Toute la mémoire du monde (1956)

Director:

Alain Resnais

Writer:

Rémo Forlani (commentary)

Stars:

Jacques Dumesnil, Dominique Raoul-Duval, Phil Davis

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Jacques Dumesnil	...	Narrator (voice)
Dominique Raoul-Duval	...	Extra
Phil Davis	...	Extra
Chester Gould	...	Extra
Marie-Claire Pasquier	...	Extra
Denise York	...	Extra
Robert Rendigal	...	Extra
Benigno Caceres	...	Extra (as Benigne Caceres)
François-Régis Bastide	...	Extra
Agnès Varda	...	Extra
Monique Le Porrier	...	Extra
Juliette Caputo	...	Extra (as Giulietta Caputo)
Paulette Borker	...	Extra
André Heinrich	...	Extra
Joseph Rovan	...	Extra

Storyline

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Plot Keywords:

reader | statue | paris france | book | library | 

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Genres:

Documentary | Short

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Details

Country:

France

Language:

French

Release Date:

9 June 1966 (Finland)

Also Known As:

Alles Gedächtnis der Welt

Filming Locations:

Bibliothèque nationale - 58 Rue de Richelieu, Paris 2, Paris, France

Company Credits

Production Co:

Films de la Pleiade

Technical Specs

Runtime:

21 min

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Did You Know?

Connections

Featured in Architects of Thought (2008)

User Reviews

ALL THE WORLD'S MEMORY (Alain Resnais, 1956) ***1/2

Celebrated documentary short by soon-to-be “New Wave” film-maker Resnais about the mausoleum that is the Bibliotheque Nationale in Paris: whether consciously or not, it’s photographed in a way as to seem like an alien building from some sci-fi piece (a genre with which the director’s ensuing cerebral, maze-like work would be inextricably linked); indeed, it’s the stunning direction and indelible strains of Maurice Jarre’s music which elevate this one above being a mere documentary about a public library.

This fascinating film makes a case for both the intrinsic value of literature of any kind – back in a time when books (rather than the Internet) were the main source/store of information – and the often painstaking conservation of same for future reference, even by generations to come (the inference here being that an analogous consideration should be applied to film as well, involving a relatively similar process with respect to its maintenance).

Incidentally, ALL THE WORLD’S MEMORY is available on the R2 DVDs of both Resnais’ own LAST YEAR IN MARIENBAD (1961; released by Optimum) and Jacques Rivette’s playful but no less didactic CELINE AND JULIE GO BOATING (1974; a 2-Disc Set from the BFI)!