English films, French critics Part III -- 1958

This continues the series on the reaction of French critics to English films in the 1950s which I began with "English films, French critics Nov '55 - Dec '56" and "English Films, French Critics Part II -- 1957".

January 1958
House of Secrets and The Curse of Frankenstein were listed in this issue as released in Paris in the previous month. Neither was considered by the conseil.

February 1958
Checkpoint, Geordie, High Flight, The Naked Truth, Manuela, Wicked as They Come and The Bridge on the River Kwai all were listed as being released in Paris in this issue. None of these was graded by the conseil.
The Bridge on the River Kwai had been considered by the conseil des dix in the January issue. There, it received 19 stars. Jacques Doniol-Valcroze gave it 4 stars as did Pierre Braunberger. Jean de Baroncelli gave it 3 stars. André Bazin and Jacques Doniol-Valcroze as well as Georges Sadoul gave the film 2 stars. Eric Rohmer and also Henri Agel gave it 1 star. "Young Turk" Claude de Givray bulleted the film while Jacques Rivette abstained. The film was placed on the "ten best films for 1958" of Cahiers regulars Pierre Kast and Jean-Pierre Vivet and also Pierre Braunberger and Roger Leenhardt.

March 1958
The Long Haul, The Man in the Sky, Breakin' the Circle, Hell-Drivers and the documentary The Bolshoi Ballet were cited as having been released in Paris in the previous month. Hell-Drivers was the only film considered by the conseil. It received 3 stars, Georges Sadoul awarded it 2 stars and Positif's Robert Benayoun gave it 1 star. Jacques Doniol-Valcroze and Jacques Rivette bulleted the film. There were 6 abstentions - André Bazin and Eric Rohmer, plus Henri Agel, Jean de Baroncelli, Pierre Braunberger and Claude Mauriac.

April 1958
Only All at Sea is listed as being released in Paris. It was not considered by the conseil.

May 1958
She Played with Fire, Quartermass 2 and Seven Thunders were listed as being released in Paris in this issue. Only Quartermass 2 was evaluated by the conseil. One panelists - Robert Benayoun - awarded its complete score of 2 stars. Jacques Rivette as well as Henri Agel and Alan Doremieux bulleted the film. Charles Bitsch, Eric Rohmer, Jacques Doniol-Valcroze as well as Jacques Demy, Pierre Braunberger and Georges Sadoul all abstained.

June 1958
None of the three films - Across the Bridge, Doctor at Large and Ill Met by Moonlight - listed as being released in Paris - was rated by the conseil. July 1958 Happy is the Bride and Gideon of Scotland Yard were the only 2 English films entered as being released in Paris.
Of them, only Gideon of Scotland Yard which was directed by the American John Ford, a Cahiers favorite, was considered by the conseil. Jacques Rivette, as well as Robert Benayoun and Pierre Braunberger each gave the film 1 star. Charles Bitsch and Jean-Luc Godard as well as Henri Agel and Georges Sadoul bulleted the film. The editorial triumvirate at Cahiers - André Bazin, Jacques Doniol-Valcroze and Eric Rohmer .- all abstained.
Louis Marcorelles placed Gideon of Scotland Yard on his "10 Best films" list for 1958

August 1958
Carry On, Admiral, The Secret Place and The Yang-Tse Incident were released in Paris. None was considered. September 1958 Eight English films were listed as being released in Paris. Action of a Tiger, Seagulls over Sorrento, Dangerous Youth, Robbery under Arms, The Silent Enemy, The Story of Esther Costello, The Whole Truth and Woman in a Dressing Gown. There was no conseil that month.

October 1958
The Admirable Crichton and The Naked Earth were listed. Again,no conseil.

November 1958
Six English films were listed as being released in Paris. They were- The Abominable Snowman, Campbell's Kingdom, Chase a Crooked Shadow, The Smallest Show on Earth, The Revenge of Frankenstein and The Key.
Director Carol Reed's The Key which was written and produced by American expatriate Carl Foreman and starred William Holden and Sophia Lauren was the only one of the 6 to come before the conseil. It received 5 stars - one each from Jacques Rivette, Jean-Luc Godard, Charles Bitsch, Jean Domarchi, and Jacques Doniol-Valcroze as well as Jean de Baroncelli. The lone bullet was from Eric Rohmer. André Bazin, as well as Henri Agel and Pierre Braunberger abstained.

December 1958
3 films - The Big Money, Dunkirk and Intent to Kill. No conseil.


This series continues with English Films French Critics 1959