The Insitut Lumiere soldiers on in the absence of the late Bertrand Tavernier with a series about 1930s French cinema that is fine as far as it goes, but compared to what Tavernier would have programmed, its 28-film, 4-director showcase must ultimately judged as something of a disappointment despite the classics appearing in its lineup.
Crime films from Pierre Chenal, Maurice Tourneur, Edmond T. Greville, Anatole Litvak, Robert Siodmak, and Kurt Bernhardt (the latter three on their way to Hollywood) should be included, along with many other examples from other genres.
Since the Insitut is providing bargain ticket prices for their show, I think they should go all out and give the students a proper education--especially given that their screening schedule extends to the end of May!
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