Carnival in Flanders (1935)

Tells the story of the Spanish invasion of Flanders

Director:

Jacques Feyder

Writers:

Charles Spaak (short story), Bernard Zimmer (dialogue)

Stars:

Françoise Rosay, André Alerme, Jean Murat

5 wins & 1 nomination.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Françoise Rosay	...	Cornelia de Witte, Madame la Bourgmestre / Madame Burgomaster
André Alerme	...	Korbus de Witte, le bourgmestre / The Burgomaster (as Alerme)
Jean Murat	...	Le duc d'Olivarès / The Duke
Louis Jouvet	...	Le chapelain / The Priest
Lyne Clevers	...	La poissonnière / The Fish-Wife (as Lynne Clevers)
Micheline Cheirel	...	Siska
Maryse Wendling	...	La boulangère / The Baker's Wife
Ginette Gaubert	...	L'aubergiste / The Inn-Keeper's Wife
Marguerite Ducouret	...	La femme du brasseur / The Brewer's Wife
Bernard Lancret	...	Julien Breughel
Alfred Adam	...	Josef Van Meulen, le boucher
Pierre Labry	...	L'aubergiste / The Inn-Keeper
Arthur Devère	...	Le poissonnier / The Fishmonger (as Arthur Devere)
Marcel Carpentier	...	Le boulanger / The Baker
Alexander D'Arcy	...	Le capitaine / The Captain (as Alexandre Darcy)

Storyline

When the village of Boom, in Flanders, learns a Spanish Duke and his troops plan to pass the night, the 4-man army deserts and the Mayor plays dead; so the Mayor's wife organizes the townswomen to greet the invaders and preserve the peace with womanly wiles.

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Plot Keywords:

mayor | flanders | invasion | invader | duke | 

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Taglines:

First Prize winner of all French films

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Genres:

Comedy | History | Romance

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Details

Country:

France Germany

Language:

French

Release Date:

22 September 1936 (USA)

Also Known As:

Carnival in Flanders

Filming Locations:

Bruges, West Flanders, Belgium

Company Credits

Production Co:

Films Sonores Tobis

Technical Specs

Runtime:

110 min

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

This was the second non-fiction cinema film to be shown on British television (on 7 October 1938).

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Connections

Referenced in Un genio en apuros (1983)

User Reviews

The women's hour

"La Kermesse Heroique" is looked upon,in France ,as Jacques Feyder's apex as well as the beginning of his decline .

This is a colorful entertaining work,with wonderful settings ,costumes,actors ,folk songs and scenes inspired by the Flemish art (the mayoress' daughter is in love with a painter ,Jean Brueghel.) The director's wife,Françoise Rosay (who was also featured in the two previous works "Le Grand Jeu" and "Pension Mimosas " and would be the star of the next work "Les Gens Du Voyage" ) finds here the role of a lifetime : the mayoress character was probably inspired by the strong wives or servants we find in Molière's plays (Madame Jourdain,Toinette).Rosay has the first part of the movie for herself ,but she shares the acting honors with Louis Jouvet's mischievous part of the chaplain;an opportunity for Spaak to laugh at religion;during the banquet ,the nice innocent young ladies ask the ecclesiastic to tell them a tale of the Holy Office :the clergyman tells them the tale of a virgin whose body was covered with honey and licked by a he-goat,the guests have a wonderful time!And when the holy man ,leaving the town,is given chocolate by an inhabitant:he smiled, he thanks and gives her ,as a bonus, some indulgences!I hope she was not protestant.

In this Flemish town,where people are gathering for the fair ,men are cowards :as soon the coming of the Spaniards is announced,they hide their money ("superior significance women cannot understand" ),or they pretend that they are dead (the mayor).A false flash-forward depicts the cruelty of the invaders.

Not only the occupying forces treat the woman as ladies ,but they show romanticism - the mayoress dreaming of Italy, the chaplain marrying "Romeo" to "Juliet" - and a sense of humor -the duke has obviously guessed that the mayoress is not a widow.

Today,Feyder is eclipsed by Renoir ,Carné -who was here his assistant again ,after "Pension Mimosas" - or Duvivier;he seems to enjoy a good reputation abroad though;"Kermesse" and the two other works I mention above are essential viewing for anyone interested in the French cinema.