Noite de Alerta

This film from 1945 France is a little bit of fluff. The quality level of the production is modest at best, the tone feels too light during air-raid alarms (even for a romantic comedy), and the acting feels stagey. However, it has its moments, and it entertained me. The story of the young Romeo and Juliet couple (Georges Marchal and Micheline Presle) is pretty standard, but the growing attraction between their feuding parents (Saturnin Fabre and Gabrielle Dorziat) is very cute. The battle for dominance in the marriage of two café owners was also amusing.

Most of all, though, I loved seeing Josephine Baker, who is a delight. How fantastic it is to see her in this role, without the least hint of a stereotype. Her musical numbers don't have a wow factor, and her dance routines are toned down, but the joy on her face and her charisma really come through. The movie was filmed in 1940 and not released for five years because of the war, meaning she was 34 and had been in Paris for 15 years. You see the wisdom in her moving to France, because, as she put it, "One day I realized I was living in a country where I was afraid to be black." It's an average film, but I gave it a little bonus, because to see her is special.

Sometimes it seems especially true for pictures from the 30s and 40s, more than elsewhere in cinema at large, that passing diversion is sometimes clearly prioritized for a feature more than concrete narrative or judicious storytelling. In that timeframe this is understandable in light of World War II, and the long build-up to it, but some films nonetheless age better than others. It's not that 'Fausse alerte,' more widely known as 'The French way,' isn't enjoyable, but decades later it's less remarkable and memorable than many of its contemporaries, predecessors, and successors. There is a specific story being told, but it's loosely threaded, and the scene writing comes across as more robust with its flavors of light humor, variable levels of drama, and/or romance. Even as Josephine Baker stars in the role of a cabaret starlet, all instances of song or dance feel like pleasant little nothings to blithely add to the overall entertainment value, and pad out the length, rather than meaningful inclusions. Charming as the cast is, contributing earnestly to the movie, whether by their acting particularly or perhaps Jacques de Baroncelli's direction some instances come off as a tad forced and contrived. One way or another, what this all amounts to is that this 1940 release doesn't really stand out by any point of comparison.

In fairness, the picture gathers some strength as the abbreviated length draws on. And despite the weaknesses that hold it down, 'The French way' is still a good time as it tells the tale of a young couple whose single parents are at odds, and the cabaret singer who kindly offers to help them resolve the quandary. This serves its purpose and offers a bit of amusement for a while. The crew are to be commended for fine work, certainly, including swell sets, costume design, and hair and makeup. Mind you, I'd have preferred if Michel Duran's screenplay, or possibly Baroncelli's realization of it, were tightened and more attentive to the plot; as it progresses the plot does the cinematic equivalent of a bicyclist lackadaisically weaving back and forth across the width of a path while moving forward. I suppose one could argue, as I've seen noted elsewhere recently, that modern audiences are too obsessed with Plot and have forgotten how to just appreciate a feature for what it is. Yet, emphasizing my point, frankly Baker's character isn't even important to the story, and it would have taken as little effort to write "Zazu" out of the film as it took to write her in, thereby significantly reducing further what is already a brisk runtime. Call me a cynic, but that strikes me as pointedly indicative of weak film-making.

Still, like I said - this serves its purpose. It's light, frivolous fun, made and released at a time when frivolity could scarcely have been more lacking or needed. It's nothing to get excited about, or to go out of one's way to see, but it's not bad. There are countless other titles one could be watching instead, but if you're looking for a small fluff piece to pass the time, then this pretty well fits the bill. 'The French way' isn't distinctly special in a way that would earn it recognition as a time-honored classic, but it's good enough to provide a distraction, and sometimes that's all cinema needs to be.

Baker has almost no presence in this film, unfortunately, aside from several musical numbers which are not fantastic. Maybe it was just the video I had, but the movie seemed uninspired visually, dark and boring, especially the musical numbers. Or maybe it was wartime budget restrictions. See this one last.

No, this isn't a Josephine Baker vehicle, but neither is she just a cameo. It's an ensemble film, and she fits in well, adding her spirit and charm without upstaging any of the rest of the cast.

French sophisticated comedy was a different flavor from the American screwball comedy of the period, but just as funny if you understand the French outlook. More understated, more accepting of folly as the status quo.

Basically this is a Romeo & Juliette tale. The feud between the families arose because the father of the young man published research proving that the great-x-grandmother of the young woman had NOT had an affair with Napoleon. This was seen by mademoiselle's mama as besmirching the honor/sustaining-myth of her family. If this premise doesn't at least make you smile, then this isn't the film for you.

Being comedy rather than tragedy, of course the lovers manage, with the aid of Baker, a charming clochard (hobo), and a couple of air-raids, to finally bring the families together so they can marry.

Not a great film, but not a bad one either; a reasonable evening's entertainment if you like the Gallic take on life.

"Fausse alerte " is not among the best of De Baroncelli's prolific body of work ;his forte is the adaptation of classic literature such as "l'Arlésienne " "Michel Strogoff" "les mystères de Paris " and his towering achievement "la duchesse de Langeais".

But it's a pleasant harmless little comedy ;there's no central character ,but the excellent cast gives the movie substance: Gabrielle Dorziat and Saturnin Fabre are neighbors ,enemies like Montaigu and Capulet : their daughter and son (Micheline Presles and Georges Marchal ,both on the threshold of a brilliant career , a singer and her manager - Josephine Baker performs several tunes ,including "oiseau des îles " ," non,Nina " and "it's a long way to Tipperary " ; Jean Tissier is her manager.

But all in all , they are all outstripped by Lucien Baroux as the tramp who does not want to hear of working and who treats a former army pal on the house ,a café owned by his friend Honoré (Aimos) and his cantankerous missus (Palmyre Levasseur ) ; this threesome is irresistible and steals the show: Honoré is always under his shrew's thumb,except during the alarms in the shelters where he reigns over everyone for he is chief of district and responsible for the security of the inhabitants .He's proud of his whistle.

Made in 1940 , but released five years after ,for a good reason. Baker 's final song is a salute to the allies ,and though it's not the Occupation yet, the meaning of the film is to show that their quarrels are futile ,because war is here, Romeo is about to join the air force ,and it's time to all stand together.