Coeurs joyeux

I usually agree with my esteemed colleague dbdumonteil who really knows French Cinema but I think here he underrates the charm this little film provides.It is an example of the interesting work still being done in a year of transition between silents and talkies; the story opens like a silent and there are several other scenes played out without dialogue.The crime robbery aspect in this mix of genres is not taken too seriously, as it would later be in a noir, the crooks don't go to strenuous efforts to keep the projectionist they've kidnapped (to show them footage of a jeweler they plan to rob) from spilling the beans.Some scenes suddenly turn it into a musical and others such as the ones with the irascible jeweler are played for broad laughs.It all culminates in a fast paced chase up and down a ship about to leave France. Director Hanss Schwartz is a subject for further research, he seems to have a flair for light operetta style material and he made at least one masterpiece, the silent The Wonderful Lies of Nina Petrovna with a great role for Brigitte Helm.

1932:The silent movies were already a thing of the past and "Coeurs Joyeux" (Happy hearts) paid a tribute to that era.It begins with a scene between two lovers silent age style and I guess the 1932 audience must have thought for a short while they'd been fooled.Actually it was a film in the film,for Gabin portrays a projectionist.There are several scenes treated as "silent" in the film notably the final in the harbor.

The story:Gabin is involved in a jewels robbery but help is on the way cause the gang's leader's sister is in love with him.It was written by Henry Koster,later a famous director (the robe).

Gabin is handsome and is the only reason why you would watch this.