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{{Short description|French film movement}}
{{Refimprove|date=December 2009}}
{{Infobox Film Movement
{{Infobox Film Movement
| name = Poetic Realism
| name = Poetic realism
| image =
| image =
| image_size =
| image_size =
| caption =
| caption =
| yearsactive = 1930s - 1940s
| yearsactive = 1930s–1940s
| country = [[France]]
| country = [[France]]
| majorfigures = [[Jean Renoir]], [[Jean Grémillon]], [[Jean Vigo]], [[Jacques Feyder]], [[Jacques Prévert]], [[Pierre Chenal]], [[Marcel Carné]]
| majorfigures = [[Jean Renoir]], [[Jean Grémillon]], [[Jean Vigo]], [[Jacques Feyder]], [[Jacques Prévert]], [[Pierre Chenal]], [[Marcel Carné]]
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| influenced = [[Italian neorealism]], [[French New Wave]]
| influenced = [[Italian neorealism]], [[French New Wave]]
}}
}}
'''Poetic realism''' was a [[film]] movement in [[France]] of the 1930s. More a tendency than a movement, [[Poetic]] [[Realism (arts)|Realism]] is not strongly unified like [[Film editing#Soviet montage|Soviet Montage]] or [[French Impressionist Cinema|French Impressionism]] but were individuals who created this lyrical style. Its leading [[filmmakers]] were [[Pierre Chenal]], [[Jean Vigo]], [[Julien Duvivier]], [[Marcel Carné]], the most significant director [[Jean Renoir]]. Renoir made a wide variety of films some influenced by the leftist Popular Front group and even a lyrical short feature film.<ref>Thompson, Kristin, Bordwell,David. (2010)"Film History: An Introduction, Third Edition". New York, NY: The McGraw-Hill Companies. p. 265-268</ref> Frequent stars of these films were [[Jean Gabin]], [[Michel Simon]], [[Simone Signoret]], and [[Michèle Morgan]].
'''Poetic realism''' was a [[film]] movement in [[France]] of the 1930s. More a tendency than a movement, [[poetic]] [[Realism (arts)|realism]] is not strongly unified like [[Soviet montage]] or [[French Impressionist Cinema|French Impressionism]] but were individuals who created this lyrical style. Its leading [[filmmakers]] were [[Pierre Chenal]], [[Jean Vigo]], [[Julien Duvivier]], [[Marcel Carné]], and, perhaps the movement's most significant director, [[Jean Renoir]]. Renoir made a wide variety of films some influenced by the leftist Popular Front group and even a lyrical short feature film.<ref name=":0" /> Frequent stars of these films were [[Jean Gabin]], [[Michel Simon]], [[Simone Signoret]], and [[Michèle Morgan]].


==Characteristics==
Poetic realism films are "recreated realism", stylised and studio bound, rather than approaching the "socio-realism of the documentary".<ref>Susan Hayward [http://books.google.com/books?id=S_UhBbyJFI0C&pg=PA150&lpg=PA150&dq=%22Marcel+Carne%22+%22poetic+realism%22&source=bl&ots=_H-4F92iq8&sig=Lu0SmugKzNegsVHUVLL71-YTDrQ&hl=en&ei=a4ebS8LGA6L40wTqr8zfAQ&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=1&ved=0CAUQ6AEwADgy#v=onepage&q=%22Marcel%20Carne%22%20%22poetic%20realism%22&f=false ''Cinema studies: the key concepts''], Routledge, 2006, p.151</ref> They usually have a fatalistic view of life with their characters living on the margins of society, either as unemployed members of the working class or as criminals. After a life of disappointment, the characters get a last chance at love, but are ultimately disappointed again and the films frequently end with disillusionment or death. The overall tone often resembles nostalgia and bitterness. They are "poetic" because of a heightened [[aesthetic]]ism that sometimes draws attention to the representational aspects of the films. Though these films were weak in the production sector, French cinema did create a high proportion of influential films largely due to the talented people in the industry in the 1930s who were working on them. The most popular set designer was Lazare Meerson. Major French composers that worked on the Poetic Realism cinemas were Georges Auric, Arthur Honegger, Josef Kosma, and Maurice Jaubert. Also, screenwriters who contributed to many of the films were Charles Spaak and Jacques Prévert.<ref>Thompson, Kristin, Bordwell,David. (2010)"Film History: An Introduction, Third Edition". New York, NY: The McGraw-Hill Companies. p. 265-268</ref> The movement had a significant impact on later film movements, in particular [[Italian neorealism]] (many of the neorealists, most notably [[Luchino Visconti]], worked with poetic realist directors before starting their own careers as film critics and directors) and the [[French New Wave]].
Poetic realism films are "recreated realism", stylised and studio-bound, rather than approaching the "socio-realism of the documentary".<ref>Susan Hayward [https://books.google.com/books?id=S_UhBbyJFI0C&pg=PA150& ''Cinema studies: the key concepts''], Routledge, 2006, p.151</ref> They usually have a fatalistic view of life with their characters living on the margins of society, either as unemployed members of the working class or as criminals. After a life of disappointment, the characters get a last chance at love but are ultimately disappointed again and the films frequently end with disillusionment or death. The overall tone often resembles nostalgia and bitterness. They are "poetic" because of a heightened [[aesthetic]]ism that sometimes draws attention to the representational aspects of the films. Though these films were weak in the production sector, French cinema did create a high proportion of such influential films largely due to the talented people in the industry in the 1930s who were working on them. The most popular set designer was [[Lazare Meerson]]. Composers who worked on these films included [[Georges Auric]], [[Arthur Honegger]], [[Joseph Kosma]], and [[Maurice Jaubert]]. Screenwriters who contributed to many of the films included [[Charles Spaak]] and [[Jacques Prévert]].<ref name=":0">Thompson, Kristin, Bordwell, David. (2010) ''Film History: An Introduction'', Third Edition, New York, NY: The McGraw-Hill Companies. p. 265-268</ref> The movement had a significant impact on later film movements, in particular [[Italian neorealism]] (many of the neorealists, most notably [[Luchino Visconti]], worked with poetic realist directors before starting their own careers as film critics and directors) and the [[French New Wave]].


==Notable examples==
==Notable examples==
Forerunners of Poetic Realism
Forerunners of the poetic realist movement include:
* ''[[La Petite Lise]]'' (1930) by [[Jean Grémillon]]
* ''[[La Petite Lise]]'' (1930) by [[Jean Grémillon]]
* Pension Mimosas (1934) by Jacques Feyder
* ''[[Zéro de conduite]]'' (1933) by [[Jean Vigo]]
* ''[[Le Grand Jeu (1934 film)|Le Grand Jeu]]'' (1934) by [[Jacques Feyder]]
* ''[[Pension Mimosas]]'' (1934) by [[Jacques Feyder]]
* ''[[Le Grand Jeu (1934 film)|Le Grand Jeu]]'' (1934) by Jacques Feyder
Leading filmmakers mid 1930s

Poetic realist works from leading filmmakers of the mid-to-late 1930s/mid-to-late 1940s include:<ref>[https://www.criterion.com/shop/collection/15-poetic-realism The Criterion Collection]</ref><ref>[https://www.empireonline.com/movies/features/poetic-realism-movie-era/ Movie movements that defined cinema: Poetic realism|Movies|Empire]</ref>
* ''[[L'Atalante]]'' (1934) by [[Jean Vigo]]
* ''[[L'Atalante]]'' (1934) by [[Jean Vigo]]
* ''[[La Bandera (film)|La Bandera]]'' (1935) by [[Julien Duvivier]]
* ''[[La Bandera (film)|La Bandera]]'' (1935) by [[Julien Duvivier]]
* ''[[La Belle Équipe]]'' (1936) by [[Julien Duvivier]]
* ''[[Carnival in Flanders (film)|La Kermesse héroïque]]'' (1935) by [[Jacques Feyder]]
* ''[[Les Bas-fonds]]'' (1936) by [[Jean Renoir]]
* ''[[La Belle Équipe]]'' (1936) by Julien Duvivier
* ''[[Pépé le Moko]]'' (1937) by [[Julien Duvivier]]
* ''[[Les Bas-fonds]]'' (''The Lower Depths'') (1936) by [[Jean Renoir]]
* ''[[Pépé le Moko]]'' (1937) by Julien Duvivier
* ''[[La Grande Illusion]]'' (1937) by [[Jean Renoir]]
* ''[[La Grande Illusion]]'' (1937) by [[Jean Renoir]]
* ''[[La Bête humaine]]'' (1938) by [[Jean Renoir]]
* ''[[La Bête humaine]]'' (1938) by Jean Renoir
* ''[[Le Quai des brumes]]'' (1938) by [[Marcel Carné]]
* ''[[Le Quai des brumes]]'' (1938) by [[Marcel Carné]]
* ''[[Hôtel du Nord]]'' (1938) by [[Marcel Carné]]
* ''[[Hôtel du Nord]]'' (1938) by Marcel Carné
* ''[[La Règle du jeu]]'' (1939) by [[Jean Renoir]]
* ''[[La Règle du jeu]]'' (1939) by Jean Renoir
* ''[[Le Jour se lève]]'' (1939) by [[Marcel Carné]]
* ''[[Le Jour se lève]]'' (1939) by Marcel Carné
* ''[[Remorques]]'' (1941) by [[Jean Grémillon]]
* ''[[Summer Light (film)|Lumière d’été]]'' (''Summer Light'') (1943) by Jean Grémillon
* ''[[Children of Paradise]]'' (1945) by Marcel Carné


==References==
==References==
{{Reflist}}
{{Reflist}}

== Further reading ==
* [http://www.universalis.fr/encyclopedie/realisme-poetique-cinema-francais/ COMOLLI Jean-Louis, « RÉALISME POÉTIQUE, cinéma français », dans ''Encyclopædia Universalis'' , consulté le 28 juillet 2019.]
* PINEL Vincent, "Réalisme poétique" dans PINEL Vincent, ''Ecoles, genres et mouvements au cinéma'', Larousse, Comprendre et reconnaître, Paris, 2000. p.&nbsp;184–185

==External links==
*[https://www.jstor.org/stable/44077588 Feyder's "Le Grand Jeu" and the Idea of Poetic Realism on JSTOR]

{{Film genres}}
{{Avant-garde}}
{{Modernism}}


{{DEFAULTSORT:Poetic Realism}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Poetic Realism}}
[[Category:Movements in cinema]]
[[Category:Movements in cinema]]
[[Category:Realism (art movement)]]
[[Category:Realism (art movement)]]
[[Category:1930s in film]]
[[Category:1940s in film]]
[[Category:Modern art]]

Latest revision as of 20:43, 24 November 2023

Poetic realism
Years active1930s–1940s
LocationFrance
Major figuresJean Renoir, Jean Grémillon, Jean Vigo, Jacques Feyder, Jacques Prévert, Pierre Chenal, Marcel Carné
InfluencesFrench Impressionism
InfluencedItalian neorealism, French New Wave

Poetic realism was a film movement in France of the 1930s. More a tendency than a movement, poetic realism is not strongly unified like Soviet montage or French Impressionism but were individuals who created this lyrical style. Its leading filmmakers were Pierre Chenal, Jean Vigo, Julien Duvivier, Marcel Carné, and, perhaps the movement's most significant director, Jean Renoir. Renoir made a wide variety of films some influenced by the leftist Popular Front group and even a lyrical short feature film.[1] Frequent stars of these films were Jean Gabin, Michel Simon, Simone Signoret, and Michèle Morgan.

Characteristics

[edit]

Poetic realism films are "recreated realism", stylised and studio-bound, rather than approaching the "socio-realism of the documentary".[2] They usually have a fatalistic view of life with their characters living on the margins of society, either as unemployed members of the working class or as criminals. After a life of disappointment, the characters get a last chance at love but are ultimately disappointed again and the films frequently end with disillusionment or death. The overall tone often resembles nostalgia and bitterness. They are "poetic" because of a heightened aestheticism that sometimes draws attention to the representational aspects of the films. Though these films were weak in the production sector, French cinema did create a high proportion of such influential films largely due to the talented people in the industry in the 1930s who were working on them. The most popular set designer was Lazare Meerson. Composers who worked on these films included Georges Auric, Arthur Honegger, Joseph Kosma, and Maurice Jaubert. Screenwriters who contributed to many of the films included Charles Spaak and Jacques Prévert.[1] The movement had a significant impact on later film movements, in particular Italian neorealism (many of the neorealists, most notably Luchino Visconti, worked with poetic realist directors before starting their own careers as film critics and directors) and the French New Wave.

Notable examples

[edit]

Forerunners of the poetic realist movement include:

Poetic realist works from leading filmmakers of the mid-to-late 1930s/mid-to-late 1940s include:[3][4]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ a b Thompson, Kristin, Bordwell, David. (2010) Film History: An Introduction, Third Edition, New York, NY: The McGraw-Hill Companies. p. 265-268
  2. ^ Susan Hayward Cinema studies: the key concepts, Routledge, 2006, p.151
  3. ^ The Criterion Collection
  4. ^ Movie movements that defined cinema: Poetic realism|Movies|Empire

Further reading

[edit]
[edit]
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