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La Roue

La Roue

1923
Drama
6h 57m
Sisif, a railwayman, and his son Elie fall in love with the beautiful Norma (whom Sisif rescued from a train crash when a baby and raised as his daughter), with tragic results. Originally running nine hours, this epic tragedy is notable for the way it foreshadows Gance's later 'Napoleon' in its use of innovative cinematic devices, particularly rapid cutting. (imdb)
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La Roue

1923
Drama
6h 57m
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Avg Percentile 71.86% from 152 total ratings

Ratings & Reviews

(152)
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Rated 25 Nov 2011
80
58th
Overlong and thin on story, Abel Gance's film remains eminently watchable. Its visual technique never fails to dazzle--varied use of filters, superimposed images, shots from all angles, creative framing, and an often aggressive use of montage all contribute to what is ultimately a tale told with visuals. However, 4.5 hours is inexplicable as a running time for what is essentially a simple melodrama of familial love and obsession.
Rated 19 May 2008
82
73rd
This film clearly advanced the art of cinema, with innovative techniques and visual poetry. POV shots, superimpositions, rapid cutting, expressive lighting. It's a lyrical work of art, one that impressed me with its craftsmanship and its contribution to film history. But the storyline of the film disappoints. You're asked to sympathize with characters who have rather unsympathetic desires. And there isn't enough meat in this simple melodrama to sustain one's interest for nearly 4 1/2 hours.
Rated 02 Mar 2008
62
39th
# 767
Rated 13 Dec 2013
7
92nd
what a phenomenal silent! over the course of 4 1/2 hours, we watch an unusual love triangle (or perhaps quadrangle) slowly fall to pieces as the lives of everyone involved turns to tragedy, with the film moving ever more slowly into languid despondency - though there's a little bittersweet happiness near the end. what stands out is the phenomenal photography and editing, particularly the great use of montage. and however much it toes the line of melodrama, it's also really emotionally involving.
Rated 19 Mar 2012
7
80th
My review of J'accuse (1919) sums up exactly how I feel about this one: "The visual style and inventiveness make this a great film, even with a not-so-great story. Gance is [severely] underrated."
Rated 18 May 2015
91
98th
A story in the most grandiose vein of the Romantic tradition. Gance is straining at every boundary he can find: the sheer length, the immensely innovative editing, the shifting wash of emotion and symbolism (our humble train engineer is by turn Sisyphus, Oedipus, and Christ--or is he all three at once?). The push towards psychological, expressive techniques is just astounding (particularly in the rapid montage sequences that proved so influential with the avant-garde types at the time).
Rated 28 Feb 2019
40
11th
sadece ilk part izlendi. Film 4 saat 33 dk :/
Rated 15 Sep 2020
67
60th
The plot, simply put, is slightly problematic: a man steals a small girl, gaslights his son into thinking she's his real sister and then both of them want to fuck her once she grows up. Even once you get past the supreme uncomfortableness of that central premise there's way too little story here for seven hours. Having said that, the images it creates are astonishing and several key sequences are simply thrilling filmmaking.
Rated 04 Jul 2022
80
78th
seven hours of convoluted trolley problems
Rated 13 Sep 2023
70
41st
Well done but 1. It does not have to be this length and 2. The love square aspects are pretty disturbing, and I'm not sure the film knows it, with the girl's adopted father and brother both falling in love with her. The editing is way ahead of its time with a very good understanding of how quick cuts can add to suspenseful scenes. In one scene the cuts are almost too quick for the eye to even track.
Rated 28 Dec 2023
80
78th
[Criterion 7-hour edition] While this certainly stretches an awkward storyline to its limits ("My father loves me, my brother loves me, but I miss the goat the most"), it's the way that it's all put together that kept me watching. Gance knew how to tell a story visually; he's like a magician that keeps pulling tricks out of his pockets. Fav scene: the poker game cheating, but that final train scene is heart-wrenching if you made it that far.

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