The Cinema of France (review)

As a vital addition to the dynamic series in which it is published, this book illustrates both the pleasures and difficulties involved in choosing a small number of films to encapsulate the richness of twentieth-century French cinema. A similar task was undertaken by Susan Hayward and Ginette Vincendeau in French Film: Texts and Contexts (second edition 2000) in twenty-two single-film essays, nine of which mirror the twenty-four filmic selections made here by Phil Powrie. While the series rejects a 'best of' approach, it is evidently impossible to satisfy everyone in such an ambitious project, as the preface by Michel Marie and Powrie's own introduction forewarn us. Marie welcomes this new volume as an enriching 'foreign gaze' on his nation's cinema ( for, with the odd exception, the contributors are based at institutions outside France), while suggesting that this foreignness might explain the absence of directors such as Duvivier and Pialat who have received less international recognition than some of their compatriots. Ten of the individual studies focus on films released since 1980 (Marie hints at the necessity to appeal to a younger audience) and, indeed, the 'Cinéma du look' is a major player (Beineix, Besson and Carax receive a chapter each) at the expense of some of France's elder statesmen. Rohmer, Rivette and Chabrol do not make the final cut, for example; and legendary actor Jean Gabin is confined to an aside as none of his films are included. Nevertheless, while all readers will be able to debate the omission of significant figures, it would be difficult to dispute that Powrie has brought together inspiring articles by leading scholars of French cinema to create a rich body of work. Beginning with two films from the silent era (Napoléon and Un chien andalou), the chapters are arranged in chronological order through to 1997. Four of the selected films also find a home in Lucy Mazdon's study of popular cinema, France on Film (2001), but not all Powrie's choices would be easy film course options for both thematic and logistical reasons, as the inclusion of Lanzmann's Holocaust documentary Shoah (nine-and-a-half hours in length) exemplifies.

Each chapter follows a broad outline: a synopsis, a review of critical approaches to the film, and an analysis of a key sequence. Although Wendy Everett indicates the challenge of highlighting one 'typical' sequence in her exploration of Les Amants du Pont-Neuf, the overall format is highly successful. The experienced researcher will enjoy the original observations and fruitful close readings, and the new film student will naturally benefit from the clarity and accessibility of the commentaries. There is one minor irritation: there are no page numbers for the quotations from secondary sources, which is unfortunate for tutors who are stressing the importance of full and accurate referencing to undergraduates. However, those same tutors should be delighted by this book's rewarding content and ensure that it is an essential text on reading lists for both French and film students (all French quotations have been translated) for years to come.