Set in rural France during the Belle Époque era, Casque D’or (1952) essentially depicts a love triangle revolving around gangster’s moll Marie (Simone Signoret).
The plot kicks off in a simple and elegantly shot scene in an open air dance hall where Manda (Serge Reggiani) watches Marie dance with Roland (William Sabatier). This scene in many ways sets up not only the story but also the style of the film and its central performances. Almost all the information the audience needs about the characters, their motivations and their feelings towards each other is communicated simply through looks and staging with dialogue kept to a minimum. This theme continues throughout the film and it wouldn’t be a stretch to imagine that it could in fact, be silent and still convey the emotions of the characters thanks in no small part to astounding performances by Signoret and Reggiani.
Signoret’s Marie is in many respects an astonishing character both in the context of the film itself and in the world of cinema. The stunning beauty is able to show a remarkable range of emotions as Marie grows into a complicated and layered modern female film character, who seems to be trapped in the gender politics of the time.
Needles to say Marie’s story becomes more complicated in the films’ second act, with murder, crime and loyalty forming a dangerous backdrop to an ultimately doomed love affair between the beauty and the understated Manda.
The themes and style of the film bare more than a passing resemblance to 1942’s Casablanca and agreeably any fan of the American classic, which again sets a love story in a murky and dangerous world, will more than enjoy Casque D’or.
Like many films of the time the pace of the story can seem a little slow at times to a modern audience but all the groundwork laid in previous scenes both in terms of character development and plotting pays off in style in a brutally dark and heart-wrenching finale.
The new blu-ray version of the film enhances the experience. The crisp black and white photography looks incredibly sharp and in the all important closeups every subtle nuance of the performances can be seen in beautiful detail. The sound is also worth mentioning as the somewhat dated soundtrack never overpowers the minimal dialogue although both can be heard in perfect digital quality.
As a classic of its time, Casque D’or stands out, you’ve doubtless seen the story played out in many modern films, but here director Jacques Becker shows us how its done.
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