Composer Enrid Damor knows nothing of the past life of his new wife Eve Dinant : she lived as a debauchee with an adventurer, Fred Ryce. Fred Ryce meets Damor's daughter, Claire, and tries t... Read allComposer Enrid Damor knows nothing of the past life of his new wife Eve Dinant : she lived as a debauchee with an adventurer, Fred Ryce. Fred Ryce meets Damor's daughter, Claire, and tries to marries her. He blackmails Eve. Enric learns something about her and Fred and composes a... Read allComposer Enrid Damor knows nothing of the past life of his new wife Eve Dinant : she lived as a debauchee with an adventurer, Fred Ryce. Fred Ryce meets Damor's daughter, Claire, and tries to marries her. He blackmails Eve. Enric learns something about her and Fred and composes a symphony to express his pain... A melodrama.
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- TriviaConsidered by many to be the first impressionist movie.
- Alternate versionsThere is an Italian edition of this film on DVD, distributed by DNA Srl: "UN GRANDE AMORE DI BEETHOVEN (1936) + LA DECIMA SINFONIA (1918)" (2 Films on a single DVD), re-edited with the contribution of film historian Riccardo Cusin. This version is also available for streaming on some platforms.
The cast strikes a dexterous balance between the more pronounced expressions that sometimes limit viewers' engagement, and the more subtle and life-like depth of feeling that would develop hereafter. Everyone gives a strong performance in my opinion, ably realizing their characters with their varied personalities and stark emotions; not to choose favorites, but I think Emmy Lynn especially stands out as beleaguered Eve Dinant. Were the picture more tightly centered on Eve it could easily have been slightly retooled as a psychological drama, and I believe Lynn quite illustrates the range and power befitting such prominence. This is hardly to count out co-stars like Séverin-Mars, Jean Toulout, or Elizabeth Nizan, all of whom show equal capability as far as I'm concerned. On a like note, though 'La dixième symphonie' may not be a grand opus like 'J'accuse' or later epic 'Napoleon,' Gance more than proves his strength as a director with this feature. Just as he built 1916's 'Les gaz mortels' with a taut vitality passing along earnest tension and suspension, here he orchestrates shots and scenes with a mind for maximizing the impact of any given moment, and as far as I'm concerned the result is effectively a drama that handily holds its own against any of its brethren. From the measured pacing of a scene, to shot composition, to his guidance of the cast, Gance shows why he was such a major figure in the film industry.
Granted, the tale Gance penned may not leap out as anything super special; as much as any narrative can be boiled down to its most rudimentary components, the story ideas here are rather tried and true. A woman is caught between the man she loves and a wicked person from her past who holds something over her, and drama ensues as that figure resurfaces and causes conflict. Be that as it may the plot is plentifully compelling in and of itself, and even if it weren't the movie is rich with detail in every capacity to make up for any deficiency. In his screenplay and in execution Gance pours considerable minutiae into each scene for us to fix our eyes upon. For that matter, from top to bottom 'La dixième symphonie' looks fantastic, including marvelously fetching sets and filming locations, and costume design. The hair and makeup are also wonderfully well done, helping each player to distinguish themselves and also accentuating the mood at any given time. There's even noteworthy, commendable care for lighting that lends to the ambience at any given time; while I find myself less certain that a few cutaways to a dancer in the latter half meaningfully serve the storytelling, the inclusions are well done in and of themselves, including modest effects, artful tinting and embellishment, and fine choreography performed by Ariane Hugon.
I don't necessarily think this is so brilliant and singular as to demand viewership, and it's probably not a title that will change the minds of anyone who has difficulty with the silent era. Nevertheless, this 1918 film is solid from start to finish, benefiting from terrific writing, direction, acting, and craftsmanship. It's more than suitably engrossing, entertaining, and satisfying throughout its ninety-odd minutes, and as events come to a head in the last act the proceedings reach an unexpected steady thrum of a fever pitch that's deeply gratifying. I may not agree that every choice made was the best one, yet subjective faults are far outweighed by the tremendous enduring value 'La dixième symphonie' otherwise represents, and any critiques just kind of fall away. Ultimately I had a splendid time watching, and I can only give this my heartiest recommendation; if you enjoy silent movies, this is very much worth exploring.
- I_Ailurophile
- May 16, 2023
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- The Tenth Symphony
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- Runtime1 hour 20 minutes
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- 1.33 : 1