Terry Gilliam on Children of Paradise (1945)

Terry Gilliam introduces Marcel Carné's Les enfants du paradis (France 1945).

[@danjameson1572]

those of us old enough to remember when this film ran around the repertory theatres remember....the inexorably deteriorating prints made us feel that the movie, and the world that went with it, was slowly disappearing before our eyes. Magical feeling.

[@ghtsw11]

Truly one of the great films. Arletty was great, as was Barrault and Brasseur. It was Maria Casares' first film and she is always fascinating and moving in all of her(few) films. However, the actor who fascinates you most is Marcel Herrand as Lacenaire. A really brilliant performance. Barrault, Brasseur and Herrand play historical characters. I would recommend reading a book about the making of the film. The trials and tribulations of making a film whilst your country is occupied by the enemy will only serve to enhance your enjoyment of a wonderful film. I should also mention that Marcel Carne worked, as he quite often did, with the poet Jacques Prevert as screenwriter. That makes the dialogue extra-special.

[@musasejdinovic]

what is the name of the book please?

[@ascendead]

Whats the name of the book?

[@user-mj3vn7yl9s]

the way terry ends this interview is exactly how I feel at this precise moment. Not having thought of this film in years, I'm overwhelmed with nostalgia at the thought of watching it again. brilliant!

[@yeomanadventures1549]

The behind the scenes story of this movie is as appealing as the movie itself,... To have a film made with thousands of extras during the Nazis occupation is incredible. The lives that were saved because of this movie should never be forgotten.

[@dougr.2398]

The knocking is not a drum (at the beginning). It is the sceptre (or mace) that used to be used by the leader of the orchestra which fell into disuse and was replaced by the much smaller baton when it caused the death of J. B. Lully by an infected foot

[@DrVonNostrand]

Don't ruin the magic for Terry please

[@lass-inangeles7564]

Thank you for the insights, Terry! Loved hearing your perspective on this great film. America is all about money. France is about artistry.

[@4-dman464]

Wonderful.

[@pangrac1]

Wow. What a testimony. 😮

[@salemfathi2532]

Bravo, Terry, and this film was shot at the start of the war...

[@danjameson1572]

this movie was a miracle, pure and simple...."c'est simple amour"

[@datgrrl5698]

" purement et simplment, c'est l'amour " Bien sur...

[@rykwon4535]

I really didn't understand this movie, fell asleep for part. I guess I'm more into modern cinema like Avengers and Hunger Games.

[@dougr.2398]

Nonsense the ending is that Baptiste is doomed to never see or touch Garance again. She has moved beyond him and he cannot or only must accept his God given wife

[@gretagarbeige]

Also, it might not be the last time. After all, Paris is a such small city for those who love each other...

[@robertgainer2783]

‘Children of Paradise’ is such a poor translation. ‘Children of the Gods’ is better. The ‘paradise’ that is referred to in the title is not paradise as we know it in English, but the highest tier in the theatre where the very poorest patrons would sit. The rich would be in the private boxes, the bourgeoisie in the stalls and circle, and in the upper echelons would be the poorest. This is known as ‘the gods’ in English, a reference to both the height of the vantage point and the Greek origins of theatre.