Paprika (1933 French film)

Paprika is a 1933 French comedy film directed by Jean de Limur and starring Irène Zilahy, René Lefèvre and Pierre Etchepare.^[1] It was based on a play by Max Reimann and Otto Schwartz. A German-language version Paprika had been released the previous year.

The narrative centers on Paul Charvin, a young bourgeois man who becomes romantically entangled with Ila, a cabaret performer who performs under the stage name "Paprika." The film opens with Paul's chance encounter with Paprika at a nightclub, where he is immediately captivated by her spirited performance and unconventional demeanor. This attraction sets in motion a series of comedic complications that form the backbone of the narrative.

Paul's infatuation with Paprika creates significant domestic tension within the Charvin household. His father, Max Charvin, represents the conservative values of the French bourgeoisie and vehemently opposes his son's association with a woman of the theater, whom he considers socially inappropriate.

The plot develops through a series of misunderstandings and deceptions as Paul attempts to pursue his relationship with Paprika while maintaining family harmony. His sister Juliette Charvin becomes inadvertently involved in the romantic complications, serving as both an ally and obstacle to Paul's romantic pursuits. The family's domestic staff, particularly the servant Urbain and the maid Albertine, provide comic commentary on the household's romantic upheavals while advancing the plot through their own subplot involving the character Anna.

The dramatic tension escalates as Paul must choose between family expectations and personal desire. Paprika herself emerges as more than a simple love interest, representing the independent "new woman" of the interwar period who challenges conventional gender roles and social expectations.

The resolution follows the classical structure of romantic comedy, reconciling the competing demands of love and social propriety through a series of revelations and compromises that allow the central romance to flourish while preserving family unity.

• Irène Zilahy as Ila
• René Lefèvre as Paul Charvin
• Pierre Etchepare as Max Charvin
• Christiane Delyne as Juliette Charvin
• Fernand Charpin as Urbain
• Germaine Michel as Albertine
• Maryanne as Anna

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

• Paprika at IMDb