"Casque d'Or" has long been an underrated movie and Jacques Becker an underrated director. It initially was a critical and commercial flop in France. Criticisms revolved around the mismatching star couple (Simone Signoret was almost as tall as Serge Reggiani, and more corpulent), the simplistic love story, minimal psychology and tragic ending. It was reassessed years later, notably by the "New Wave" directors, and now stands as a masterpiece, the best film of one of the best French directors.
The title literally means "Golden helmet", the main female role's nickname, after her blond hair. The movie is seemingly of the classic genre: image is black and white with a standard ratio of 4/3; the story is linear with regular pacing and no flashbacks; symbols are traditional (city versus countryside, interiors versus exteriors, the ill-fated café, the blind men at the end). However, this is only apparent:
We could hence qualify the movie as the quintessence of classic cinema announcing modern form, a "meta-classic". Likewise, it is more than a brilliant reconstitution of late-19th century France: its story and themes are timeless.
CONFLICTING MILIEUS
The movie is structured around social milieus: criminals, prostitutes, workers, bourgeois, policemen. You immediately recognise persons by their clothing: bourgeois criticise the prostitutes at the beginning; Leca tells his men "Don't wear a cap when coming to my place", etc. Each milieu has its own rules: criminals kill but do not betray; prostitutes help each other; workers do not take money if it is not earned. Symbolically, because Leca thought he could act above these rules, he will die: he has a cover-up work, he mingles with the police, he kills Anatole, he betrays Raymond, he breaks his promise to Marie.
Milieus do not mix. When they do, there generally is trouble:
In such an environment, the love story develops against the lovers' milieus. It is love at first sight, there is no explanation why they fall for each other, and it does not actually matter: what counts is their relationship and its consequences. Marie and Manda barely talk, which does not reduce, but on the contrary increase the strength of their relationship (although she does somewhat play with him at the beginning, maybe to test him).
GAZING & IMMERSION
In this context of social postures, people intensely stare at each other: gazes are crucial, more important than words. Notably, social segregation increases the importance of windows and openings through which characters look at other milieus.
Visually, gazing is articulated by:
This "in situ" viewing is reinforced by life-like elements: apparent simplicity of dialogues; strong presence of secondary roles, while the two main characters' dialogues are voluntarily reduced; collateral and seemingly pointless images (e.g. the memorable shot on the newly-wed in the church). All these increase the authenticity of the movie, yet transcended by superb image and direction, like artistic photos beautify reality.
In this movie where eyesight is key, the ending is signalled by two blind men singing: this exterior element disrupts all-important gazing and tragedy unravels. Their famous song "Le Temps des cerises" (The Period of Sherries) conveys a nostalgic message of short-lived happiness: it tells about summertime (that is brief) and love (that is gone); historically, it was an iconic tune during the 1871 Parisian revolt against oppression (that was crushed). Hence the song represents a transition between the beautiful hopes of the two lovers and the coming tragedy. This compelling allegory is reinforced by the repetition of the musical theme in different forms, binding the last scenes together in progressive culmination: the blind men sing; then an orchestra distantly plays off-screen; then a flute plays; ultimately the orchestra plays full-scale.
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"Casque d'or", fundamentally, is a story about impossible redemption and happiness. We believe the lovers can succeed when they spend idyllic moments in the countryside, away from the violent city. However there is no escaping one's milieu. Marie thought she could give up prostitution, but has to go back to Leca. Manda thought he could avoid being a delinquent (he previously spent five years in jail) to become a worker, but kills twice and is executed. In parallel to the love story, the infallible friendship between Manda and Raymond also cross milieus; yet both eventually die.
This tragic message and ending is somewhat smoothed by the movie's final image: Marie and Manda dance together, alone at last in the sunny open-air hall where they initially met. They swirl to the background, as if fading in Marie's memory.
The title literally means "Golden helmet", the main female role's nickname, after her blond hair. The movie is seemingly of the classic genre: image is black and white with a standard ratio of 4/3; the story is linear with regular pacing and no flashbacks; symbols are traditional (city versus countryside, interiors versus exteriors, the ill-fated café, the blind men at the end). However, this is only apparent:
- Image is exceptionally delicate, with subtle tones of grey, very sharp texture and deep focus.
- There is a strong thematic about image, gazing and immersion (see below).
- Psychology is condensed to emphasise form and other content: a modern feature.
We could hence qualify the movie as the quintessence of classic cinema announcing modern form, a "meta-classic". Likewise, it is more than a brilliant reconstitution of late-19th century France: its story and themes are timeless.
CONFLICTING MILIEUS
The movie is structured around social milieus: criminals, prostitutes, workers, bourgeois, policemen. You immediately recognise persons by their clothing: bourgeois criticise the prostitutes at the beginning; Leca tells his men "Don't wear a cap when coming to my place", etc. Each milieu has its own rules: criminals kill but do not betray; prostitutes help each other; workers do not take money if it is not earned. Symbolically, because Leca thought he could act above these rules, he will die: he has a cover-up work, he mingles with the police, he kills Anatole, he betrays Raymond, he breaks his promise to Marie.
Milieus do not mix. When they do, there generally is trouble:
- The worker Manda meets the criminal gang at the beginning: he fights with Roland.
- The prostitute Marie meets Manda around his workplace: she is insulted by his fiancée.
- Manda goes to the café where criminals gather: he kills Roland.
- Anatole who is close to the criminals warns the police: he is murdered.
- The final murder of the criminal Leca by the worker Manda happens at the police station: three milieus are involved.
In such an environment, the love story develops against the lovers' milieus. It is love at first sight, there is no explanation why they fall for each other, and it does not actually matter: what counts is their relationship and its consequences. Marie and Manda barely talk, which does not reduce, but on the contrary increase the strength of their relationship (although she does somewhat play with him at the beginning, maybe to test him).
GAZING & IMMERSION
In this context of social postures, people intensely stare at each other: gazes are crucial, more important than words. Notably, social segregation increases the importance of windows and openings through which characters look at other milieus.
- Raymond looks at Manda through the workshop window.
- The bourgeois watch inside the café through its window.
- The policemen open the shutter to see Manda after he killed Leca.
- When Manda announces Raymond is about to die, looks immediately turn towards his best friend Paul.
- After Raymond died, the four criminals angrily look at Leca who goes away: without a word, we instantly understand Raymond told them about Leca's betrayal before dying, and so does he.
- Logically, the movie ends on a final important gaze: Marie specifically goes to a hotel to see Manda being executed.
Visually, gazing is articulated by:
- Formidable deep focus: we see sharply very close and very far, as in real life;
- Frequent close shots: we seem to be part of the scenes;
- Frequent subjective shots: we see what characters see, notably Marie and Manda.
This "in situ" viewing is reinforced by life-like elements: apparent simplicity of dialogues; strong presence of secondary roles, while the two main characters' dialogues are voluntarily reduced; collateral and seemingly pointless images (e.g. the memorable shot on the newly-wed in the church). All these increase the authenticity of the movie, yet transcended by superb image and direction, like artistic photos beautify reality.
In this movie where eyesight is key, the ending is signalled by two blind men singing: this exterior element disrupts all-important gazing and tragedy unravels. Their famous song "Le Temps des cerises" (The Period of Sherries) conveys a nostalgic message of short-lived happiness: it tells about summertime (that is brief) and love (that is gone); historically, it was an iconic tune during the 1871 Parisian revolt against oppression (that was crushed). Hence the song represents a transition between the beautiful hopes of the two lovers and the coming tragedy. This compelling allegory is reinforced by the repetition of the musical theme in different forms, binding the last scenes together in progressive culmination: the blind men sing; then an orchestra distantly plays off-screen; then a flute plays; ultimately the orchestra plays full-scale.
-----
"Casque d'or", fundamentally, is a story about impossible redemption and happiness. We believe the lovers can succeed when they spend idyllic moments in the countryside, away from the violent city. However there is no escaping one's milieu. Marie thought she could give up prostitution, but has to go back to Leca. Manda thought he could avoid being a delinquent (he previously spent five years in jail) to become a worker, but kills twice and is executed. In parallel to the love story, the infallible friendship between Manda and Raymond also cross milieus; yet both eventually die.
This tragic message and ending is somewhat smoothed by the movie's final image: Marie and Manda dance together, alone at last in the sunny open-air hall where they initially met. They swirl to the background, as if fading in Marie's memory.