The 1939 masterpiece that Hollywood tried to erase from history
In short: Marcel Carne's Le jour se lève is a cornerstone of poetic realism, famous for its innovative flashback structure and claustrophobic set design. Yet, this cinematic achievement faced systematic suppression by both the Vichy government and a Hollywood studio that attempted to destroy every existing copy to clear the way for a remake.
Released in France in June 1939, Le jour se lève follows François, a foundry worker who kills a manipulative dog trainer named Valentin. The film is structured as a long, tension-filled flashback, a narrative technique that predated the release of Orson Welles' Citizen Kane by two years. To heighten the protagonist's sense of entrapment, set designer Alexandre Trauner built a four-walled bedroom set, allowing for circular camera movements that were technically daring for the era.
The film's history is marked by repeated attempts at erasure. In 1940, the Vichy government banned the work, labeling it demoralizing. Following the war, the film faced a different threat: RKO Radio Pictures sought to remake the story as The Long Night. To eliminate competition, the studio acquired the distribution rights and aggressively hunted down and destroyed every copy of the French original they could find. For years, it was feared the film was permanently lost, though it eventually resurfaced in the 1950s.
Today, the film is recognized as a pinnacle of the collaboration between director Marcel Carne and writer Jacques Prévert, standing alongside Les Enfants du paradis. Its reputation was solidified early on, appearing in the inaugural 1952 Sight & Sound list of the ten greatest films ever made. Modern audiences can now view a restored version, released in 2014, which includes dialogue and scenes—such as a sequence featuring Arletty—that had been excised by wartime censors.
The narrative itself remains a haunting study of obsession and fate. As police surround his apartment, François reflects on his doomed romance with a florist's assistant, Françoise, and his entanglement with the deceitful Valentin. The story culminates in a tragic confrontation that leaves François with no path to freedom, ultimately leading to his suicide just as the police prepare to breach his room.
Opens the Intellect+ feed with this card first. Swipe up for the next one.
Sources
- Summary by Intellect · source: Le jour se lève
- Also: Wikidata — Le Jour Se Lève · CC0
- Also: Wikidata — Le Jour Se Leve · CC0
To cite this card, link to https://intellectplus.co.uk/app/entertainment-le-jour-se-l-ve.
How we source, check and correct cards: Editorial standards.
General information, not professional advice. Spotted an error? Flag the card or see corrections and complaints.
Intellect Plus is a visual educational discovery platform for exploring fascinating facts and ideas. Brain Food, Not Brain Rot. What is Intellect Plus?
Related
More in Films · More in Entertainment · Latest · A–Z · All topics
