After an initial preoccupation with landscapes and light, the Impressionist school, represented in the DIA special exhibit Monet to Dalí: Modern Masters from the Cleveland Museum of Art, moved on to other sources of inspiration, including capturing the urban life of Paris. A unique counterpoint to the bolder experiments of the Surrealist film movement is the work of René Clair (Paris Qui Dort, À nous la liberté). In his seminal film musical Le Million, a winning lottery ticket in the pocket of a jacket is given away to a man in need, and the ensuing comic chase forms the structure of the film. Starring René Lefèvre (The Crime of Monsieur Lange), and the incomparable actress Annabella, the film incorporates experimental sound and set design to create a precise yet completely whimsical narative. Le Million remains nothing short of a joyous experience. (83 min.)
Admission to all films presented in conjunction with the Monet to Dalí exhibition is free of charge.
