Films are in French with English subtitles unless otherwise noted

Florence Gould Hall, 55 East 59th Street

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Special Offer: Present your CinémaTuesdays ticket and receive a 15% discount on your bill at Bistro 60 (37 E 60 St). Valid only on date printed on ticket. 

Tuesday, June 12 at 12:30, 4 & 7:30pm

Double Bill

Un Chapeau de paille d’Italie (The Italian Straw Hat)

René Clair, 1928.
B&W. 60 min. Silent.
With Albert Préjean, Geymont Vital.

In this adaptation of Eugène Labiche’s novel, a man’s horse eats the hat of a woman while she is cheating on her husband. The horse’s owner must find a replica of the hat to save her from dishonor. An excellent cast and Clair’s surreal touches make this one of his most rewarding early films.

“A silent satire on the pretentions of the upper class, it is so expertly timed and choreographed that farce becomes ballet.” -Pauline Kael

Paris qui dort (Paris Asleep)

René Clair, 1925.
B&W. 35 min. Silent.
With Henri Rollan, Charles Martinelli.

The security guard of the Eiffel Tower wakes up to discover that Paris is at a standstill, completely frozen in time by a mad scientist’s magic ray.

“A brilliant meditation on some of the differences between film and still photography…this is one of the landmarks of French silent cinema.” -The Chicago Reader

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Tuesday, June 19 at 12:30, 4 & 7:30pm

À nous la liberté (Freedom for Us)

René Clair, 1931.
B&W. 104 min. In French with English subtitles.
With Henri Marchand, Raymond Cordy.

This satirical comedy about the industrial world follows an ex-convict’s climb up the social ladder and his reunion with a former cellmate who helped him escape. The film’s use of sound effects and interludes was very much ahead of its time, and its examination of the lives of factory workers is rendered with such heart and humor that its influence on Charlie Chaplin’s Modern Times is unmistakable.

“…a landmark in the history of sound film.” -Senses of Cinema

“Assuredly different from any other screen feature. It bristles with strange originality.” -The New York Times

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Tuesday, June 26 at 12:30, 4 & 7:30pm

Le Million (The Million)

René Clair, 1931.
B&W. 83 min. In French with English subtitles.
With Vanda Gréville, Annabella, René Lefèvre.

A debt-ridden Parisian painter searches for the winning lottery ticket he left in the jacket his fiancée gave to a man in need, setting off a frantic dash around the city. Perhaps more than any other Clair film, Le Million is an unabashed love letter to Paris. Abetted by a grand musical finale and innovative sound design, its madcap pacing certainly inspired the Marx Brothers. It is an influential film that is considered among many to be René Clair’s triumph.

“It is a combination of farce, burlesque, travesty and satire, all of which is sharpened with keen wit.” -The New York Times

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Tuesday, July 3 at 12:30, 4 & 7:30pm

It Happened Tomorrow (C’est arrivé demain)

René Clair, 1944.
B&W. 85 min. In English.
With Dick Powell, Linda Darnell.

One of Clair’s more successful films after migrating to Hollywood during World War II. A mysterious old man gives an ambitious reporter the ability to predict the next day’s news. Problems abound when the reporter realizes he might want to stop the future from happening. A charming mix of romance, comedy, and fantasy are on display in this film, which was nominated for two Oscars.

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Tuesday, July 10 at 12:30, 4 & 7:30pm

Break the News (Fausses Nouvelles)

René Clair, 1937.
B&W. 78 min. In English.
With Maurice Chevalier, Jack Buchanan.

Two actors—one British, the other French—hatch a plan in order to become famous: one will murder the other, and the ensuing trial should, in theory, garner them a great deal of publicity. The problem is, no one seems to notice that one of them is missing. The unusually dark story for its time makes Break the News stand out in the Clair canon.

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Tuesday, July 17 at 12:30, 4 & 7:30pm

Les Belles de nuit (Beauties of the Night)

René Clair, 1952.
B&W. 87 min. In French with English subtitles.
With Gérard Philipe, Gina Lollobrigida.

Claude is a teacher by day and a struggling composer by night. In his dreams, he fantasizes about other eras where he is appreciated and is the lover of beautiful women. Clair takes advantage of the whimsical story and stages some of his most memorable dream sequences and fantasies. A joyful, irresistible film. Winner of the FIPRESCI Prize at the 1952 Venice Film Festival.

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Tuesday, July 24 at 12:30, 4 & 7:30pm

Les Grandes manœuvres (The Grand Maneuver)

René Clair, 1955.
Color. 106 min. In French with English subtitles.
With Michèle Morgan, Gérard Philipe.

Set during World War I, a soldier convinces his fellow soldiers that he can seduce the next woman who walks into the bar—who just happens to be the gorgeous Morgan. But soon he finds himself falling in love, which wasn’t part of his plan. A late Clair film, and none the worse for it—as always, his deft blend of satire, comedy, and romance is impeccable.

“With an appreciative gleam in his expert directorial eye, René Clair has delicately dissected the Gallic heart” -The New York Times

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Tuesday, July 31 at 12:30, 4 & 7:30pm

Les Portes des Lilas (The Gates of Paris)

René Clair, 1957.
B&W. 95 min. In French with English subtitles.
With Pierre Brasseur, Georges Brassens.

A nice drunkard and his friend, an itinerant troubadour, both fall for a pretty young girl who gets entangled with a gangster. George Brassens serves as the film’s Greek chorus, singing ballads throughout. A darker, more intimate work that remains affecting decades later. Oscar-nominated for best foreign language film.

“A genial and wistful film.” The New York Times

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Curated by Marie Losier.

Film programs of the French Institute Alliance Franaise are made possible in part with public funds from the New York State Council on the Arts, a State agency.

Special thanks to Christine Houart of the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Delphine Selles and Sandrine Buteaux of the Cultural Services of the French Embassy. American Airlines is the official airline for FIAF.

Images courtesy of Photofest.