1933 satirical fantasyRating: 14/20
Plot: A group of boys at a repressive boarding school decide to rebel against the teachers, the midget schoolmaster, and his scholarly beard. They act up, engage in pillow and food fights, perform magic, and curse at the midget.
A precursor to both 400 Blows and If. . ., both which I've watched this year and enjoyed, this Jean Vigo movie unfortunately feels rushed and incomplete. It reminds me of Simon of the Desert in that it could have wound up as something really great if it had a chance to be fully realized. I'm wondering if something got in the way of Jean Vigo's vision. Random snippets of child misbehavior and touches of surrealism give this an anarchic feel that builds, without tension, to a climax I fully expected to be more startling than it was. There's a great midget in this one.
Here I am, inspired by this movie to do a handstand on my desk tomorrow:
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