Review by ulicknormanowen

"Arlésienne" has become a common noun in French:it refers to a person (or thing) which although much talked about ,neve appears;

First there was a six-page short story included in "les lettres de mon mounlin" ;three years later Alphonse Daudet developped his short story which became a play , including new characters such as Vivette ,in love with Jan (whose name was modified and became Frederi )

This first version is not at all inferior to Marc Allégret 's version of the forties starring Louis Jourdan and Raimu; Jacqus De Baroncelli made many films and it went against him; some of his works are to be re-discovered; "l'Arlésienne " of them .

With a good sense of mystery , the director uses shadows of the gardian's flame , showing sometimes her back ;the final wild ride is featured in both versions .But unlike Allégret 's version , action is kept to economical levels : Frederi's torment is the center of the work. Even though he knows that his love is a hussy whp has already a lover , nothing can heal his pain .

Much time is given over to a depiction of the Provences folklore : farandoles , bullfights-in which the director uses Bizet's music from "Carmen",the toreador's song";both "L'Arlésienne" and Mérimée 's work became operas by Georges Bizet;-

"La chèvre de Monsieur Seguin" (Monsieur Seguin's last kid goat) final part is told to Frederi's kid brother by a shepherd ;it becomes a transparent metaphor : a goat cannot beat a wolf ,and a boy madly in love with a girl who does not care for him , won't be able to overcome the pain .

Although the tragical ending is kept ,it is sweetened by the brat's intervention screaming "look at me mama , I love you".

One of the first French talkies, although it is basedon a play ,it never looks like filmed stage production, a feat for the time.