" Crainquebille." Shown by the London Film Society The by-streets
of Paris come vividly to life in this French version of Anatole France's novel, directed by Jacques de Baroncelli. The passing crowds, the urchins, the housewives with their shopping baskets, the old costermonger pushing his barrow of vegetables—all these daily scenes are repro- duced with intimate fidelity. And the story of the old costermonger, who is accused of insulting the police and goes uncomprehenlingly to prison, is credible and pathetic. Anatole France wrote it as an attack on the routine accep- tance of unsupported police evidence. On the screen it becomes more of a general satire on human meanness, with incidental thrusts at legal vanity.
The old costermonger is finely acted by Tramel, and there are many neat sketches of Parisian types. The dramatic interest of the story suffers from lack of climax ; after the costermonger comes out of prison there is not much left to happen. The Starewitch puppets are introduced to depict his fantastic dream of law-court procedure, but the mechanical cleverness of this episode is out of tune with the general atmosphere. • However, as a study of street manners Crain- quebille is a brilliant piece of work, though probably too dependent on dialogue for public showing in England, even if captions were added.
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