

Original Name : Pierre Renoir

Gender : Male

Jane Marken

Character Name : Mme Hermine

Original Name : Jane Marken

Gender : Female

Gaston Modot

Character Name : Fil de Soie

Original Name : Gaston Modot

Gender : Male

Fabien Loris

Character Name : Avril

Original Name : Fabien Loris

Gender : Male

Marcel Pérès

Character Name : Le directeur des Funambules

Original Name : Marcel Pérès

Gender : Male

Etienne Decroux

Character Name : Anselme Debureau

Original Name : Etienne Decroux

Gender : Male

Marcelle Monthil

Character Name : Marie

Original Name : Marcelle Monthil

Gender : Male

Louis Florencie

Character Name : Le gendarme des 'Adrets'

Original Name : Louis Florencie

Gender : Male

Habib Benglia

Character Name : L'employé des bains turcs

Original Name : Habib Benglia

Gender : Male

Rognoni

Character Name : Le directeur du Grand Théâtre

Original Name : Rognoni

Gender : Male

Jacques Castelot

Character Name : Georges

Original Name : Jacques Castelot

Gender : Male

Paul Frankeur

Character Name : L'inspecteur de police

Original Name : Paul Frankeur

Gender : Male

Albert Rémy

Character Name : Scarpia Barrigni

Original Name : Albert Rémy

Gender : Male

Robert Dhéry

Character Name : Célestin

Original Name : Robert Dhéry

Gender : Male

Pierre Palau

Character Name : Le régisseur des Funambules

Original Name : Pierre Palau

Gender : Male

Auguste Bovério

Character Name : Le premier auteur de "L'auberge des Adrets"

Original Name : Auguste Bovério

Gender : Male

Paul Demange

Character Name : Le deuxième auteur de "L'auberge des Adrets"

Original Name : Paul Demange

Gender : Male

Lucienne Legrand

Character Name : La première jolie théâtreuse

Original Name : Lucienne Legrand

Gender : Female

Maurice Schutz

Character Name : L'encaisseur agressé par Lacenaire

Original Name : Maurice Schutz

Gender : Male

Joe Alex

Character Name : (uncredited)

Original Name : Joe Alex

Gender : Male

Nicolas Bataille

Character Name : Extra (uncredited)

Original Name : Nicolas Bataille

Gender : Male

Gérard Blain

Character Name : (uncredited)

Original Name : Gérard Blain

Gender : Male

Bill Bocket

Character Name : (uncredited)

Original Name : Bill Bocket

Gender : Male

Albert Broquin

Character Name : (uncredited)

Original Name : Albert Broquin

Gender : Male

Jacques Josselin

Character Name : (uncredited)

Original Name : Jacques Josselin

Gender : Male

Paul Temps

Character Name : (uncredited)

Original Name : Paul Temps

Gender : Male

Michel Vadet

Character Name : (uncredited)

Original Name : Michel Vadet

Gender : Male

Roger Vincent

Character Name : (uncredited)

Original Name : Roger Vincent

Gender : Male

Rivers Cadet

Character Name : Un bourgeois (uncredited)

Original Name : Rivers Cadet

Gender : Male

Jean Carmet

Character Name : Un spectateur au paradis des Funambules (uncredited)

Original Name : Jean Carmet

Gender : Male

Jean Diéner

Character Name : Le troisième auteur de "L'Auberge des Adrets" (uncredited)

Original Name : Jean Diéner

Gender : Male

Guy Favières

Character Name : Un encaisseur agressé par Lacenaire (uncredited)

Original Name : Guy Favières

Gender : Male

Jean Gold

Character Name : Le deuxième dandy (uncredited))

Original Name : Jean Gold

Gender : Male

Gustave Hamilton

Character Name : Le concierge du Grand Théâtre (uncredited)

Original Name : Gustave Hamilton

Gender : Male

Jean Lanier

Character Name : Iago - dans la représentation d' "Othello" (uncredited)

Original Name : Jean Lanier

Gender : Male

Léon Larive

Character Name : Le concierge des Funambules (uncredited)

Original Name : Léon Larive

Gender : Male

Marcel Melrac

Character Name : Un gendarme (uncredited)

Original Name : Marcel Melrac

Gender : Male

André Numès

Character Name : L'homme qui se fait voler sa montre (uncredited)

Original Name : André Numès

Gender : Male

Raphaël Patorni

Character Name : Un dandy (uncredited)

Original Name : Raphaël Patorni

Gender : Male

Lucien Walter

Character Name : Le marchand de billets (uncredited)

Original Name : Lucien Walter

Gender : Male

Cynette Quero

Character Name : La deuxième jolie théâtreuse (uncredited)

Original Name : Cynette Quero

Gender : Male

Reviews

C

CinemaSerf

@Geronimo1967

2024-05-16

Told in two acts with a curtain rising on both sections, this is quite a stylish, lavish even, and entertaining tale of a lady of the streets. "Garance" (Arletty) who sometimes uses her real name of "Claire Reine" is actually quite a decent woman who is wrongfully accused of pickpocketing in a busy market. Fortunately, the mime artist "Baptiste" comes to her rescue and quickly falls hook, line and sinker for the beautiful and charismatic woman. His problem is that she has no lack of suitors, and over the next three hours or so we are introduced to the lively and foppish "Lemaître" (Pierre Brasseur); the even more flamboyant but roguish "Lacenaire" (Marcel Herrand) and the aloof and sterile, but very wealthy "Comte de Montray" (Louis Salou). The plot itself isn't especially remarkable. A woman in the flushes of youth and attractiveness being sought after by a diverse collection of men. What makes this stand out is the marvellously applied mixture of heavily scored theatrical and cinematic styles. It's a love story and an adventure. How might things pan out for her as she ages, though? As her outward beauty begins to fade? Will any of them (or anyone else) still want her? Will she want them? The characters are quite roundly developed as director Marcel Carné takes his time to illustrate not just the persona of the heroine, but also those of her suitors whilst offering us a critique of a society in general that in early 19th century France mixed opulence with poverty, violence with tenderness. By using the different genres of theatre performances, Carné creatively provides us with a more subtle conduit between her series of trials and tribulations that allows us to tap into themes of culture and religion as well as human nature in many of it's guises. Arletty is on great form, as is Brasseur and given it was made just as the Nazi occupation was coming to it's own denouement, is quite an astonishingly artistic achievement that shows a nation with a healthy and defiant confidence in it's own identity and credentials.