Péchés de jeunesse

The professional relationship of Maurice Tourneur and Harry Baur, two of Europe's indisputably greatest talents, bore fruit in four fine films of which this is the last and sadly, the penultimate film of the tragically ill-fated Bauer whilst Tourneur was forced to give up directing following a car accident in 1949.

Made for the Nazi-controlled 'Continental-Film', this is an utterly delightful and enchanting piece with some simply delicious performances from both adults and children. One cannot but run out of superlatives regarding Monsieur Bauer whose effortless artistry and supreme mastery of his craft is a joy to behold. He has excellent scenes with Monique Joyce and Lise Delamare in particular and Jacques Varennes does a splendid turn as his butler.

The film benefits from the contributions of renowned scénarists/dialoguists Michel Duran, Charles Spaak and Albert Valentin whilst Tourneur's direction is customarily subtle and restrained.

It is not as bittersweet as Julien Duvivier's similarly themed 'Un Carnet de Bal' but anyone who is unmoved by the final scenes is flint-hearted.