Aventure à Paris (1936) User Reviews

Berry IS The Only Fruit

[writers_reign · 8/10 · 27 February 2017]

Whilst Arletty is the main reason for watching any film she chooses to grace with her presence Advenure In Paris was clearly designed as a vehicle for the great Jules Berry and he takes it by the scruff of the neck and shakes it until it yells Uncle. Marc Allegret shot this entry just as the National Front had triumphed at the polls and formed its one and only government albeit a short-lived one and the film catches and reflects the sense of exuberence in the air. Berry is in his element as a combination of Con Man and Casanova and we meet him first carrying out a successful seduction even as bailiffs are stripping his apartment at the behest of his landlord. Totally unfazed Berry approaches said landlord, a biscuit maker, and offers to help him promote his product and, as a bonus, fix him up with a woman. Enter Daniele Parola (who, in real life was the wife of producer Andre Daven) who ceased making films shortly after this, which was unfortunate as she was both gifted and attractive. She tumbles to Berry's game from minute one and despite fancying him like crazy introduces him to her cousin Rose and as Rose is played by Arletty, just coming into her own in 1936, the film moves up a gear; the two would feature twice more in far superior movies, Le Jour se leve and Les Visiteurs du soir, but as both were the work of the brilliant writer-director team of Jacques Prevert and Marcel Carne this is hardly surprising. Meanwhile Adventure In Paris remains a tasty Screwball Comedy-lite despite what the tame house reviewer at FilmsdeFrance might tell you. One to be savoured.

There are two kinds of men...

[dbdumonteil · 6 June 2010]

...some are fickle .....

And he IS fickle ! We will never know how the men of the second kind are ..

"Aventure A Paris" is a pleasant little comedy ,partly a musical;Jules plays the trumpet in his landlord's car ,performing one of the big hits of the era "Tout Va Très Bien Madame La Marquise" ;there's a stage performance ,with a topless girl -nudity was no problem for Marc Allégret who showed a topless blonde in her bed three years before in "Lac Aux Dames " -singing "Laissez Vous Faire" (C'est Un Corsaire)(=go on ,be a devil!/he's a corsair) ,with a reprise for the finale.Besides there are snippets of a hilarious song which goes like this: "celery,it ain't ,no it ain't ,spaghetti!"

A wealthy businessman who made his fortune in biscuits and wafers has a problem with women.A lady killer (Jules Berry) who is also his tenant short of the readies whose goods are to be seized wants to help him with his problem.His plan: he seduces a woman ,invites her to dine ;then he introduces her to his shy friend;then a phone call forces him to leave them alone together.Unfortunately things do not happen as expected ..

Arletty is a long time coming ,since she only appears in the last third.But when she appears ,she steals every scene she is in;and it's a joy to see her play opposite Jules Berry (greater collaborations would follow with "Le Jour Se Lève" and "Les Visiteurs Du Soir" ).