False Alarm (French: Fausse alerte) is a 1940 romantic comedy drama film directed by Jacques de Baroncelli and starring Lucien Baroux, Micheline Presle, Josephine Baker and Saturnin Fabre[1] [2] [3] The film's sets were designed by the art director Émile Duquesne and Eugène Lourié. It was filmed during the Phony War before the German Invasion. Delays to its release meant it was not given a full French premiere until 1945. It is also known as The French Way the alternative title it was later released under in the United States in 1952, with advertising heavily featuring American-born star Baker.

False Alarm
Directed byJacques de Baroncelli
Written byMichel Duran
Produced byJacques de Baroncelli
StarringLucien Baroux
Micheline Presle
Josephine Baker
Saturnin Fabre
CinematographyJean Bachelet
Edited byMadeleine Bonin
Charlotte Guilbert
Ralph Habib
Music byWal-Berg
Production
company
Flag-Films
Distributed bySocieté d'Exploitation et de Distribution de Films
Release date
  • 1 November 1940 (1940-11-01)
Running time
90 minutes
CountryFrance
LanguageFrench

Synopsis

edit

The children of two long-feuding Paris families, who live opposite each other, fall in love. The unshakable hatred between their families threatens their hopes, but eventually the intervention of cabaret star Zazu and the wartime spirit of unity allow them to overcome their differences.

Cast

edit


References

edit
  1. ^ Rège p.59
  2. ^ Sieglohr p.65
  3. ^ Jules-Rosette p.217

Bibliography

edit
  • Jules-Rosette, Bennetta. Josephine Baker in Art and Life: The Icon and the Image. University of Illinois Press, 2007.
  • Rège, Philippe. Encyclopedia of French Film Directors, Volume 1. Scarecrow Press, 2009.
  • Sieglohr, Ulrike (ed.) Heroines Without Heroes: Reconstructing Female and National Identities in European Cinema, 1945-51. Bloomsbury Publishing, 2016.
edit