Children of Paradise
Directed by Marcel Carné • 1945 • France
Starring Arletty, Jean-Louis Barrault, Pierre Brasseur
Poetic realism reached sublime heights with CHILDREN OF PARADISE, widely considered one of the greatest French films of all time. This nimble depiction of nineteenth-century Paris’s theatrical demimonde, filmed during World War II, follows a mysterious woman (Arletty) loved by four different men (all based on historical figures): an actor, a criminal, a count, and, most poignantly, a mime (Jean-Louis Barrault, in a longing-suffused performance for the ages). With sensitivity and dramatic élan, director Marcel Carné and screenwriter Jacques Prévert resurrect a world teeming with hucksters and aristocrats, thieves and courtesans, pimps and seers.
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Children of Paradise
Directed by Marcel Carné • 1945 • France
Starring Arletty, Jean-Louis Barrault, Pierre BrasseurPoetic realism reached sublime heights with CHILDREN OF PARADISE, widely considered one of the greatest French films of all time. This nimble depiction of nineteenth-century Paris’s theatrical demimon...
Extras
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Terry Gilliam on CHILDREN OF PARADISE
This introduction by filmmaker Terry Gilliam was recorded in London in April 1999.
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CHILDREN OF PARADISE Commentary
These audio commentaries for parts one and two of CHILDREN OF PARADISE feature film scholars Brian Stonehill and Charles Affron respectively. They were recorded in 1991 and 2000.
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CHILDREN OF PARADISE: Restoration Demonstraton
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Once Upon a Time: CHILDREN OF PARADISE
This 2009 documentary by Julie Bonan details the making of CHILDREN OF PARADISE and its impact on French cinema. It features interviews with film scholars Edward Turk and Pascal Ory and director Bertrand Tavernier, as well as archival interviews with the film’s cast and crew.
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The Look of CHILDREN OF PARADISE
The following video essay by Paul Ryan looks at the design of CHILDREN OF PARADISE and features sketches by its screenwriter Jacques Prévert, production designer Alexandre Trauner, art director Léon Barsacq, and costume designer Mayo.
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Rebecca Miller on CHILDREN OF PARADISE
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The Birth of CHILDREN OF PARADISE
In this 1967 film, director Peter Gehrig travels with production designer Alexandre Trauner to Nice, where much of CHILDREN OF PARADISE was shot, and revisits the making of the film with members of the cast and crew. Gehrig also discusses the movie’s influence on the New Wave with such filmmakers...
