La maternelle

Any french movie lover should see this charming story of a young rich woman who lost everything (Madeleine Renaud) and becomes a school maid for poor children. And she gives all her love to these poor kids after having been abandoned by her family, not falling in booze and prostitution. She is helped by a first maid, the extraordinary Mady Berry, who played popular jobs (concierge, cook, hotel boss, grosser, housekeeper, eggs seller, ...), a true french excentrique actress. Madeleine Renaud and Mady Berry, what a team. It could be another french melo of the 30's, but it remains intelligently realistic and all the kids sequences are marvellous. The direction is also intelligent, each shot tells an information and there are fine travellings. Be touched by that lost girl abandoned by her prostitute mother, she shall also lose everything. How did Madeleine Renaud became poor? Perhaps we'll know with a restored french print with missing footage. The giant subtitles in the american print are disastrous and should of course disappear, and the sound need some serious boost. Let's hope.