Name: Il était une fois
Genre: Drama
Released: 1933-10-06
Rating: 6.4
Cast: Gaby Morlay, André Luguet, Andrée Ducret

Once upon a time, there was a child who was to become a lord.

Léonce Perret was mainly famous for his silent movies, particularly " enfant de Paris" and "le mystère des roches de Kador" ,both filmed on location ,which was rare in that era.

"Il était une fois " (=once upon a time" )is among his last works, in his handful of talkies (he died two years later); it is based on a debatable moral: when you become beautiful, you become virtuous,generous, honest!but they precise that there are kind ugly people ,all the same!

After a robbery in a surgeon's desirable mansion, an ugly girl with a shrill voice is given a new face by the generous doctor who happens to work in cosmetic surgery ;so now the viewer can see her face ,which was always hidden when she was the ugly duckling.

She was part of a gang of blackmailers and crooks ,but now she distances herself from this bad lot ; hired as a governess to help wicked uncle to do away with his very young nephew so that the criminal can get the aristocratic title of this little lord Fauntleroy( the action takes place in England) . But poisoning this adorable child , the governess would not, in a month of Sundays. Besides she falls in love with a loyal family friend.

A fair melodrama , well played by Gaby Morlay.

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.

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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.

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A poor, disgraced girl, belonging to a gang of criminals, is morally transformed by a cosmetic operation that makes her beautiful.

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Jean Bara and Gaby Morlay in Il était une fois (1933)

Il était une fois

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