Accusée... levez-vous!

"Accusée.... Levez-Vous!" begins well, as a celebration of sound and female flesh (in the form of underdressed French showgirls). In its combination of murder and show business, it predates the minor Hollywood classic "Murder At The Vanities" (1934). But when the action moves to the courtroom (as the title implies that it will), it becomes talky and overindulgent, especially in the case of an elder ex-actor / now-stage manager who is allowed to ramble on for centuries, for supposed comic effect. Still, the film boasts excellent use of sound, a well-done final unmasking of the killer, and a beautiful female lead (Gaby Morlay). **1/2 out of 4.

Gaby Morlay and André Roanne have spent their careers in the provinces, but now they are a featured act in a new Parisian revue. Then star Suzanne Delvé suggests to Roanne that he come visit her. He demurs because his wife wouldn't like it. Mlle Delvé shrugs, but during the act's dress rehearsal, makes loud comments about Mlle Morlay, and enrages her into shouting that she'll take notes from the director, but others should shut up. Mlle Delvé gets into a huff and insists the act be cut or Mlle Morlay replaced. Later, Roanne goes to her home to make peace.... but Mlle Delvé is dead in her dressing room, killed with the knife from Mlle Morlay's costume. At Mlle Morlay's trial, she is painted as a bad woman who ran away from home at 16, and is not married to Roanne.

Maurice Tourneur's first sound film has a lot of visual fireworks in the first half, with overhead shots of the revue's dancers during dress rehearsals, elaborate costumes, and a camera that follows people around, the MOS sequences covered with crowd noises. Later it settles down into a staid courtroom drama, weakened a bit by the fact that Charles Vanel shows up as Mlle Delvé's husband fresh out of prison, wanting money. This assuredly puts the audience on Mlle Moray's side, but weakens the suspense.

Visually, though, there's nothing to complain about in this movie. Tourneur may have to work harder to get his interesting camerawork in, but the atmosphere of the theater, based on the Casino de Paris, is nicely captured.

I found this movie rather disappointing because it seems to wander from documentary on show business to thriller. The film must have been shotin a studio as the stage seems small and crowded with dancers in ridiculous costumes. One suspects that Tourneur wanted to satirize that type of"revue" rather than give an objective view of it. Everybody seems to be bored during the rehearsal. As for the criminal part the search for the murderer is not credible and there is no clever detective to clear Gaby. Yet it is an example of the cinema of the thirties. One may prefer "Faubourg Montmartre" with the same Gaby Morlay (and Charles Vanel,again a bad guy).Here she already fiddles with her handkerchief which became a sort of fetish when she played on the stage. Cinema amateurs should also see "Le Bonheur" with Charles Boyer, one of her best roles.

...French talkies had happened.But ,with a few exceptions (Abel Gance filming a disaster movie: "la Fin du Monde") ,most of the directors contented themselves with filmed stage productions.Even if Maurice Tourneur's work was not performed on stage before ,its very structure speaks volumes: The first part takes place in les "Folies Bergères" on stage ;it begins with a revue complete with the military march "Auprès de Ma Blonde" ,scenes from the French eighteenth century or from a chocolate-box Russia ;the plot only begins after fifteen interminable minutes.

The second part takes place almost entirely in a courtroom,and the actors can overact in the good old theatrical way.

"Accusée levez-vous "is a moderately entertaining work by Maurice Tourneur whose best film ,"La Main du Diable", in the fantasy and horror film field,should appeal to people who like such works as "Rosemary's baby" or "the haunting" .

The plot: Gaby and her squeeze André are music hall artists in les Folies Bergères ;alas ,the star of the show covets him;she's slain and Gaby becomes the main suspect;she's soon arrested and tried for murder.

The most interesting,in this very banal detective story,is the way they treat Gaby;sometimes it predates Henri Georges Clouzot's work with Brigitte Bardot "La Vérité" (The Truth).Gaby lives with André ,but they are not married,they have been living in sin for six years.And however,the judge points out,Gaby was carefully taught,her parents wanted her to marry a well-respected man -but she did not want to and she left home- and she became an entertainer (although she says she is an artist),at the time a not so respectable occupation.

Gaby Morlay is well cast as the lead.Charles -Diaboliques- Vanel appears as the victim's shady husband.