silent film
A silent film is a film without synchronized recorded sound (or more generally, no audible dialogue). Though silent films convey narrative and emotion visually, various plot elements (such as a setting or era) or key lines of dialogue may, w ...
directed by
Jacques Feyder
Jacques Feyder (; 21 July 1885 – 24 May 1948) was a Belgian film director, screenwriter and actor who worked principally in France, but also in the US, Britain and Germany. He was a director of silent films during the 1920s, and in the 193 ...
. The film was known as ''Bill'' in the US and as ''Old Bill of Paris'' and ''Coster Bill of Paris'' in the UK. The restored film is now known for its cinematic
realism
Realism, Realistic, or Realists may refer to:
In the arts
*Realism (arts), the general attempt to depict subjects truthfully in different forms of the arts
Arts movements related to realism include:
*American Realism
*Classical Realism
*Liter ...
compared to many other films of the silent era . It is based on the 1901 novel ''L'Affaire Crainquebille'' by
Anatole France
(; born ; 16 April 1844 – 12 October 1924) was a French poet, journalist, and novelist with several best-sellers. Ironic and skeptical, he was considered in his day the ideal French man of letters.Crainquebille''.
Plot
Jérôme Crainquebille, is an ageing modest vegetable seller who has sold groceries from his cart in
Les Halles
Les Halles (; 'The Halls') was Paris' central fresh food market. It last operated on 12 January 1973 and was replaced by an underground shopping centre and a park. The unpopular modernist development was demolished yet again in 2010, and replac ...
market in
Paris
Paris () is the Capital city, capital and List of communes in France with over 20,000 inhabitants, largest city of France. With an estimated population of 2,048,472 residents in January 2025 in an area of more than , Paris is the List of ci ...
for over 40 years. One day, whilst waiting for a customer to give him his change, he is hassled by a policeman who insists that he moves on. When he protests, Crainquebille is arrested, supposedly for swearing at the policeman. Following a farcical trial, the old man is sent to jail, where due to the poor quality of his past life he enjoys the benefits of the free shelter and food.
On his release, however, his life continues to nose-dive: all of his past regular customers shun him, and, with no income, he turns to the bottle becoming an
alcoholic
Alcoholism is the continued drinking of alcohol despite it causing problems. Some definitions require evidence of dependence and withdrawal. Problematic use of alcohol has been mentioned in the earliest historical records. The World Hea ...
. He is reduced to a tramp that everybody loathes, and the sad old man is about to commit
suicide
Suicide is the act of intentionally causing one's own death.
Risk factors for suicide include mental disorders, physical disorders, and substance abuse. Some suicides are impulsive acts driven by stress (such as from financial or ac ...
when a young street boy called "Mouse" takes him by the hand to forget about the past and persuades him to make a fresh start.
Cast
*
Maurice de Féraudy
Maurice de Féraudy (born in Joinville-le-Pont on December 3, 1859 – died in Paris May 12, 1932) was a French songwriter, stage and film director, and actor at the Comédie-Française. He was the father of actor Jacques de Féraudy.
Life and car ...
as Jérôme Crainquebille
*
Félix Oudart
Félix Charles Oudart (8 June 1881 – 10 August 1956) was a French stage and film actor.Goble p.452
Selected filmography
* '' Crainquebille'' (1922)
* '' Abduct Me'' (1932)
* '' Toto'' (1933)
* '' Theodore and Company'' (1933)
* '' George and G ...
as L'agent 64
*Jean Forest as La Souris
* Marguerite Carré as Mme Laure
*
Jeanne Cheirel
Jeanne Cheirel (born Jeanne Augustine Baltazar; 18 March 1869 – 2 November 1934) was a French film and stage actress. Greco p.189 She was in the original cast of two of Georges Feydeau's plays '' Tied by the Leg'' (1894) and '' The Turkey'' (18 ...
as Mme Bayard
*
René Worms
René Worms (8 December 1869, Rennes – 12 February 1926, Paris) was a French auditor of the ''Conseil d'État''. He was the son of professor of political economics, Émile Worms.
Early life and education
Worms was educated at the lyceum of his ...
Armand Numès
Armand refer to:
People
* Armand (name), list of people with this name
*Armand (photographer) (1901–1963), Armenian photographer
*Armand (singer) (1946–2015), Dutch protest singer
*Sean Armand (born 1991), American basketball player
*Armand, ...
*
Françoise Rosay
Françoise Rosay (; born Françoise Bandy de Nalèche; 19 April 1891 – 28 March 1974) was a French opera singer, diseuse,''Design'', Volume 9 1965 p. 24 and actress who enjoyed a film career of over sixty years and who became a legendary figure ...
Preservation status
In 2005, a restored 35mm print was produced by Lobster Films in Paris in association with Lenny Borger, and was released on DVD by Home Vision Entertainment in 2006.SilentEra DVD entry /ref>