FS 240 A HISTORY OF FRENCH CINEMA IES Abroad Nice

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1 FS 240 A HISTORY OF FRENCH CINEMA IES Abroad Nice DESCRIPTION: This History of French Cinema course will unfold in chronological order and focus on periods that are considered by film historians to be the high points of French cinema: The Classic era ( ) The German occupation ( ) The Cinéma de qualité (quality French cinema) ( ) The Nouvelle Vague ( New Wave ) ( ) After a survey of the aftermath of the New Wave, in the 80's and 90's, contemporary French cinema will be discussed in an epilogue during the course s last session. In order to avoid an over-specialized approach, the traditional French focus on the director as the sole responsible of a film ( auteur theory, a term which will be dually explained and discussed during weeks 10 and 11) will be addressed, but counterbalanced by an emphasis on French actors. From Jean Gabin in the 30's to Marion Cotillard, French actors have been inspirational to French cineastes and are more that just a tool to their artistic achievement. This is why in this course Jeanne Moreau, for instance, will be discussed just as well as François Truffaut or Jacques Demy or Louis Malle, since she has been the focal point of some of these directors best films. This approach enables us to concentrate our knowledge. By the end of the course, the students should be able to rely on sound and effective knowledge of French cinema and be able, if this is their wish, to pursue a more in-depth study of French cinema. CREDITS: 3 credits CONTACT HOURS: 45 hours LANGUAGE OF INSTRUCTION: English PREREQUISITES: There are no particular requirements to attend this course. However, the students shall be aware that the film clips will be taken from the professor s private collection of movies with no subtitles, as it is the best way to discover unknown, exciting films and rely on well proven classics. A short explanation of the content of the clip should be available online, along with the film excerpt. METHOD OF PRESENTATION: Lectures: The major part of a class session will consist of a lecture by the instructor; since he will be teaching to a group of beginners, the professor will start by giving the students the core knowledge of French Cinema. Class discussion: Over half of each class will consist of discussions based on the film clips used to illustrate the lectures. Four or five clips will be available on line, in order to make instruction and discussion easier. During the class session, each clip will be introduced by one of the students. The introduction should: 1. Establish the exact context surrounding the film's shooting or release 2. Provide information about at least two personalities involved, one being the film director. 3. Include the student s first impression of the film clip, in order to launch a small debate. Course-related trips: IES has partnered with the Cinémathèque de Nice so that students can attend screenings and discussions of French films on a regular basis. Some screenings will be preceded by introductory lectures and followed by discussions. The Cinemathèque also organizes viewings of recent films, master classes and retrospectives to which IES students will have access. If some students wish to be involved more deeply in film studies, the draft research paper which is part of the required work may be, with the instructor s permission, an essay on a film, a master class, a lecture or a retrospective linked with the Cinémathèque instead of a book or article. Other: The instructor will try to obtain for the students some passes to the renowned Cannes Film Festival. There are four main sections: the competition, Un certain regard (an informative section), the critic s week and the directors fortnight. Since the festival takes place each year in May, for two weeks, only the second semester students would benefit from the arrangement. Since seats at the festival are extremely difficult to obtain, only

2 five to six students will be able to view a film at once; however, efforts will be made so that all students will have the opportunity to attend a screening at Cannes. REQUIRED WORK AND FORM OF ASSESSMENT: Course participation: 10% Midterm Exam: 30% Final Exam: 40 % Research paper: 20% Course Participation The course participation will be based on the clips and the lecture. At the beginning of each course, one, two or three students will volunteer to sum up the instructor's lecture highlights and lead the discussion with the other students. Midterm Exam A written exam meant to test the student's factual knowledge on the basis of different formats tests. This will include essay questions, multiple choice questions, short answer questions and justified True/False questions. Final Exam A written exam in two parts: a first test focusing on the students knowledge; a second one in the form of a short essay to test the student's ability to use his knowledge to achieve a more in depth personal appreciation. The essay theme(s) will be the instructor's decision. A choice of two themes might be offered. Draft Research Paper A short essay (10-15 pages, double-spaced; standard margins and fonts) on a topic on French film: it can either be a book review, a film review, a justified filmography on a particular period of the history of French Film, or an essay on a film personality (director, writer or actor). The topic will be chosen by the student, with the instructor s help, during the first thee weeks of the seminar. Then the student can submit intermediary versions of the essay and receive the instructor s comment. The version handed at midterm, on the date established by the instructor, shall be the final one. Final Research Paper As the Draft Research Paper, it will be a short essay (10-15 pages, double-spaced; standard margins and fonts) on a topic on French film: it can either be a book review, a film review, a justified filmography on a particular period of the history of French Film, or an essay on a film personality (director, writer or actor). But the student will have to choose a different format than the one chosen for the Draft Research Paper. For instance, if the Draft Research Paper was an essay on a film, the Final Research Paper should be a book review, a justified filmography or a personality essay. Since the student is supposed to use the instructor s comments received for the Draft Research Paper, he should hand a final version of the Research Paper on week 14. LEARNING OUTCOMES: By the end of the course students will be able to: Describe the main steps of the History of French Cinema and state as well as justify its importance Know and discuss the importance of the main personalities (directors, writers, actors) who have contributed to the history of French Cinema Analyze, criticize and contextualize the highlights of French Cinema Engage in discussions with film scholars about French film and be able to ask for more specialized information. ATTENDANCE POLICY: Attendance is mandatory for all IES Abroad classes, including field studies. Any exams, tests, presentations, or other work missed due to student absences can only be rescheduled in cases of documented medical or family emergencies. If a student misses more than two classes in any course half a letter grade will be deducted from the final grade for every additional absence. Seven absences in any course will result in a failing grade. CONTENT: Week Content Film clips* Assignments

3 Week 1 Prologue What do students anticipate about French Cinema? Thompson, Kristin, Bordwell, David. (2010), Film History: An Introduction, Third Edition. New York, NY : The McGraw-Hill Companies, chapter 13, France, , Poetic realism, Popular front, and the Occupation, Thompson, Kristin, Bordwell, David. (2010), Film History: An Introduction, Third Edition. New York, NY: The McGraw-Hill Companies, Chapter 20, New Waves and Young Cinema, , Michel Marie, Alistair Fox, A Companion to Contemporary French Cinema, John Wiley & sons, 2015, Part II, chapter 7, The veterans of the New Wave, Their Heirs and Contemporary French Cinema (Michel Marie), Colin Crisp, The Classic French Cinema, , Indiana University Press, 1999, Political Economy and Industrial Structure, , 1-41 Week 2 Classic French Cinema > The thirties (part 1) Film directors Jean Renoir, Marcel Carné, Julien Duvivier, Jean Grémillon and their fetish actor Jean Gabin The poetic realism aesthetics La Grande Illusion (Renoir 1937) Pépé le Moko (Duvivier, 1937) Gueule d amour (Grémillon, 1938) Le jour se lève (Carné, 1939) Dudley Andrew, Mists of Regret, Culture and sensibility in classic French film, Princeton University press, 1995, The Literary and artistic sources of Poetic Realism, Edward Baron Turk, Child of Paradise, Marcel Carné and the Golden Age of French Cinema, Harvard University Press, 2013, chapter 5, Poetic realism, Edward Baron Turk, Child of Paradise, Marcel Carné and the Golden Age of French Cinema, Harvard University Press, 2013, The Popular Front, Chapter 6, Jean Renoir, My Life and my Films, Da Capo Press inc, 1991, Popular front,

4 Ginette Vincendeau, Pépé le Moko, BFI 1998, A Classic French film, 3-29 Ginette Vincendeau, Pépé le Moko, BFI 1998, A French gangster film, Jean Renoir, My Life and my Films, Da Capo Press inc, 1991, La Grande illusion, Jean Renoir, My Life and my Films, Da Capo Press inc, 1991, La Règle du jeu, André Bazin, What Is Cinema? Vol 2, University of California Press, 2004, The Destiny of Jean Gabin Ginette Vincendeau, Stars and Stardom in French Cinema, Bloomsbury Publishing, 2000, chapter 3, Jean Gabin, from working class to godfather, Week 3 Classic French Cinema > The thirties (part 2) The stage tradition (le Théâtre de boulevard ) Marius (Pagnol-Corda, 1931) Bonne chance (Guitry, 1935) Désiré (Guitry, 1937) La femme du boulanger (Pagnol, 1938) Dudley Andrew, Mists of Regret, Culture and sensibility in classic French film, Princeton University press, 1995, Theatrical models for French film Two famous playwrights turned into film directors: Sacha Guitry and Marcel Pagnol Jean Renoir, My Life and my Films, Da Capo Press inc, 1991, Marcel Pagnol, Week 4 Classic French Cinema > The thirties (part 3) The mature heroins: Françoise Rosay, Gaby Morlay The younger heroins: Danielle Darrieux, Michèle Morgan, Micheline Presle Le Bonheur (L Herbier, 1933) Pension Mimosas (Feyder, 1935) Mayerling (Litvak, 1935) Quai des brumes (Carné, 1938) Paradis perdu (Gance, 1939) Jean Renoir, My Life and my Films, Da Capo Press inc, 1991, The Actor and the Truth, Susan M. White, The Cinema of Max Ophüls: Magisterial Vision and the Figure of Woman, Columbia University Press, 1995, chapter 7, Closing the Circle: Lola Montes, Divine and La Tendre Ennemie, page Michel Marie, Alistair Fox, A Companion to Contemporary French Cinema, John Wiley & sons, 2015,

5 Week 5 Classic French Cinema > The War Years (part 1) Producing films during the period of German occupation L Assassinat du Père Noël (Christian-Jacque, 1941) Les Visiteurs du soir (Carné, 1942) Le Baron fantôme (Poligny, 1943) Douce (Autan-Lara, 1943) part III, chapter 14, Major Stars, the Heritage Film, and Patrimonial Values in Contemporary French Cinema (Gwenaelle Le Gras), Colin Crisp, The Classic French Cinema, , Indiana University Press, 1999, Political Economy and Industrial Structure, , Edward Baron Turk, Child of Paradise, Marcel Carné and the Golden Age of French Cinema, Harvard University Press, 2013, Part III, The Monument Maker, Chapter 9, The Occupation, Week 6 Classic French Cinema > The War Years (part 2) New directors, new directions Les Anges du péché (Bresson, 1943) Le Corbeau (Clouzot, 1943) Falbalas (Becker, 1944) Les Enfants du paradis (Carné, ) Edward Baron Turk, Child of Paradise, Marcel Carné and the Golden Age of French Cinema, Harvard University Press, 2013, Part III, The Monument Maker, Chapter 10, The Design of Children of Paradise, Edward Baron Turk, Child of Paradise, Marcel Carné and the Golden Age of French Cinema, Harvard University Press, 2013, Part III, The Monument maker, Chapter 11, Politics and Theater in Children of Paradise, Jean Renoir, My Life and my Films, Da Capo Press inc, 1991, Jacques Becker Week 7 MID TERM EXAM Week 8 The Qualité Française > Late 1940s, early 1950s Division between pre-war nostalgia and post-war pessimism The screenwriters era Two emblematic actors: Gérard Philippe and Simone Signoret Le silence est d or (Clair, 1946) La Belle et la Bête (Cocteau, 1946) Manèges (Y. Allegret, 1948) Fanfan la Tulipe (Christian- Jacque, 1952) Le Blé en herbe (Autant-Lara, 1953) Dudley Andrew, Mists of Regret, Culture and sensibility in classic French film, Princeton University press, 1995, Jean Renoir: adaptation, Institution, Auteur, Richard Roud "Marcel Carné and Jacques Prevert" in Roud Cinema: A Critical Dictionary: Volume One,

6 Aldrich to King, London: Secker & Warburg, 1980, p , 189, 191 Week 9 The Qualité Française > Gabin and Darrieux Change in French Society embodied by two actors: Jean Gabin and Danielle Darrieux The final years The last round of the old Masters Sexual freedom in the eye of the French cinema. Two sex symbol actresses: Martine Carole, Brigitte Bardot Touchez pas au grisbi (Becker, 1953) Madame de (Ophuls, 1953) French Cancan (Renoir, 1954) Lola Montes (Ophuls, 1955) Et Dieu créa la femme (Vadim, 1956) Colin Crisp, The Classic French Cinema, , Indiana University Press, 1999, Mode of production and Authorial Control, Susan M. White, The Cinema of Max Ophüls: Magisterial Vision and the Figure of Woman, Columbia University Press, 1995, chapter 6, Spectacle Economics and the Perils of Directorship, in Le Plaisir, La Ronde and Caught, page Ginette Vincendeau, Stars and Stardom in French Cinema, Bloomsbury Publishing, 2000, chapter 4, Brigitte Bardot, The old and the new, Week 10 The New Wave (Part 1) The annus mirabilis of 1959/1960 for the French Nouvelle Vague cinema Three films directed by former critics from famous cinema magazine Cahier du cinéma : Chabrol, Truffaut, Godard Le Beau Serge (Chabrol, 1958) Les 400 coups (Truffaut, 1959) A bout de soufflé (Godard, 1959) James Monaco, The New Wave, Harbor Electronic Publishing, 2004, The Camera Writes, Ginette Vincendeau, Stars and Stardom in French Cinema, Bloomsbury Publishing, 2000, chapter 5, Jeanne Moreau, and the actresses of the New Wave, The New Wave > The outsiders (Part 2) Four directors pre-new Wave and post-new Wave: Malle, Resnais, Melville, Demy. Tentative comparisons. Ascenseur pour l échafaud (Malle, 1958) Hiroshima mon amour (Resnais, 1959) La Baie des anges (Demy, 1962) Week 11 The New Wave > A new classicism (Part 3) How the one time revolutionary New Wave turns into a conventional cinema or how the system has ultimately changed its face. Le Mépris (Godard, 1953) La Peau Douce (Truffaut, 1964) La Femme infidèle (Chabrol, 1968) Stavisky (Resnais, 1974) James Monaco, The New Wave, Harbor Electronic Publishing, 2004, Truffaut, the Antoine Doinel Cycle, Ginette Vincendeau, Stars and Stardom in French Cinema, Week 12 The 70 s & 80 s Le Chat (Granier-Deferre, 1971) Bloomsbury Publishing, 2000, chapter 9, Gérard Depardieu, the axiom of

7 Week 13 Back to the tradition of psychological films Two emblematic actors: Philippe Noiret and Romy Schneider The rising of a new generation of film makers who cannot be considered as New Wave followers. The 90 s A delicate balance between highscale patrimonial production and small budgeted quasi-experimental ventures. L Horloger de St Paul (Tavernier, 1974) Cesar et Rosalie (Sautet, 1972) Le Dernier Métro (Truffaut, 1980) A nos amours (Pialat, 1983) Mélo (Resnais, 1986) Cyrano de Bergerac (Rappeneau, 1990) Ma saison préférée (Téchiné, 1992) La Reine Margot (Chéreau, 1993) Trois couleurs Rouge (Kieslowski, 1994) Nelly et M. Arnaud (Sautet, 1996) contemporary French cinema, Michel Marie, Alistair Fox, A Companion to Contemporary French Cinema, John Wiley & sons, 2015, Part II, chapter 9, Auteurism, Personal Cinema, and the Fémis Generation : The Case of François Ozon (Alister Fox), Week 14 Epilog Mademoiselle Chambon (Brizé, 2009) Welcome (Lioret, 2009) The Artist (Hazanavicius, 2011) Trois coeurs (Jacquot, 2014) FINAL RESEARCH PAPER Week 15 FINAL EXAM * Film titles may change according to their availability REQUIRED READINGS: History of the French cinema Thompson, Kristin, Bordwell,David. (2010), Film History : An Introduction, Third Edition. New York, NY : The McGraw-Hill Companies, chapter 13, France, , Poetic realism, Popular front, and the Occupation, Dudley Andrew, Mists of Regret, Culture and sensibility in classic French film, Princeton University press, 1995, Theatrical models for French film Ginette Vincendeau, Pépé le Moko, BFI 1998, A Classic French film, 3-29 Ginette Vincendeau, Pépé le Moko, BFI 1998, A French gangster film, Dudley Andrew, Mists of Regret, Culture and sensibility in classic French film, Princeton University press, 1995, The Litterary and artistics sources of Poetic Realism, chapter 5, Poetic realism, The Popular Front, Chapter 6, Jean Renoir, My Life and my Films, Da Capo Press inc, 1991, Popular front, Part III, The Monument Maker, Chapter 9, The Occupation, Thompson, Kristin, Bordwell,David. (2010), Film History : An Introduction, Third Edition. New York, NY: The McGraw-Hill Companies, Chapitre 20, New Waves and Young Cinema, , Michel Marie, Alistair Fox, A Companion to Contemporary French Cinema, John Wiley & sons, 2015, Part II, chapter 7, The veterans of the New Wave, Their Heirs and Contemporary French Cinema (Michel Marie),

8 Theory James Monaco, The New Vave, Harbor Electronic Publishing, 2004, The Camera Writes, Auteurs Dudley Andrew, Mists of Regret, Culture and sensibility in classic French film, Princeton University press, 1995, Jean Renoir: adaptation, Institution, Auteur, Jean Renoir, My Life and my Films, Da Capo Press inc, 1991, La Grande illusion, Jean Renoir, My Life and my Films, Da Capo Press inc, 1991, La Règle du jeu, Richard Roud "Marcel Carné and Jacques Prevert" in Roud Cinema: A Critical Dictionary: Volume One, Aldrich to King, London: Secker & Warburg, 1980, p , 189, 191 Part III, The Monument Maker, Chapter 10, The Design of Children of Paradise, Part III, The Monument maker, Chapter 11, Politics and Theater in Children of Paradise, Jean Renoir, My Life and my Films, Da Capo Press inc, 1991, Marcel Pagnol, Jean Renoir, My Life and my Films, Da Capo Press inc, 1991, Jacques Becker Susan M. White, The Cinema of Max Ophüls: Magisterial Vision and the Figure of Woman, Columbia University Press, 1995, chapter 6, Spectacle Economics and the Perils of Directorship, in Le Plaisir, La Ronde and Caught, page Susan M. White, The Cinema of Max Ophüls: Magisterial Vision and the Figure of Woman, Columbia University Press, 1995, chapter 7, Closing the Circle: Lola Montes, Divine and La Tendre Ennemie, page James Monaco, The New Vave, Harbor Electronic Publishing, 2004, Truffaut, the Antoine Doinel Cycle, Michel Marie, Alistair Fox, A Companion to Contemporary French Cinema, John Wiley & sons, 2015, Part II, chapter 9, Auteurism, Personal Cinema, and the Fémis Generation : The Case of François Ozon (Alister Fox), Actors Jean Renoir, My Life and my Films, Da Capo Press inc, 1991, The Actor and the Truth, André Bazin, What Is Cinema? Vol 2, University of California Press, 2004, The Destiny of Jean Gabin Ginette Vincendeau, Stars and Stardom in French Cinema, Bloomsbury Publishing, 2000, chapter 3, Jean Gabin, from working class to godfather, Ginette Vincendeau, Stars and Stardom in French Cinema, Bloomsbury Publishing, 2000, chapter 4, Brigitte Bardot, The old and the new, Ginette Vincendeau, Stars and Stardom in French Cinema, Bloomsbury Publishing, 2000, chapter 5, Jeanne Moreau, and the actresses of the New Wave, Ginette Vincendeau, Stars and Stardom in French Cinema, Bloomsbury Publishing, 2000, chapter 8, Catherine Deneuve from ice maiden to living divinity, Ginette Vincendeau, Stars and Stardom in French Cinema, Bloomsbury Publishing, 2000, chapter 9, Gérard Depardieu, the axiom of contemporary French cinema, Michel Marie, Alistair Fox, A Companion to Contemporary French Cinema, John Wiley & sons, 2015, part III, chapter 14, Major Stars, the Heritage Film, and Patrimonial Values in Contemporary French Cinema (Gwenaelle Le Gras), Economy Colin Crisp, The Classic French Cinema, , Indiana University Press, 1999, Political Economy and Industrial Structure, , 1-41 Colin Crisp, The Classic French Cinema, , Indiana University Press, 1999, Political Economy and Industrial Structure, , Colin Crisp, The Classic French Cinema, , Indiana University Press, 1999, Mode of production and Authorial Control, RECOMMENDED READINGS: Introduction James Reid Paris, The Great French Films, Citadel 1983

9 Phil Powrie, Keith Reader, French Cinema, a Student's guidelines, Hodder education, 2002 Alan J. Singerman, French Cinema, the Student's Book, Focus publishing/r. Pullins and co, 2005 Michael Temple, Michael Witt, The French Cinema Book, BFI, 2004 Alan J. Singerman, French Cinema, the Student's Book, Focus publishing/r. Pullins and co, 2005 History Richard Abel, The Ciné Goes to Town, French Cinema , University of California Press, 1998 Richard Abel, French Cinema, The First Wave, , University of California press, 1993 Alan Williams, Republic of Images, Harvard University Press 1992 Susan Hayward, French National Cinema, Routledge 1993 Colin Crisp, French Cinema : a Critical Flmography, , University of Indiana Press, 2015 John W. Martin, The Golden Age of French Cinema, , Twaine Publisher's Inc, 1983 Claire Blakeway, Jacques Prévert and popular French Theatre and Film, Fairleigh Dickinson University Press US, 1990 Ginette Vincendeau, Keath Reader, La Vie est à nous, French Cinema , BFI 1986 Jonathan Buchsbaum, Cinéma engagé, The Film in the Popular front, University of Illinois Press, 1988 Evelyn Erlich, The Cinema of Paradox, Filming under the occupation, Columbia University Press, 1985 Armes, Roy, French Cinema since 1946, London, Zwemmer; Cranbury (N.J.) Barnes, 1966 Naomi Greene, Short Cuts, the French New Wave, Columbia University Press, 2007 Guy Austin, Contemporary French Cinema an Introduction, Manchester University Press, 2008 Jill Forbes, The Cinema in France after the New Wave, Palgrave Macmillan 1992 Richard Abel, The Long Fade: French Actors in Silent Hollywood, page in Ginette Vincendeau, Alastair Phillips, Journey of Desire, BFI, 2006 Alastair Phillips, Changing Bodies, changing Voices: French Success and Failure in 1930 s Hollywood, page in Ginette Vincendeau, Alastair Phillips, Journey of Desire, BFI, 2006 Christian Viviani, The Foreign Woman in Classical Hollywood cinema, page , Ginette Vincendeau, Alastair Phillips, Journey of Desire, BFI, 2006 Theory Susan Hayward, Ginette Vincendeau, French Films texts and Contexts, Routledge 1990 Sue Harris,E Ezra, France in Focus, Film and national identity, Berg Publishers, 2000 Eric Rohmer, The Taste for Beauty, Cambridge University press, 1990 Jim Hillier, Cahiers du cinema , Vol 1 et 2, Harvard University press, 1985 François Truffaut, Early Film Criticism, Indiana University Press 1993 Personalities Pascal Mérigeau, Jean Renoir, a Biography, Running Press, Us, 2015Masterworks Antoine de Baecque, Serge Toubiana, Truffaut, a Biography, University of California Press 2000 Richard Round, Godard, BFI, 2010 Robin Wood Michael Walker, Claude Chabrol, Littlehampton Book Services ltd, 1970 Jean Narboni, Tom Milne, Godard on Godard, Da Capo 1986 Colin McCabe, Godard, Image Sounds, Politics, Palgrave Macmillan, 1980 Ginette Vincendeau, Not for Export: Jean Gabin in Hollywood, page , in Ginette Vincendeau, Alastair Phillips, Journey of Desire, BFI, 2006 Hillary Radner, Louis Jourdan, the hyper-sexual Frenchman, page , in Ginette Vincendeau, Alastair Phillips, Journey of Desire, BFI, 2006 Magazines Cahiers du Cinéma, Positif,