Der Staudamm

His name is the good point and the huge obstacle. Because you know what you expect. In this case, a social manifesto out of all recipes you expect. A sick young man. A large work. Emigrants. And a story, interesting in essence, who has only the sin to not have the most inspired form. A film who use as lead pillar Gerard Philipe. And the drama of a social category.

Yves Allégret had already directed Gérard Philipe in "Les Orgueilleux" ,one of his best movies.But by the mid-fifties,his inspiration which had produced such classic films noirs as "Dédée d'Anvers" "Une Si Jolie Petite Plage " ,the highly superior "Manèges" and "les Orgueilleux" began to dry up.

Gerard Philippe as the star.Shot in color.And an American firm production.Wide screen.And a dam to build with Philipe as a sick engineer .You might think that with those assets, "La Meilleure Part" (all the men who work on the building site give the best part of themselves) is certainly an impressive work;unfortunately,such is not the case.Allégret substituted production techniques for soul ,building a bridge to his audience with his story of immigrated working men,but erecting a dam in front of them with empty words and an awfully desultory script.

It is a boring work.One wishes it had not come from Yves Allégret.