''Traveling Light'' () is a 1944 French drama film directed by

Jean Anouilh Jean Marie Lucien Pierre Anouilh (; 23 June 1910 – 3 October 1987) was a French dramatist whose career spanned five decades. Though his work ranged from high drama to absurdist farce, Anouilh is best known for his 1944 play ''Antigone'', an ad ...

, starring

Pierre Fresnay Pierre Fresnay (4 April 1897 – 9 January 1975) was a French stage and film actor. Biography Born Pierre Jules Louis Laudenbach, he was encouraged by his uncle, actor Claude Garry, to pursue a career in theater and film. He joined the company a ...

and

Blanchette Brunoy Blanchette Brunoy (5 October 1915 – 3 April 2005) was a French actress. She was born Blanche Bilhaud in Paris as the daughter of a physician, and died in Manosque, Alpes-de-Haute-Provence of old age. Career Blanchette Brunoy appeared in over 9 ...

. The narrative is set in 1931, when a man with amnesia tries to recover his memories from

World War I World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, the United States, and the Ottoman Empire, with fightin ...

, in order to find out what kind of man he really is. The film is based on Anouilh's 1937 play with the same title.

Cast

as Gaston *

as Valentine *

Pierre Renoir Pierre Renoir (March 21, 1885 – March 11, 1952) was a French stage and film actor. He was the son of the impressionist painter Pierre-Auguste Renoir and elder brother of the film director Jean Renoir. He is also noted for being the first ...

as Georges Renaud *

Marguerite Deval Marguerite Deval (19 September 1866 – 18 December 1955) was a French singer and actress. Born Marguerite Hippolyte Juliette Brulfer, she was a comedian, opera chanteuse, and actress of stage and film. She was born in Strasbourg and died in Pa ...

as Countess Dupont-Dufort *

Louis Salou Louis Vincent Goulven Salou (23 April 1902 – 12 October 1948) was a French stage and film actor. Louis was born in Oissel and died in Fontenay-aux-Roses. Selected filmography * ''First Ball'' (1941) * '' The Benefactor'' (1942) * ''Bolero' ...

as Maître Uspard) *

Odette Barencey Odette Barencey (20 August 1893 – 4 March 1981) was a French film actress. She appeared in more than 50 films between 1927 and 1958. She was married to the actor Marcel Barencey. Selected filmography * '' My Childish Father'' (1930) * ' ...

as une parente * Mercédès Brare *

Jean Brochard Jean Brochard (12 March 1893 – 17 June 1972) was a French film actor. He appeared in more than 100 films between 1933 and 1966. Selected filmography * '' A Man's Neck'' (1933) - Petit rôle (uncredited) * ''Boubouroche'' (1933) * ''La ...

as Marcel Berthier * Pierre Brûlé as the little boy * Jenny Burnay as Juliette

Production

Just like with

Jean Cocteau Jean Maurice Eugène Clément Cocteau (, , ; 5 July 1889 – 11 October 1963) was a French poet, playwright, novelist, designer, filmmaker, visual artist and critic. He was one of the foremost creatives of the su ...

World War II World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...

gave

the opportunity to advance in the French film industry. Anouilh had written dialogue for several films in the 1930s, but ''Traveling Light'' was his directorial debut. He would eventually direct one additional film, ''Two Pennies Worth of Violets'' from 1951. The screenplay for ''Traveling Light'' was based on Anouilh's own 1937 play '' Le Voyageur sans bagage''. Filming began on 4 October 1943.

Reception

The film premiered on 23 February 1944. It was successful although the records of the release are fragmentary, because the theatrical run coincided with the

Allied An alliance is a relationship among people, groups, or states that have joined together for mutual benefit or to achieve some common purpose, whether or not explicit agreement has been worked out among them. Members of an alliance are called ...

invasion of France. The film was criticized by the church for its "systematic ridicule of the family".

References

1944 drama films 1944 films 1944 directorial debut films Films about amnesia French films based on plays Films based on works by Jean Anouilh Films set in 1931 French drama films 1940s French-language films Films with screenplays by Jean Anouilh Works by Jean Anouilh French black-and-white films 1940s French films {{1940s-France-film-stub