The Overworked
France Before the New Wave • 24m
Directed by Jacques Doniol-Valcroze • Drama • 1957 • 25 minutes
A morality tale about the dangers of modern urban life. Catherine (Yane Barry), a champion young typist from small-town France, heads to Paris to be with her fiancé (Jean-Pierre Cassel) — who also happens to be her new boss. Living with her sister and brother-in-law, she becomes enchanted with the big city — and is soon seduced not just by the dancing and parties, but also by a young and exciting PR man named Jimmy (Jean-Claude Brialy). Meanwhile, at home, her brother-in-law is worn out and exhausted, the result of too many years of pushing himself to the limit. Can Catherine find some kind of balance before she too collapses?
Co-written by François Truffaut, THE OVERWORKED is notable for its breakneck pacing, mirroring the perils of modern life, and Barry’s performance as the ingenue, trying to find her way in the metropolis.
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