The French Had a Name for It ’24 – Part Two
A dynamic wrapup of a series that has never happened before, and might never happen again. Join us as we raise the curtain on the “lost continent of French film noir” one last time…
French ’24 Part Two brings 18 more French noirs into view beginning on Black Friday evening (Nov 29). While Part One focused on 1930s rarities, we now steer into the following decades — the 1940s through 1960s — to cover the full range of French noir that proliferated during the so-called cinéma de papa period, featuring films that have been unjustly maligned and forgotten.
Big names — Jean Gabin, Jeanne Moreau, Brigitte Bardot — are here, as always in unfamiliar titles you’ll enjoy so much that you’ll wonder how they could be so obscure. Joining them is another singular figure in film history — Erich von Stroheim, the maudit director driven from Hollywood for his excesses. We are thrilled to present four fascinating examples of his acting craft on Friday, Nov 29 and Sunday, Dec 1. Don’t miss this one-of-a-kind opportunity!
Thanks to the Roxie Theater for ten momentous years that have reshaped our conception of film noir and French film. We move to a new phase of “renegade operations” as we take a breather at 155 rare French noirs created from 1932-1974, 45 of which had never been screened in America. My long-gestating book will be at last be available to the curious and courageous (!), and look for updates on this ongoing project at the MIDCENTURY MADNESS Substack page. It’s been my privilege and good fortune to be the conduit for these exceptional films, which deserve a much more prominent place in film history. I hope to see both new and familiar faces at the Roxie as FRENCH 24 Part Two brings new rediscoveries and past festival favorites together in a glorious final celebration of the “lost continent of French film noir. À bientôt! —Don Malcolm
