PostED ON 15 OCTOBER 2022

Every day, Lumière shines the spotlight on a little-known filmmaker and a movie worth discovering; doing justice to those forgotten films in the history of cinema is also the role of the Lumière Film Festival.

Who is he?

Edmond T. Gréville, (1906-1966), a great cinephile, lover of actresses, became a filmmaker in the early 1930s, directing over thirty films, most of which have been forgotten and seldom shown, and which bear witness to a rare inspiration in French cinema, due to their singularity and baroque inclinations. Gréville counts among the directors who also formed a friendship with Bertrand Tavernier, then a young film buff in the 1950s. The Institut Lumière has reissued Gréville’s debut novel, Supprimé par l'ascenseur, and his entertaining memoir, 35 ans dans la jungle du cinéma.

His film at Lumière 2022?

Amidst a complicated career, Edmond T. Gréville always seized every opportunity to shoot. He therefore accepted the commission to direct the English remake of a freshly completed French film by Pabst, Street of Shadows. It would become Under Secret Orders, which recounts, in the language of Lloyd George, the exploits of a German spy during WWI. The director had the distinct pleasure of directing his idol, Erich von Stroheim, in a charming double role, complete with wig and eye patch (à la Harpo Marx).

Under Secret Orders, 1937

Why is it worth discovering?

Because in this crisp little film, Gréville displays his art of storytelling, his quest for ‘purity’ of style, relying on sparse dialogue, and his enjoyment in magnifying the beauty of his actresses, Dita Parlo as a spy in love, and the American Claire Luce playing an evil rival. Under Secret Orders, a timely showcase movie, inspires you to see other Gréville films like Whirlpool, Passionnelle or Temptation…

Aurélien Ferenczi

Screenings:
Under Secret Orders by Edmond T. Gréville (1h30)
Villa Lumière Sat. 15 4:15pm | Institut Lumière Sun. 16 9:15am