Pour un soir..! (1931)
Directed by Jean Godard

Film Review

This somewhat unsophisticated melodrama is the only known film to have been made by Jean-Godard and has only recently been recovered and restored.  The film would have easily past into obscurity were it not for the fact that it features legendary French film actor Jean Gabin in his first leading role, a fact which gives the film an historical importance which artistically it can scarcely merit.

Like a large number of early sound films, dialogue adds little and the film would perhaps have worked better as a silent work.  Instead of a specially composed score, the film uses a compilation of pieces of classical music, some of which are so inappropriate or distracting that parts of the film are rendered utterly absurd.  Equally off-putting is the fact that about a quarter of the film is taken up by irrelevant “padding”, material which is presumably intended to set the scene but which merely brings the narrative to a halt and causes the spectator to lose interest.  The worst offender is a lengthy dance sequence at the start of the film which seems to go on forever and ever...

Once the film has begun proper, things do improve greatly.  The camera work becomes more imaginative as the film progresses, accentuating the darkening mood of the narrative and giving heightened poignancy to its tragic conclusion.  (A pity this is marred by a totally inappropriate coda which drags the film out way beyond its natural ending.)   The acting is also rather good.  Jean Gabin has no difficulty winning our sympathy and is convincing both as a sailor and as a rejected lover.  His co-star, Colette Darfeuil, is equally effective as the film's femme fatale, combining a seductive feline beauty with any ice-cold amoral cruelty.  The two actors rise way above the second rate nonsense which is the film's script and, with a talent which would become more noticeable in later years, bring depth and poetry to what would otherwise have been a largely uninspired work.

Film Synopsis

The singer Stella Maria is the star attraction at a popular nightclub.  Seeing one of his comrades succumb to her lethal charms, a naval officer warns him off by relating the tragic story of a poor sailor who lost all that he had because of his love for this heartless siren.  It took place several years ago, when Stella was working in a small bar in the port of Toulon.  Jean, a sailor on leave, was instantly drawn to her and, after dancing with her, he realised that he was in love.

When she went away, Jean followed her to St. Tropez, and, overcome with desire, he forced his way into her bedroom.  Stella offered him no resistance.  Jean was left feeling that at last he had found true happiness.  But then, just a few days later, he saw his beloved Stella amusing herself with another man.  This was more than the young sailor could stand.  Driven insane by jealousy, he deserted his post and, believing he had killed his rival in a fight, he was driven to suicide...