Il fuoco sacro

The idea for Feu sacré came from its leading actress, Viviane Romance, and is a sort of fictionalised autobiography of her rise from music hall showgirl to can-can dancer to movie star, taking in the trials and sacrifices she endures along the way.

It's a film of no great originality, no real dramatic heights, and no suspense, either: we know that the starlet is going to make it to the top, despite the occasional setback, because the story is told in flashback as she emerges from the premiere of her latest triumph.

Nevertheless, Maurice Cloche's brisk direction and eye for detail, particularly in the vibrant backstabbing world of the Parisian music hall, make for pleasant enough entertainment. And, of course, there's the wonderfully alluring Viviane Romance, who really did have a spark of the "sacred fire", and who throws herself into this performance heart, body and soul.

Georges Flamant, who plays one of Romance's lovers in Feu sacré, was her partner in real life at the time. She left him for Franck Villard, who plays her other lover in the film. Inspired by this "autobiopic", Romance went on to write her own script for La Boîte aux rêves.

Vivianne Romance was,along with Ginette Leclerc ,one of the two bad gals of the French cinema.Her most interesting parts were bitches in Duvivier's "Panique" and "La Belle Equipe" among others femmes fatales ("Naples Au Baiser De Feu" "Carmen" ).

Maurice Cloche is no match for Duvivier;his screenplay is derivative and almost devoid of interest;this is a long flashback which tells us how a country girl rises to stardom;her attentive escort(Georges Flament) is now a stage manager,now a boxer ,now a journalist ,and he is not particularly handsome as the romantic young lead .

Best moment:Romance loses her petticoat on stage much to the theater owner's dissatisfaction (but to the audience's joy!)