"Premier Rendez-Vous" was made to show Danielle Darrieux to advantage :she was the star of the era and the director's then wife.But its screenplay is extremely well written ,full of humor ,and it's a comedy which compares favorably to the best contemporary American ones.A topflight supporting cast includes Fernand Ledoux,Louis Jourdan-later the par excellence Hollywood French lover-,Gabrielle Dorziat and ,uncredited ,Daniel Gélin and Georges Marchal among others.
Micheline is an orphan;to brighten her life,she has engaged a lengthy correspondence with a young man .She pretends she comes from a good family.One day she has a rendezvous with him and she escapes from the orphanage.She meets a man in a café :an old less-than-handsome man;he pretends he is not the one she's looking for.He is a Literature teacher in a high school for rich kids (male only).He takes Micheline to his home where she's got to hide cause he lives next to the school.
Good scenes: Micheline asking for a Manhattan (cocktail) in a lousy bistro cause that's what chic girls drink;an orphan,pretending to be fainting so as to allow Micheline to leave the rows;the heroine ,dressed up as a boy ,visiting the school (a scene that should have been more developed).
But behind the scenes,the other Henry Decoin appears.In France he's best remembered for his films noirs ("la Verite sur Bebe Donge" "non Coupable""les Inconnus dans la Maison" "La Fille du Diable"....)"Premier Rendez-vous" is admittedly a comedy ,but there are already elements of what will be developed later: Micheline's arrival in the teacher's house and the disturbing lighting effects;the teacher's humiliations.
Darrieux sings the title tune which was a big hit at a time when charts did not exist.Though old-fashioned,the song retains a certain freshness.
Micheline is an orphan;to brighten her life,she has engaged a lengthy correspondence with a young man .She pretends she comes from a good family.One day she has a rendezvous with him and she escapes from the orphanage.She meets a man in a café :an old less-than-handsome man;he pretends he is not the one she's looking for.He is a Literature teacher in a high school for rich kids (male only).He takes Micheline to his home where she's got to hide cause he lives next to the school.
Good scenes: Micheline asking for a Manhattan (cocktail) in a lousy bistro cause that's what chic girls drink;an orphan,pretending to be fainting so as to allow Micheline to leave the rows;the heroine ,dressed up as a boy ,visiting the school (a scene that should have been more developed).
But behind the scenes,the other Henry Decoin appears.In France he's best remembered for his films noirs ("la Verite sur Bebe Donge" "non Coupable""les Inconnus dans la Maison" "La Fille du Diable"....)"Premier Rendez-vous" is admittedly a comedy ,but there are already elements of what will be developed later: Micheline's arrival in the teacher's house and the disturbing lighting effects;the teacher's humiliations.
Darrieux sings the title tune which was a big hit at a time when charts did not exist.Though old-fashioned,the song retains a certain freshness.