The Paris Commune of 1871 was a short-lived revolutionary government after the defeat of France against the Prussians. Later , its influence was important for the workers' right and the separation of the Church and the State ;women played a great part in these dark pages of the French history , some of them becoming famous (Louise Michel,whose name appeared relatively recently in history books); The "Versaillais" ,the troops of the Third Republic, reclaimed the power and the reprisals were ruthless: many rebels were massacred ,executed , imprisoned or deported .

It is René Richon's first film ,with minimum means ;most of the actors are not celebrities ,with a few exceptions (Philippe Noiret,Danielle Delorme , and older ones such as Henri Crémieux and Ginette Leclerc (last film) ).

The viewer waiting for an epic, a spectacular show of those bloody days won't get anything out of it. It is the depiction of the people of Montmartre where life goes on in spite of the shots they can hear in the distance. Humble people decide to take a rebel stand and they erect a barricade with all the stuff they can find ; they sketch out a political programme, but they find it hard to get on and it remains unmethodical .An ex-"enemy "joins them because the "International socialism " is a tree the roots of which grow in every country ;Eugène Pottier appears in the flesh and reads his poem "l'internationale" which would become an organising anthem :actually,it was written in June 1871 after the Commune was defeated and when Pottier was hiding in Paris ;but Noiret's impressive declamation is one of the great moments of the movie.

They are pacifist ,"they don't attack,they defend themselves ", one insurgent says,that's their first mistake ; a baby 's born and they want a baptism complete with godfather and godmother ; it predates what would become the "civil baptism" , frequent today ; one cannot call it "christening"because there's no priest and the "prayer" is none other than the "déclaration des droits de l'homme et du citoyen" ,written in 1789, drawing on philosophical ideas of the Enlightenment; but a man contests the right of property, foundation of man's exploitation by man .

The movie lasts almost two hours ,only five minutes are given over to the fights, and with a remarkable economy of means ; the pictures of a painter are superbly used .

A film without a central character ,without the usual impossible love story, uncompromising , definitely off the beaten track of the French cinema of the seventies.

French-language cinema, whether in France, Québec, or other Francophone regions, explores cultural identity, social change, and the tension between the individual and society. French cinema is not only celebrated for its intellectual experimentation and auteur traditions, but also its success in mainstream comedy, romance, and commercial entertainment. In Québec, films often focus on questions of language, belonging, and community within a distinct cultural landscape.

Jean-Pierre Léaud in The 400 Blows (1959)

The drama genre is a broad category that features stories portraying human experiences, emotions, conflicts, and relationships in a realistic and emotionally impactful way. Dramas delve into the complexities of human life, often exploring themes of love, loss, morality, societal issues, personal growth, with the aim to evoke an emotional response from the audience by presenting relatable and thought-provoking stories.

Mahershala Ali and Alex R. Hibbert in Moonlight (2016)

The history genre features recounting and analyzing past events, societies, cultures, and historical figures. This genre aims to provide insights into the development of civilizations, the causes and consequences of historical events, and the impact of individuals and ideas on the course of history.

The Biggest Movies and TV Coming in September

See which big screen releases you can watch from the comfort of your couch.

Theatrical Releases Coming to Streaming

Get a closer look at these actors from their many TV and streaming series roles.

Streaming Stars, Then and Now

Joëlle Coeur and Jacques Seiler in Playing with Fire (1975)

Anicée Alvina in Une femme fatale (1976)

La barricade du Point du Jour

Photos

Top Cast33

User reviews1

More like this

Related interests

Storyline

Did you know

Top picks

Details

Tech specs

Contribute to this page

More to explore

Recently viewed