Review of Le Million (1931) by Roy C — 27 Jan 2010

A thoroughly enjoyable frenzy of pitch-perfect comedy, tightly directed by Rene Clair. Clair was a notable influence on Chaplin, and it is easy to see that here; there is a perfect pinch of pathos sprinkled into all of this wackiness and no matter how far into the abyss these characters fall, we are always wholly connected to them.

This is really about as much fun as one can have watching a movie. Every situation, every character antic and every goofy musical number furthers the film's incredible charm. Along with its sense of fun, Clair's film is also of enormous significance for the history of the French cinema; this, one of the first synch-sound pictures the nation produced, stands as one of their proudest landmarks.