La giustizia del mare

I just saw "Strange Mister Steve" who begins by some shots of the end, this is exactly how "l'Homme du large" begins, and director Marcel l'Herbier claimed he was the first to do it. I don't remember as well having seen such creative and graphic title cards with different title shapes surrounded by symbolic drawings, or even split screen of a face talking on the left and his dialogue in title card on the right. There are also amazing simple compositions of briton landscape and silhouettes shot in backlighting. And sequences are colored depending on the atmosphere.

"l"Homme du large " is a strong drama of a briton sailor (Roger Karl, playing natural) who hates life in town and lives in front of the sea, loving ocean and boat life. And he's so happy to have a son and learn him his passion. But his son (Jaque Catelin, who worked a lot with the director) becomes a hoodlum by going out with nasty friends (Charles Boyer and Claude Autant-Lara, who also worked on settings, costumes and direction), even stealing family savings. The father's reaction is awsome.

Shot in Brittany around Penmarc'h (menhirs and calvaire), settings don't overload on briton symbols, just discretely shot (costumes, mother's bed,...).

I didn't find any notations in my usual encyclopedias, but it's a pure masterpiece shot by Marcel l'Herbier with his friends, who would become one of the greatest director of the 20's in France. And it reminded of movies by Dreyer or Murnau. The restored print is superb.