I have watched in the past few years several documentaries or docu-dramas dedicated to the life and career of Édith Piaf. The moment came to see one of the films in which she acted and sang. My curiosity was satisfied by the opportunity to watch 'Étoile sans lumière' - the 1946 film by director Marcel Blistène, who was at his first feature film. Time has left its mark on this film, but there are many good reasons to see it even today. Édith Piaf is of course the main attraction, but this film also features Yves Montand at his screen debut. Piaf and Montand were living a passionate love story at that time. Their love crosses the screen.
The subject of the film is also very interesting, capturing the transitional moment of cinema from the period of silent films to that of talking and singing films. It is therefore about the years 1928 - 1930, although the scenography and costumes are not very rigorous in recreating the period. The theme would later be covered in numerous other memorable films from 'Singin' in the Rain' to 'The Artist'. Silent film star Stella Dora sees her career threatened by the advent of sound cinema. She makes a musical movie about pirates, but she can't sing. Her impresario and lover has the idea of using the voice of Madeleine, a maid in a provincial hotel. In order not to jeopardize the star's career, the conspirators, who include the sound engineer Gaston, use the playback technique and keep secret the fact that Stella is not the one singing. The plan succeeds better than they expected, the film is a great success, but Madeleine, ignored by the applauses and not even invited to the banquet after the premiere, begins to dream of getting out of anonymity. There is no lack of men who are ready to help her, more or less interested.
Édith Piaf was not a great actress, but the role suits her, the character actually having a lot in common with her own biography. When Piaf sings, the screen radiates magnetism. The song list does not include any of her famous hits, but still includes some beautiful songs composed by Marguerite Monnot. Yves Montand, young and nonchalant, does not yet sing in this film, but his presence justifies the heroine's love. Serge Reggiani doesn't sing here either, as he would in his later career. His Gaston has a naturalness to it, as opposed to the somewhat rigid style of the more seasoned actors in the cast. The melodramatic story has a modern ending and ends with a beautifully shot scene. 'Étoile sans lumière', one of the first French films made after the war, at a time when the world of French cinema was trying to find its balance after years of occupation and collaboration, offers today's viewer many moments of satisfaction, beyond the documentary interest and the opportunity to to listen once again to the voice of Édith Piaf.
