Guitry, S.

...Although Dreyer's first talkie, Les Vampires (1931), which was made in three languages: French, German, and English, was a commercial failure, Clair's first talkie, Under the Roofs of Paris (1930), which explored "sound counterpoint," became France's "manifesto for talkie films." Following the success of films such as L'Herbier's The Yellow Room (1930), which achieved an experiment unique to talkies by translating the credits into audio, i.e., reading them aloud, instead of displaying them as text on the screen, French films entered the age of talkies. Two notable theatrical figures of this period were Marcel Pagnol and Sacha Guitry (father and son). Pagnol in particular was inspired by the fact that his plays had been adapted for film, first by Alexander Korda ("Marius," 1931), then by Louis Gasnier ("Topaz," 1932), and finally by Marc Allégret ("Fanny," 1932). In 1933, he founded the film magazine Les Cahiers du film, which promoted the idea that silent films should be replaced by pantomime. He developed a unique theory of talkies, stating that while previous films were the embodiment and perfection of modern cinema, talkies are the embodiment and re-creation of theatre. He founded his own film company, built a studio in Marseille, and began producing and directing himself, adapting films such as Angèle (1934), César (1936), The Second Sprout (1937), Le Sprüst and The Baker's Wife (both 1938), and bringing success to famous actors with a Marseilles accent from the south of France, such as Rehmieux and Fernandel. At the same time in Paris, Sacha Guitry, the playwright, director and actor of boulevard theatres, known as the "god of theatre," also turned one of his plays into film after another, and in films such as "The Tale of the Lamp" (1936) and "The Pearl of the Crown" (1937), he introduced a new style to film through his thorough use of storytelling, the art of "narration" (later exerting a strong influence on Orson Welles), and together with Pagnol, he came to occupy a unique place in the history of French cinema.

*Some of the terminology that mentions "Guitry, S." is listed below.

Source | Heibonsha World Encyclopedia 2nd Edition | Information

…そして仏独英3ヵ国語版が製作されたドライヤーのトーキー第1作《吸血鬼》(1931)は興行的に失敗するものの，〈音の対位法〉を探求したクレールのトーキー第1作《巴里の屋根の下》(1930)はフランスの〈トーキー映画の宣言〉となり，また，クレジットタイトルを画面に文字で出す代わりにすべて音声化，すなわち朗読してしまうというトーキーならではの試みを実現したレルビエ監督《黄色の部屋》(1930)などの成功をへて，フランス映画はトーキー時代に入る。　この時期に注目されるのは，マルセル･パニョルとサッシャ･ギトリー(ギトリー父子)という2人の演劇人の活躍で，とくにパニョルは，自作の戯曲がまずアレクサンダー･コルダ監督によって(《マリウス》1931)，次いでルイ･ガスニエ監督によって(《トパーズ》1932)，そしてマルク･アレグレ監督によって(《ファニー》1932)映画化されたのに刺激され，33年には映画雑誌《レ･カイエ･デュ･フィルム》を創刊し，サイレント映画がパントマイムの具象化であり完成であったのに対して〈トーキーは演劇の具象化であり再創造である〉という独特のトーキー映画論を展開，自分の映画会社を創立し，マルセイユに撮影所を建設して，みずから製作･監督に乗り出し，《アンジェール》(1934)，《セザール》(1936)，《二番芽》(1937)，《ル･シュプンツ》《パン屋の女房》(ともに1938)等々を映画化，レーミュ，フェルナンデルといった南フランスのマルセイユなまりの名優に成功をもたらした。同じころパリでは〈芝居の神さま〉といわれたブールバール劇の作者であり演出家であり俳優であるサッシャ･ギトリーも自作の戯曲を次々に映画化し，《とらんぷ譚》(1936)，《王冠の真珠》(1937)等々で徹底的な話術，〈語り〉の芸で映画に新形式をもちこみ(のちにオーソン･ウェルズに強い影響を与えた)，パニョルとともに，フランス映画史に特異な地位を占めるに至った。…

※「ギトリ，S.」について言及している用語解説の一部を掲載しています。

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