'Children's Corner' (1936)

Opening thoughts: Actually came across Marcel L'Herbier's 1936 short film 'Children's Corner' by chance when listening to some Debussy on Youtube and was immediately intrigued. The 'Children's Corner' was the work that introduced me to Debussy's music (listening to the orchestrated version on car journeys on a tape also containing orchestral Disney film medleys is one of my fondest childhood memories) and have loved his music since. It is not played or performed enough these days, do hope it is not to do with the title of the last and most famous movement featuring a character now considered politically incorrect.

This is a very charming and very well done short film. It is a shame that we don't hear the full suite, with only three of the six movements featuring. They being "Doctor Gradus ad Parnassum", "Serenade for the Doll" and the most famous movement "Golliwog's Cakewalk". Would have loved what the short would do with my favourite of the six movements "The Little Shepherd", but one can't have everything. As long as one doesn't mind that it's not the full work, 'Children's Corner' really is worth watching for anybody who loves Debussy and wants to have just under 10 minutes of childhood innocence.

Bad things: It isn't perfect, with the reactions of the other toys in the Cakewalk being on the cringeworthy and outdated side. Did feel too that it was a little too short and rushed, the full piece is not long at all (only 15 or so minutes) and structurally it was a little jumpy.

Did feel that the title cards slowed the momentum down a little, but understand their inclusion as introductions to the movements for those who don't know the piece.

Good things: So much comes off really well. While the production values are simple, they didn't come over as too primitive. Really liked the simplicity of the setting and how much like a children's nursery it resembled. It is nicely photographed and loved the little girl's costume and the effects of the various toys coming to life. Debussy's music, in piano form as originally written, is sublime and performed equally sublimely by one of the greatest and most influential pianists of his day Alfred Cortot. He plays so elegantly and wittily, making the most difficult movement "Doctor Gradus ad Parnassum" (a technical nightmare for pianists) sound easy, while being true to Debussy's specific instructions of how to play the movements. "Serenade of a Doll" in particular.

All three of the performed movements are staged very well and true to the character of the music. There were reservations with the Cakewalk scene, but the choreography actually matched the music's style perfectly with it staged like a minstrel performance act. That sounds like a red flag for anybody that has a hard time with stereotyping, speaking as somebody who finds it hard to take in some animation, but for the time and what the piece is conveying what is shown here was pretty spot on. "Doctor Gradus ad Parnassum" is very playful and amusing, especially the body language of the girl that synchronises so well with the fiddly piano music, but coming off best is the immensely charming and beautifully choreographed "Serenade for a Doll". That was like watching a lovely ballet divertissement. A great job is done with showing how wonderful childhood innocence is and made me pine for my childhood.

Concluding thoughts: Concluding, very well done.

8/10.