La ronde (1950)

Director:

Max Ophüls

Writers:

Arthur Schnitzler (play)
Jacques Natanson (adaptation) ...

Release Date:

16 March 1954 (USA)

Genre:

Drama

Tagline:

A Wonderful Merry-Go-Round of Love With Eleven Stars

Plot:

An all-knowing interlocutor guides us through a series of affairs in Vienna, 1900. A soldier meets an eager young lady of the evening...

Plot Keywords:

Soldier | 1900s | Maid | Carousel | Wien

Awards:

Nominated for 2 Oscars. Another 1 win

Cast

Anton Walbrook	...	Raconteur
Simone Signoret	...	Leocadie, the Prostitute
Serge Reggiani	...	Franz, the Soldier
Simone Simon	...	Marie, the Housemaid
Daniel Gélin	...	Alfred
Danielle Darrieux	...	Emma Breitkopf
Fernand Gravey	...	Charles Breitkopf, Emma's Husband
Odette Joyeux	...	Anna, the Grisette
Jean-Louis Barrault	...	Robert Kuhlenkampf, the Poet
Isa Miranda	...	Charlotte, the Actress
Gérard Philipe	...	The Count

Runtime:

97 min | 110 min (1989 restored version)

Country:

France

Language:

French

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Iceland:12 | UK:A (1982) | UK:PG (1990) | UK:X (1951) (cut) | Finland:K-16 | Sweden:15

Company:

Films Sacha Gordine

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Dayereh (2000)

Soundtrack:

Der Reigen

A fanciful waltz through the ephemeral ballroom of love

Through a series of dove-tailing love vignettes, Max Ophüls offers us an enchanting film replete with some of the greatest acting talent French cinema has known. The brevity of the individual segments of the film does not greatly impair the quality of the characterisation or acting performance, and there are some very impressive moments, particularly the scenes with Jean-Louis Barrault (best know for his role in Les Enfants du Paradis) and Simone Signoret (Les Diaboliques and Casque d'Or).

The film is surprisingly - for a film of its age - pretty explicit about the sexual proclivities of the aristocracy and military men. That a respectable middle-aged married woman should seek an amorous adventure with a man half her age, whilst her wealthy husband carries on with a young woman barely out of her teens most probably caused a few raised eyebrows when the film was released in 1950 - particularly when the film is very much in the velvet-lined mould of the traditional pre-war French romantic film.

The most impressive aspect of the film, above the great acting and splendid direction, is its humour. This is a film that is unable to take itself seriously. The mysterious raconteur (superbly played by Anton Walbrook) endeavours to keep the merry-go-round of love happily on its course, but has a few technical problems on the way. It's reassuring to know that even all-knowing deities have their off-days.

Another strong point is Oscar Straus's musical score, particularly the raconteur's merry-go-round ballad which accompanies the film throughout, not unlike the cheery music of a real merry-go-round in a fairground.

This has all the ingredients of a great film. It is a fanciful waltz across the ephemeral ballroom of love, and it succeeds admirably.