- Actors: Albert Préjean, Pola Illéry, Edmond T. Gréville, Bill Bocket, Gaston Modot
- Directors: René Clair
- Writers: René Clair
- Producers: Henri Diamant-Berger
- Format: Black & White, DVD-Video, Subtitled, PAL
- Language French
- Subtitles: English
- Region: All Regions
- Aspect Ratio: 4:3 - 1.33:1
- Number of discs: 1
- Classification: Unrated (US MPAA rating. See details.)
- Studio: Criterion
- DVD Release Date: 24 Sep 2002
- Run Time: 92 minutes
- Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars See all reviews (1 customer review)
- ASIN: B000067IY7
- Amazon Bestsellers Rank: 60,614 in Film & TV (See Top 100 in Film & TV)
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
Format:DVD
This story follows the fortunes of Parisian petty street criminals, and, in particular, street busker Albert (Albert Prejean). He falls in love with Pola (Pola Illery) but things don't work out as he plans....
This is a good film despite being full of detestable characters. Albert's best friend steals his girlfriend and is quick to fight with him, and another colleague is a pick-pocket who is responsible for sending him to jail. Then there is Fred (Gaston Modot), a womanizing leader of a street gang. Fred is also involved with Pola and he remains a nasty piece of work throughout the film. However, worst of all is Pola - what a slag! She sleeps with everyone and seems to have no loyalty. She leads Albert on and doesn't let him score with her in his bedroom. She sends very mixed signals.
This bunch of no-gooders ensures that we sympathize with Albert and root for him throughout the film as he is the only character that shows us any decency. He is far too good to be mixed up in the life that he leads. The way that the film ends can only be seen as a blessing for him.
The film is half silent and the use of sound and silence is effective in each particular section, eg, the fight scene which also contains a funny moment - watch as Albert is offered a selection of knives for his fight with Fred. He inspects them all and rejects them all with an air of superiority before giving Fred a quick slap around the head and starting the fight. Even though the film is French and so the talking sections sound like "hongh-hi-hongh-hi-hongh", this is an entertaining film with some excellent camera shots and a catchy main song.
This is a good film despite being full of detestable characters. Albert's best friend steals his girlfriend and is quick to fight with him, and another colleague is a pick-pocket who is responsible for sending him to jail. Then there is Fred (Gaston Modot), a womanizing leader of a street gang. Fred is also involved with Pola and he remains a nasty piece of work throughout the film. However, worst of all is Pola - what a slag! She sleeps with everyone and seems to have no loyalty. She leads Albert on and doesn't let him score with her in his bedroom. She sends very mixed signals.
This bunch of no-gooders ensures that we sympathize with Albert and root for him throughout the film as he is the only character that shows us any decency. He is far too good to be mixed up in the life that he leads. The way that the film ends can only be seen as a blessing for him.
The film is half silent and the use of sound and silence is effective in each particular section, eg, the fight scene which also contains a funny moment - watch as Albert is offered a selection of knives for his fight with Fred. He inspects them all and rejects them all with an air of superiority before giving Fred a quick slap around the head and starting the fight. Even though the film is French and so the talking sections sound like "hongh-hi-hongh-hi-hongh", this is an entertaining film with some excellent camera shots and a catchy main song.
Most Helpful Customer Reviews on Amazon.com (beta)
Amazon.com:
13 reviews
7 of 7 people found the following review helpful
Clair's first talkie is also one of his best.
15 Oct 2004
Format:DVD
This review is for the Criterion Collection DVD edition of the film.
"Under the Roofs of Paris" released as "Sous les toits de Paris" in France is Rene Clair's first film with sound in it.
The film is about two men in love with the same woman. when one is falsely accused of a crime and sent to jail, the other takes advantage of the situation to make it worse.
It is another of the musical comedies released by Rene Clair, three of which (including this one) are currently available on the Criterion Collection.
The print quality is not perfect which is to be expected of a film nearly 75 years old. But as always, Criterion does an excellent restoration. This one having been done under the supervision of the French.
There are some great special features also.
"Paris qui dort" (Paris Alseep), Clair's first film is included. It is a silent film about a scientist who used a ray gun to 'freeze' every person in Paris. Only some people in an airplane and the night watchman in the top of the Eiffel Tower are unaffected.
There is also a interview with the director and a trailer.
This is a great release and both films on here are worth watching
"Under the Roofs of Paris" released as "Sous les toits de Paris" in France is Rene Clair's first film with sound in it.
The film is about two men in love with the same woman. when one is falsely accused of a crime and sent to jail, the other takes advantage of the situation to make it worse.
It is another of the musical comedies released by Rene Clair, three of which (including this one) are currently available on the Criterion Collection.
The print quality is not perfect which is to be expected of a film nearly 75 years old. But as always, Criterion does an excellent restoration. This one having been done under the supervision of the French.
There are some great special features also.
"Paris qui dort" (Paris Alseep), Clair's first film is included. It is a silent film about a scientist who used a ray gun to 'freeze' every person in Paris. Only some people in an airplane and the night watchman in the top of the Eiffel Tower are unaffected.
There is also a interview with the director and a trailer.
This is a great release and both films on here are worth watching
5 of 5 people found the following review helpful
Difficult to follow, but interesting.
31 Oct 2001
Amazon Verified Purchase
This is a film from the transitional period between silents and sound. The film was shot without sound, then later dubbed. The result is a movie that is predominantly visual and this assists greatly if you have bought the V.H.S. version, because the subtitles are all over the place. Some dialogue has no subtitles whatsoever, some has titles for part of a conversation, and (maddeningly!) other parts have a subtitle half or even a quarter visible at the bottom of the screen. This is not the fault of Rene Clair however, who presents us with some great images of the streets of Paris, its low-life, and a peek inside the rented rooms of the poor people. The sound too is pretty good when you consider its original format, and the pretty but simple music conveys Clair's own enthusiasm to the listener.
The plot is somewhat incidental, but difficult to follow since it seems two near-identical men dressed in almost the same clothes are rolling dice to see who gets a girl. They are thwarted by a tough Parisian thief who looks uncannily like Basil Fawlty! But this does not really matter, just look at the sights and sounds of 1920s Paris, lovingly recreated in the film studio and see why Clair went on to become such a successful Hollywood director.
The plot is somewhat incidental, but difficult to follow since it seems two near-identical men dressed in almost the same clothes are rolling dice to see who gets a girl. They are thwarted by a tough Parisian thief who looks uncannily like Basil Fawlty! But this does not really matter, just look at the sights and sounds of 1920s Paris, lovingly recreated in the film studio and see why Clair went on to become such a successful Hollywood director.
4 of 4 people found the following review helpful
ALBERT AND LOUIS AND FRED AND POLA
31 Jan 2003
Format:DVD
Rene Clair's 1930 SOUS LES TOITS DE PARIS, a mostly-mimed musical, is about about two pals -- Albert and Louis -- who make a wager in the rain "under a Paris roof" (hence the title) to see who will go with pretty Pola. But alas she goes off with Fred! A series of complications way too complex to detail here ensue as the four characters mix and match until one is left alone singing in the rain on a Paris street.
This film, made silent and then dubbed with French dialog and music, is done with grace and charm in spite its melodramatic plot. Albert's calm detachment seems to insulate him from all danger and sorrow, while Fred seems to get away with numerous nefarious deeds. I liked this film and its dreamlike images and poetic story.
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