Octuor de France

A silent movie by Julien Duvivier (1925) taken from a novel by Jules Renard
France – B & W Tinted – 1h48 – Stereo
Arte Video
Music : Gabriel Thibaudeau interpreted by the Octuor de France.

Young “Carrot-Top”, given this nickname by a mother who detests him, does not suffer every indignity without rebelling. To him, a family is just a bunch of people who can’t stand each other. Why should he care if his big brother, Felix, is stealing money from their parents to keep a honkey-tonk singer ? The tenderness he receives from little Mathilde and the affection of the maid, Annette, can never make up for his mother’s loathing and his father’s indifference. Nevertheless, when his father learns that Carrot-Top is contemplating suicide, he intervenes. Finally taking his son by the hand, he forges a bond which reassures and consoles a boy who thought he was the shame of the family.

A silent movie by Julien Duvivier (1930) taken from a novel by Emile Zola
France – B & W – 1h29 – Stereo
Arte Video
Music : Gabriel Thibaudeau interpreted by the Octuor de France.

Denise, an orphan, moves to Paris to live with her uncle whose small shop is being put out of business by the glamorous department store, Au Bonheur des Dames, just across the road. Fascinated by modernity and progress, Denise decides to work in the store. But her first days are extremely difficult. When she is unjustly dismissed, the store manager, Gustave Mouret, reinstates and promotes her. Soon he declares his love for her.

A silent movie by Jacques Feyder (1923/25)
France – B & W – 1h57 – Stereo
Arte Video
Music : Antonio Coppola (2003) interpreted by the Octuor de France

In Saint-Luc in Switzerland, the highest village in Europe, Jean cannot accept his mother’s death. His father, Pierre Amsler, thinks about marrying again : he would like to marry Jeanne Dubois, herself a widow and the mother of a little girl, Arlette. Jean is convinced that his step-mother is cruel and the two children end up by hating each other.