It's difficult to discuss why "The Triumph of the Rat" comes across as a rather strange title for this film without divulging major spoilers. Suffice it to say that the climax is a pretty odd kind of triumph...
I have to confess that I was somewhat prejudiced against it as a sequel to "The Rat" by the total omission of the character Odile without any explanation, when she had been so central both to the action and to the climax of its predecessor. This is possibly taking an entirely too serious approach to continuity in such productions! However, given that she was an apparently central part of the Rat's world in the previous film, and particularly (without mentioning spoilers) given the ending of that film, it was very disconcerting to find that not only was she not present, but that her former existence was not even acknowledged by so much as an allusion to her death or disappearance.
Instead, this story opens with the Rat - now 'Monsieur Boucheron' - living it up in high society, apparently the kept man of his old nemesis, Zelie de Chaumet. He is accepted by Paris as both wealthy and respectable; but as Zelie boasts, she made him and if she so chooses she can break him. Understandably, Boucheron is a little touchy on the subject of his origins. However, he still has some of the mischief-making spirit of the former underworld 'apache' in him; and when Zelie mocks his admiration for a titled lady, Madeleine de L'Orme, telling him the aristocracy will always remain above his touch, he gaily takes up the challenge, making a wager of it - "you'll see what a Rat can do!"
The rest of the film consists of the Rat's pursuit of Madeleine in accordance with his bet, and Zelie's revenge when she realises that, wager or no wager, he has switched his attentions to the other woman in earnest. This is not a great deal of plot with which to fill the entire succeeding portion of the film, and it is perhaps not surprising that a lot of the remaining time goes on showcasing Novello's versatility, as he 'suffers beautifully'.
There are some light touches of humour in the opening scenes, with the character of Rene Duval, would-be poet and ladies' man, seen as an unsatisfactory Silenus at the fancy dress ball, and with Boucheron's imperturbable indifference to Zelie's demands on him as he amuses himself reading a book in her boudoir. But a tamed, respectable Rat is dull stuff compared to the feral young gang-leader of earlier days, and to do it justice the script is evidently aware of this.
Even with the eventual return to underworld scenes, however, we never really see the old Rat back. It's a brave, and I think artistically justified, decision to have the hero actually *lose* the knife-fight in the White Coffin Club that marks a final flicker of his old spirit. Victory under those circumstances, while hallowed by cinematic tradition, would in reality have been improbable. But I did feel that beyond that the general air of defeat was taken too far. The Rat's titular triumph may be a moral one, but it came across as less than satisfying to this viewer.
That said, the later part of the plot does provide the opportunity for some effective and memorable scenes: in particular the moment when the girl Mou-Mou (her existence a nod to continuity with the first film) orders the crowd to dance, through her tears, and the Rat's scenes outside the restaurant and final confrontation with Zelie. And Novello *does* suffer beautifully. I couldn't help feeling, however, that the character had been hamstrung on a crucial level by refusing to allow him to be 'bad' - a bold rogue is more appealing than a plaster saint!
A contemporary review comments, tartly, "the climax just fizzles out, obviously to make way for a sequel." Sadly this was not to be the case - the eventual sequel, "Return of the Rat", ignored continuity in that respect altogether, thus leaving the end of this story forever unresolved.
(Edit: the Silent Films Curator suggested that one should regard the character discontinuities as being the alternate-reality version of "The Rat" -- showing what *would* have happened if the hero had accepted Zêlie's invitation to join her world instead of rushing home to rescue Odile. In other words, this is a Dreadful Warning! I'm not sure that Novello ever intended such an interpretation, but it works for me; and armed with such a moral let-out clause and forewarned as to the ending, I found myself thoroughly able to enjoy wallowing in Beautiful Suffering on a second viewing with great music and an enthusiastic audience. The beginning still strikes me as a little flat, but the ball scenes show some truly gorgeous staging, Novello has more mischievous moments than I had remembered, and yes, I did have a tear or two in my eye. Better watched with the lapse of a few months between the first film and the sequel, perhaps, rather than straight in a row as I tried before -- but the 'Rat' reprise was the unexpected highlight of the 'British Silents' festival, and went down to a storm of applause. Original rating upgraded from 6/10 to 8/10.)
I have to confess that I was somewhat prejudiced against it as a sequel to "The Rat" by the total omission of the character Odile without any explanation, when she had been so central both to the action and to the climax of its predecessor. This is possibly taking an entirely too serious approach to continuity in such productions! However, given that she was an apparently central part of the Rat's world in the previous film, and particularly (without mentioning spoilers) given the ending of that film, it was very disconcerting to find that not only was she not present, but that her former existence was not even acknowledged by so much as an allusion to her death or disappearance.
Instead, this story opens with the Rat - now 'Monsieur Boucheron' - living it up in high society, apparently the kept man of his old nemesis, Zelie de Chaumet. He is accepted by Paris as both wealthy and respectable; but as Zelie boasts, she made him and if she so chooses she can break him. Understandably, Boucheron is a little touchy on the subject of his origins. However, he still has some of the mischief-making spirit of the former underworld 'apache' in him; and when Zelie mocks his admiration for a titled lady, Madeleine de L'Orme, telling him the aristocracy will always remain above his touch, he gaily takes up the challenge, making a wager of it - "you'll see what a Rat can do!"
The rest of the film consists of the Rat's pursuit of Madeleine in accordance with his bet, and Zelie's revenge when she realises that, wager or no wager, he has switched his attentions to the other woman in earnest. This is not a great deal of plot with which to fill the entire succeeding portion of the film, and it is perhaps not surprising that a lot of the remaining time goes on showcasing Novello's versatility, as he 'suffers beautifully'.
There are some light touches of humour in the opening scenes, with the character of Rene Duval, would-be poet and ladies' man, seen as an unsatisfactory Silenus at the fancy dress ball, and with Boucheron's imperturbable indifference to Zelie's demands on him as he amuses himself reading a book in her boudoir. But a tamed, respectable Rat is dull stuff compared to the feral young gang-leader of earlier days, and to do it justice the script is evidently aware of this.
Even with the eventual return to underworld scenes, however, we never really see the old Rat back. It's a brave, and I think artistically justified, decision to have the hero actually *lose* the knife-fight in the White Coffin Club that marks a final flicker of his old spirit. Victory under those circumstances, while hallowed by cinematic tradition, would in reality have been improbable. But I did feel that beyond that the general air of defeat was taken too far. The Rat's titular triumph may be a moral one, but it came across as less than satisfying to this viewer.
That said, the later part of the plot does provide the opportunity for some effective and memorable scenes: in particular the moment when the girl Mou-Mou (her existence a nod to continuity with the first film) orders the crowd to dance, through her tears, and the Rat's scenes outside the restaurant and final confrontation with Zelie. And Novello *does* suffer beautifully. I couldn't help feeling, however, that the character had been hamstrung on a crucial level by refusing to allow him to be 'bad' - a bold rogue is more appealing than a plaster saint!
A contemporary review comments, tartly, "the climax just fizzles out, obviously to make way for a sequel." Sadly this was not to be the case - the eventual sequel, "Return of the Rat", ignored continuity in that respect altogether, thus leaving the end of this story forever unresolved.
(Edit: the Silent Films Curator suggested that one should regard the character discontinuities as being the alternate-reality version of "The Rat" -- showing what *would* have happened if the hero had accepted Zêlie's invitation to join her world instead of rushing home to rescue Odile. In other words, this is a Dreadful Warning! I'm not sure that Novello ever intended such an interpretation, but it works for me; and armed with such a moral let-out clause and forewarned as to the ending, I found myself thoroughly able to enjoy wallowing in Beautiful Suffering on a second viewing with great music and an enthusiastic audience. The beginning still strikes me as a little flat, but the ball scenes show some truly gorgeous staging, Novello has more mischievous moments than I had remembered, and yes, I did have a tear or two in my eye. Better watched with the lapse of a few months between the first film and the sequel, perhaps, rather than straight in a row as I tried before -- but the 'Rat' reprise was the unexpected highlight of the 'British Silents' festival, and went down to a storm of applause. Original rating upgraded from 6/10 to 8/10.)