At the time of its production, Children of Paradise was the most expensive film ever made in France. More interestingly, it was made during the Nazi occupation. The film combined the talents of the most renowned director and screenwriter of the 1940s, respectively Marcel Carne and Jacques Prevert.
Children of Paradise is often compared with Gone With the Wind. There are certainly similarities: both films are set in the 19th Century, both are over three hours long, both were expensive productions, and both had labyrinthian romantic entanglements between the main characters.
But the characters from Gone With the Wind do not cross over well to counterparts in Children to Paradise. Garance (Arletty) is more graceful, but far less determined, than Scarlett O'Hara. The same could be said for charming hedonist Frederick (Pierre Brasseur), the weak link to Rhett Butler. Mime extraordinaire Baptiste (Jean-Louis Barrault), devoted wife Nathalie (Maria Casares), foppish and wealthy intellectual Monteray (Louis Salou), and cynical criminal Lacenaire (Marcel Herrand) have no corresponding character at all.
It is true that both films are remarkably close to each other in terms of quality and historical importance. But perhaps comparing the two films is simply a promotional tactic to get English speaking audiences to see the film.
Children of Paradise is treasured primarily for its elegant, memorable, and romantic characters. But the dazzling film also has notable crowd scenes, both in the streets and in the theater. We see several plays within a play, most of which feature mime performances from Barrault. Americans have been culturally trained to regard mimes as irritating and effiminate. But it is easier to shallowly assign to a category, than to recognize as a legitimate art form something that one does not understand.
Arletty is arguable miscast; born in 1898, she is presumably too old to portray the love object of all four major male leads. While not a fantastic beauty, she has the natural grace that is more essential for the role.
Part of the allure of Children of Paradise comes from the mythology that surrounds its production. It would take a vast amount of research to separate fact from fiction, and the truth is always more complex than could ever be encapsulated anyway.
Legend has it that the release was deliberately delayed until France was liberated; that the cast and crew had many members of the resistance movement; that there were Jewish crew members who were hunted by the Nazis; that the production itself was kept hidden from the Nazis; that starving extras ate the buffets that were to be used as set pieces; that the film's story contains numerous allegories to the Nazi occupation; that the film was broken into separate halves to circumvent Nazi restrictions against films more than 90 minutes in length; that Jean-Louis Barrault was taught to be a mime by Etienne Decroux, who plays Baptiste's father in the film.
But even if the truth is that certain elements of the production actually collaborated with the Nazis, at least to a certain degree, it does not impact the quality of the film. The film is a definite fact, and it can speak very well for itself. Many people consider Children of Paradise to be the best film ever made. It is probably the best film in the French language. The depth of character, plot, and performance puts to shame most so-called 'classic' American films. (93/100)
Filmed during the German occupation this French milestone centers around the theatrical life of a beautiful courtesan and the four men who love her. V...More at Family Video
Set in the theater district of early 19th-century paris,children of paradise re-creates a glittering world of backstagelife. Four men-to mime debureau...More at Buy.com Marketplaces
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