Once Upon a Time (1933 film)

Once Upon a Time
Directed byLéonce Perret
Written byFrancis de Croisset (play)
Produced by
Starring
CinematographyVictor Arménise
Music by
Production
company
Distributed byPathé Consortium Cinéma
Release date
  • 6 October 1933 (1933-10-06)
CountryFrance
LanguageFrench

Once Upon a Time (French: Il était une fois) is a 1933 French drama film directed by Léonce Perret and starring Gaby Morlay, André Luguet and Andrée Ducret.[1][2]

It was shot at the Joinville Studios in Paris. The film's sets were designed by the art director Guy de Gastyne.

According to Perret's biographer, critics found that the film, based on a play by Francis de Croisset,[3] "bordered on the conflict between theatre technicians and film studio technicians".[4]

Cast

Production and reception

The film features in its cast various actors who reprised the roles they had on stage in the production of the play (Max, Mauloy, Dubosc, Bara)[5] This film adaptation was a lesser success than the play but also than other later screen versions (Molander's and then Cukor's).[5]

References

  1. ^ The A to Z of French Cinema p.306
  2. ^ La Revue musicale (in French). Editions Richard-Masse. 1934.
  3. ^ Moules, Patrick (28 July 2020). The 9.5mm Vintage Film Encyclopaedia. Troubador Publishing Ltd. ISBN 978-1-83859-269-1.
  4. ^ Taillé, Daniel (2006). Léonce Perret, cinématographiste (in French). Association "Cinémathèque en Deux-Sèvres". ISBN 978-2-9526128-0-7.
  5. ^ a b Boterf, Hervé Le (1 January 1995). Harry Baur (in French). Pygmalion (réédition numérique FeniXX). ISBN 978-2-403-02870-6.

Bibliography

  • Dayna Oscherwitz & MaryEllen Higgins. The A to Z of French Cinema. Scarecrow Press, 2009.