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Staring: Arletty, Jacques Baumer, René Bergeron, Jules Berry, Mady Berry
Director: Marcel Carné
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Product Details
Aspect Ratio: 1.33:1
Audience Rating: Unrated
Binding: DVD
Brand: Image Entertainment
EAN: 0715515050418
Format: Black & White, Dolby, DVD, Full Screen, Subtitled, NTSC
Label: Criterion
Manufacturer: Criterion
Number Of Items: 1
Publisher: Criterion
Region Code: 1
Release Date: 2009-09-15
Running Time: 93
Studio: Criterion
Theatrical Release Date: 1939

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Editorial Review
Description
One of the great works of 1930s poetic realist cinema, Le Jour Se Leve was Marcel Carne's third collaboration with screenwriter and poet Jacques Prevert. A story of obsessive sexuality and murder, in which the working-class Francois (Jean Gabin) resorts to killing in order to free the woman he loves from the controlling influence of another man, the film cemented the reputations of Gabin and Carne.

Customer Reviews

Carné gave eloquent voice to a mood of fatalistic, romantic pessimism..., 2007-01-03
In the late '30s and early '40s, the films of Marcel Carné gave eloquent voice to a mood of fatalistic, romantic pessimism... After the war, however, his career was a sad shadow of its former self...

Central to Carné and Prévert's conception of doomed love was Jean Gabin's proletarian antihero, trapped in darkened rooms and foggy streets while awaiting retribution for crimes he barely knew he might commit: in "Quai des Brumes," Gabin's deserter comes violently up against local gangsters in a battle over the girl with whom he has fallen suddenly, passionately in love; in "Le jour se Léve," surrounded by police but unable to contemplate surrender, he recalls the events leading to his shooting of a girlfriend's seducer...

Widely described as poetic realism, Carné's style is in fact anything but realist; the squalor, shadows, and smoky bars all externalize the hero's melancholy resignation to an unjust Destiny... Without Carné's expert control of atmosphere, the effect might seem merely picturesque, for rarely have solitude, alienation and death been imbued with such elegance and beauty...

Groundbreaking movie, 2006-10-30
In 1952, "Sight and Sound" presented their first Top Ten poll of the best movies of all time. Coming in a tie for 7th place was "Le Jour se Leve". As the 20th Century drew to a close, movie fans were given a treat in the form of the book "The New York Times Guide to the 1000 Best Movies ever Made". The book omitted movies from the silent era but was quite receptive to foreign-language films. Yet the book did not list "Le Jour se Leve" as one of it's top 1000 films. How does a movie go from top 10 to missing inclusion in the top 1000? Perhaps "Le Jour se Leve" cam claim the title of being, simultaneously, the most over-rated and under-rated movie of all time. Personally, I liked the movie when I saw it last night but I debated about giving it a 5 Star rating.

"Le Jour se Leve" is the story of a murder that strips away any semblance of suspense by giving the audience the victim and the murderer in the opening scene. It doesn't take much longer to clarify the motive as well. The movie's greatness is telling a love story within the context of our knowing its' extreme outcome from the start. This approach gives the audience a unique focus on each and every step of the developing romances as the films goes through a number of flashbacks. The main character is an easy-going laborer who stumbles into a relationship with a young woman. There is another man and that leads to another woman all of which we pickup on in successive flashbacks. There are a couple of minor twists that we don't see coming but the movie is very up-front with the plot.

"Le Jour se Leve" emerges into an intense romantic drama that develops the main characters in a method of excellance that was the likely reason for its' "Sight and Sound" Top Ten rating. The characters are of varying complexity and the talented cast, led by Jean Gabin, is outstanding. The direction by Marcel Carne is the key to the whole film. I could not recall a scene that didn't add to the movie's impact. This movie suffers from the key to its' own success; its' predictability. Once I understood that, I was able to appreciate its' excellence but I can't fault anyone who thought otherwise. "Le Jour se Leve" doesn't make my Top Ten but it certainly makes the top 1000 with plenty of room to spare.

Bruised People, Poetic Realism, Doomed Love, 2009-07-29
There is always more beneath the surface of a Marcel Carne film. It's all in the details such as the shots of a one-eared teddy bear in the attic reflecting the hurt of the man about to be terrorized by the police. This movie - a precursor of film noir - begins almost at the end when an honest laborer, beaten down by the system, kills another man out of passion and has to hide in an attic until the police finally break down the door..at daybreak. (French law provided that the police could not enter until dawn). The story of the events leading to this dark ending is told in flashback. There is an eerie sense of dread everywhere. For example the hero (or shall I say anti-hero) works as a sandblaster in a factory and when he works, he is sealed in a cold suit of metal...all the while dark, demonic shadows abound or sulfurous fumes escape. In the same scene, a flower girl arrives but loses the freshness of her plants because of the smoke.

Made in 1939, the film is also a warning to France which was on the eve of war with Fascist Germany and itself holed itself up - in isolation - until the inevitable disaster. (The Vichy government which collaborated with the Nazis forbade the showing of the film0.

As in so many of the great Marcel Carne films, the director is obsessed with doomed love. In those dark, edgy days leading up to the war, it must have seemed to Marcel Carne that happiness, while precious, is short lived - always on the verge of being snuffed out callously.

I cannot fault the pitch perfect, sad performance of Jean Gabin. Watch his eyes as he awaits his inevitable doom. Gabin - as Francois - portrays a sympathetic, bruised man. He loves an orphan perhaps because he himself was an orphan.

Of all Marcel Carne films, "Le Jour se Leve" is his most compelling metaphor for the impending disaster awaiting France. Poetic realism indeed.

One of the Classics of French Film, 2009-02-24
Le Jour se Leve (Daybreak) is one of the classics of French Film, starring the wonderful Jean Gabin as Francois, Arletty as Clara, Jacqueline Laurent as Francoise and the fascinating Jules Berry as Valentin. Le Jour se Leve tells the increasingly desperate story of a young laborer, holed up in his garrett apartment, waiting out the police who want to capture him. His crime? Francois shot a man who brought a gun to his apartment and talked about killing Francois. The movie, told in the still relatively new filmic device of flashbacks, unfolds the story of an uneasy quadrangle and why Francois acted as he did.

Director Marcel Carne uses Jacques Prevert's screenplay to create an atmosphere that is claustrophobic and despairing. As you watch this film, look for these small but telling details: the people who genuinely like Francois, the little photos and postcards tacked up on the walls and furniture in the rooms of Francois, Clara and Francoise, Francois' pride in his bike, the self-contained tidiness of his small room, Bolop the teddy bear, the cool black leather jacket Francois wears, the dogs in Valentin's stage act, the wistful musical theme, the brooch Francoise gives Francois, Arletty's eyes - which reveal more than her words do, and Jules Berry's amazing performance as a self-pitying "man of the world." This is one of the few Gabin films that I've seen so far where he openly wears his heart on his sleeve, declaring his love for his female co-star more than once, in a manner that is genuine and touching.

The film quality of the English subtitled version that I've seen is very dark toned, with scratches and pits and some jumpy cuts. (Perhaps this version offered by Amazon is cleaner). The English translation tells less than half of what the characters are saying, which isn't always a problem but does make some of the key scenes rather confusing. Yet this film, a fine example of the 1930's poetic realism movement, is worth seeing. It's one of the 8 or so GREAT movies that Gabin made during his first decade of making films. Along with Le Jour se Leve, La Grand Illusion, Pepe le Moko, Port of Shadows (Le Quai des Brumes) and La Bete Humaine (the Human Beast) are the 1930s Gabin films most accessible for most Americans.

When "Day" Is Done, 2006-07-31
As I watch the films of Marcel Carne I sit there and I'm amazed. How could someone be so blessed with talent? How do some people become so fortunate?

Carne is without question one of the greatest filmmakers that ever lived. I've only seen a small handful of his films, but, I don't need to see that much to recognize his genuis. Both of his films "Children of Paradise" and "Port of Shadows" rank among my all time favorite films. And "Daybreak" is just as good.

"Daybreak" actually has something in common with "Children of Paradise". Both films are anti-war parables. In fact, I think "Daybreak" does a better job of presenting its views.

Francois (Jean Gabin) has just killed a man, Valentin (Jules Berry) in a crime of passion. Both men were in love with Francoise (Jacqueline Laurent). The film then takes place in flashbacks as we see how Francois and Francoise meet and eventually fall in love. We also learn how Francois and Valentine meet and what leads to Valentine's ultimate faith.

After killing the man Francois locks himself in his room so the police cannot get him. He has now isolated himself from the world. At this point I should point out the film was made in 1939. World War 2 was on the horizon. Supposedly this film was released before the war started, but, people of Europe knew war was on the way.

When we look at the film from this context "Daybreak" is more than a story of doomed love. The film argues evil is on the way and in a world filled with hate and violence there is no room for love. And without love, we cannot survive. Lets also remember America did not enter the war at the beginning. Does Francois' action of isolationism reflect this country's stance on the war?

The movie was based on a story by Jacques Viot and written by Jacques Prevent, who also worked on "Children of Paradise". Prevent and Carne were quite a team. Their work together dwells deep into the conscience of the times. These films; "Port of Shadows", "Children of Paradise" and this film, are making social arguments in the most subtle of way but by the time the film is over, the effect is not only powerful but lasting.

Marcel Carne's films seem to be difficult to find in this country. I'm going to search though. With three movies he has turned me into a strong, devoted fan of his work. If you haven't seen any of his films I strongly suggest you do. And it doesn't matter where you start. Watch whatever you can find from him. In the end you'll realize, as I have, Carne is a master.

Bottom-line: A strong anti-war film that deserves to be compared to Carne's "Children of Paradise". Both films dwell deep into the public's conscience of the world around them. A powerful film!

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