The Overworked
Early Short Films of the French New Wave
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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.
Up Next in Early Short Films of the French New Wave
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In Memory of Rock
Directed by François Reichenbach • Documentary • With Johnny Hallyday, Les Chaussettes Noires • 1963 • 11 minutes
IN MEMORY OF ROCK captures the power, promise, and fear generated by the early days of rock n’roll. It is also a fascinating study in the juxtaposition of image and music. Outside an...
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Van Gogh
Directed by Alain Resnais • Documentary • 1948 • 18 minutes
Classic French New Wave director Alain Resnais’ early film, VAN GOGH won an Oscar for best short documentary film. Recently restored, this 1948 boundary-pushing short brilliantly evokes the life of Vincent Van Gogh, using only his paint...
