Hôtel du Nord

A very nice mix of sarcastic comedy and dark melodrama from Carné, clearly a dry run for Le Jour Se Lève. While it lacks the raw intensity of that one, it still has fine performances from a talented cast and a well honed script that juggles the various plot lines wonderfully.

Could've used Jacques Prevert, though then we probably wouldn't have gotten the immortal "Atmosphere! Atmospere!"

A modest life instilled with existential poetics, as much cognizance for the common working class as for the gangsters and forlorn lovers. The obvious studio recreation of a Parisian street scene lends this film something special, indeed an "atmosphere!" that feels microcosmic, crystalline, heightened. Melodramatic but tasteful, this is the epitome of an ideal we all have about classic French cinema. Did this world ever actually exist in anything other than the soft luster of black-and-white?

Hotel do norte tinha sua première há 85 anos em Paris. Se comparado a outras obras-primas do Carné, este seria um filme menor dentro de sua filmografia, mas um Carné menor ainda é um raio de jornada. Box Versátil O Cinema de Marcel Carné.

An early example of the love triangle, France's favorite form of melodrama (Carné himself would revisit it quite often, and his Children of Paradise has a double love triangle). Hotel du Nord is melodramatic to be sure but features so much excellent dialogue. The text is witty, thoughtful and vivacious. Arletty, in her supporting role, dominates the screen with a talent that dwarfs the rest of the cast.

Such a stimulating start with the failed suicide pack among lovers. The films most interesting aspect was dealing with the guilt, shame and awkward emotions dealing with Jean-Pierre Aumont chickening out of shooting himself after the first shot had been fired at Annabella. Another quality film from Marcel Carné, even if some of the story aspects didn't do much for me. Plenty of sub-characters with their own little thing going on helping this become a pleasing affair.