Forbidden Hollywood : Warner Treasures
As early as 1934, the dogmatic "Hays Code" censored American movies containing sexuality, violence, or moral “indecency.” However, between the advent of talkies and the Hays Code, Hollywood enjoyed several years of crazy freedom. The films broach sex, miscegenation, homosexuality; they feature gangsters and femme fatales, embodied by Mae West, Joan Crawford and Barbara Stanwyck... Directors like William A. Wellman, Roy Del Ruth and Clarence Brown offered a vision of the subversive, libertarian and social world, a spearhead of unprecedented feminism. These films will be shown on the big screen for the first time. A retrospective made possible by Warner France and USA.
A Free Soul by Clarence Brown (1931, 1h37)
The daughter of a lawyer falls in love with an elegant gangster that her father has successfully defended... A dark film with the remarkable Lionel Barrymore (Oscar for Best Actor), Clark Gable and Norma Shearer.
Villa Lumière Sun.13 9:30am | Lumière Bellecour Wed.16 9:45pm | Villa Lumière Sat.19 4:45pm
Night Nurse by William A. Wellman (1931, 1h15)
A freshly graduated nurse (Barbara Stanwyck) finds out that at her workplace, the doctor lets the children of the family die in order keep the inheritance to himself... A beautiful portrait of a woman and her fiery defiance against the hospital institution.
Pathé Bellecour Thu.17 4:45pm | Institut Lumière Fri.18 6:45pm | Lumière Fourmi Sun.20 2:30pm
Blonde Crazy by Roy Del Ruth (1931, 1h18)
Bert and Ann work at the same hotel, and quickly become a pair of inseparable scammers... An outlaw movie
of bold intrigue, beautifully directed.
Institut Lumière Sun.13 9am | Lumière Bellecour Fri.18 7:45pm | Cinéma Opéra Sun.20 2:30pm
Jewel Robbery by William Dieterle (1932, 1h13)
Vienna. A cheating baroness falls for an elegant thief during a jewel heist... A brilliant and cynical comedy of high society, robbery and seduction, starring William Powell and a dazzling Kay Francis.
Institut Lumière Tue.15 1:30pm | Lumière Bellecour Sat.19 7:30pm | Pathé Bellecour Sun.20 2:45pm
Red Dust by Victor Fleming (1932, 1h27)
In Indochina, the love triangle between the manager of a plantation, the wife of his friend and a friendly prostitute with magnetic charm... A great erotic drama with Clark Gable and Jean Harlow.
Institut Lumière Sat.12 5pm | Villa Lumière Mon.14 9am | Comoedia Wed.16 10pm
Red-Headed Woman by Jack Conway (1932, 1h22)
An ambitious woman seduces her married boss, using any means necessary to climb the corporate ladder of the Legendre Company... One of the more subversive films of the pre-code era - dark, incisive and comical, with the mythical Jean Harlow.
Lumière Terreaux Mon.14 2:30pm | Lumière Fourmi Wed.16 7pm | Comoedia Thu.17 10pm
Employees’ Entrance by Roy Del Ruth (1933, 1h18)
New York. A tyrannical and abusive director of a department store hires Madeline in exchange for one night
with her... An impertinent movie about triumphant capitalism, intertwining criticism and humor.
Villa Lumière Sat.12 11am | Institut Lumière Tue.15 9am | Lumière Terreaux Wed.16 2:30pm
The Mind Reader by Roy Del Ruth (1933, 1h13)
Chandra, a crook passing for a healer promoting miraculous products, travels the fairs of the country with his accomplice... A biting comedy and romance, painting a portrait of an America in the depths of the Great Depression.
Lumière Terreaux Tue.15 10:15pm | Villa Lumière Fri.18 9:45pm | Institut Lumière Sun.20 5:15pm
Baby Face by Alfred E. Green (1933, 1h14)
Despicably sexually exploited by her father, Lily Powers (Barbara Stanwyck) leaves for New York. She climbs the corporate ladder of a bank, using men as her stepstones to reach the top. A truly bold, provocative film that shocked America.
Institut Lumière Mon.14 9:30am | Lumière Bellecour Thu.17 7:30pm | UGC Confluence Fri.18 2pm
Female by Michael Curtiz (1933, 1h02)
Alison Drake confidently leads the company she inherited from her father. She falls for a stranger, who turns out to be on a mission to save her business from bankruptcy... an astonishing movie where the freedom of tone voices a criticism of capitalism.
Lumière Fourmi Mon.14 9:45pm | Cinéma Opéra Tue.15 2:15pm | Lumière Terreaux Thu.17 6:45pm
