Name: Partir
Genre: Drama
Released: 1931-09-14
Duration: 1 h 40 min
Rating: 4.8
Cast: Simone Cerdan, Jean Marchat, Ginette d'Yd

Jacques Largy has committed a crime: his guardian having squandered his fortune, he hit the latter, who broke his skull. To avoid being discovered, he decided to flee France for Indochina, aboard a ship of the Messageries maritimes, which is anchored in Marseille while waiting to transport a troupe of actors. He meets on the Old Port the star of the troupe, Florence, a friend.

As luck would have it, the tenor hired by the tour director has just died suddenly. Jacques, who has studied singing, will be able to replace him. He embarks under a false identity. The crossing will be punctuated by various incidents. During the stopover in Port Said, Jacques saves from a fight between sailors a passenger who had imprudently ventured into the port, Odette Nicolai.

Based on a Roland Dorgelès novel, a writer whose most famous book "les croix de bois" spawned one of the best movies dealing with the horrors of WW1 ( Howard Hawks' "road to glory" was more or less inpired by it too.)

"Partir" is the "escape from the French justice " subject ; in the thirties, the "légion étrangère" was the de rigueur way out ; in 1931, the légion was not yet fashionable, so our hero,who studied to become a professional singer , can join a troup of comedians en route to a world tour ;after all ,he did not mean to kill his guardian,it was an accident .

The voyage is monotonous and the screenplay melodramatic ; Jacques falls for Florence who is wooed by a weathy man,firts-class traveller on the liner ;although Odette ,a girl he saved , loves him dearly ,the future has nothing good in store for him.

The best in this sluggish story is the stopover in Port Said : it's filmed on location and it has an interesting documentary side ;the other ports of call , with no respect for the audience, use stock-shots.

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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Partir

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