THE FRENCH HAD A NAME FOR IT '21
RETURN OF THE SUPPRESSED •"GREAT FILMS, LESS FILLING!"
OCT 24 • NOV 12-14 • DEC 12 / ROXIE THEATRE
Presented by Mid-Century Productions
THE FRENCH HAD A NAME FOR 21
Tributes to Belmondo, Gabin, & Robert Hossein anchor a festival with new rediscoveries and old favorites
Midcentury Productions Executive Director Don Malcolm is pleased to announce that his groundbreaking French noir series, THE FRENCH HAD A NAME FOR IT, returns to the Roxie this fall. MCP and the Roxie have devised a segmented schedule for FRENCH '21, subtitled "Return of the Suppressed" to remind old and new viewers alike that this series (almost) exclusively specializes in French noirs not seen outside France for more than half a century.
Sunday, October 24 - Belmondo & Gabin
On Sunday, October 24: a day/night lineup of four films showcasing recently deceased 60s icon Jean–Paul Belmondo (two matinée films) and the immortal Jean Gabin (two evening films, including a special screening of the iconic TOUCHEZ PAS AU GRISBI.
Friday, November 12 - Sunday, November 14
The festival incorporates past favorites from the legendary seven-series run as well as new rediscoveries, including the previously ballyhooed PIEGE POUR CENDRILLON aka TRAP FOR CINDERELLA (1965), screening with our #3 all-time festival favorite COMPARTIMENT TUEURS aka THE SLEEPING CAR MURDERS (1965) on Saturday evening, November 13th in a double bill Don calls "The Best of '65." Among the highlights of the November screenings is an opening night triple bill honoring the festival's most beloved discovery, actor-director Robert Hossein (1927-2020).
Sunday, December 12 - Noir Noel
Hossein will also be fêted in December when the popular NOIR NOEL event will occur on Sunday, December 12, with two more of his films, including the peerless Xmas noir PARIS PICK-UP/LE MONTE-CHARGE.
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"The Roxie's annual 'The French Had a Name for It' festival has transformed our understanding of film noir, its origins and development in less than a decade. Rather than something invented (or at least synthesized) in Hollywood and then copied throughout the world, these annual French film festivals have revealed noir to have been the result of a give-and-take of influences, with the French having as much claim to the genre as Americans."
—Mick LaSalle, Datebook - SF Chronicle 11-07-2021
SUN MATINÉE, OCT 24
Belmondo before BREATHLESS
(1959) 2:00
(1958) 3:45
SUN EVENING, OCT 24
Gabin: Familiar & Rare
TOUCHEZ PAS AU GRISBI
HANDS OFF THE LOOT!
(1954) 6:45
DES GENS SANS IMPORTANCE
PEOPLE OF NO IMPORTANCE
(1956) 8:30
FRI, NOV 12
Hossein Tribute
TOI LE VENIN
BLONDE IN A WHITE CAR
(1958) 6:00
LA MORT D'UN TUEUR
DEATH OF A KILLER
(1964) 7:45
(1970) 9:20
SAT MATINÉE, NOV 13
At the dawn of film noir
LES AMOURS DE MINUIT
THE LOVERS OF MIDNIGHT
(1931) 1:30
AU NOM DE LA LOI
IN THE NAME OF THE LAW
(1932) 3:45
SAT EVENING, NOV 13
The best of '65
COMPARTIMENT TUEURS
THE SLEEPING CAR MURDERS
(1965) 6:30
PIÈGE POUR CENDRILLON
TRAP FOR CINDERELLA
(1965) 8:30
SUN MATINÉE, NOV 14
Vampiric "heroes"
LE SILENCE DE LA MER
THE SILENCE OF THE SEA
(1949) 1:30
LE VAMPIRE DE DÜSSELDORF
THE SECRET KILLER
(1965) 3:15
SUN EVENING, NOV 14
Triangles have sharp edges!
VOICI LE TEMPS DES ASSASSINS
DEADLIER THAN THE MALE
(1956) 6:30
VOYAGE SANS ESPOIR
JOURNEY WITHOUT HOPE
(1943) 8:45
SUN MATINÉE, DEC 12
NOIR NOEL: Hossein Tribute
LES SALAUDS VONT EN ENFER
THE WICKED GO TO HELL
(1956) 1:30
(1962) 3:30
San Francisco's Roxie Theatre is located at 3117 16th St. between Valencia & Guerrero, one block from 16th & Mission BART. Box Office: 415.863.1087
MIDCENTURY PRODUCTIONS is a "boutique" programming venture designing "mini film festivals, featuring films from cinema's most explosive three decades—the 1940s, 1950s, and 1960s. We program original festivals and work with organizations and individuals to craft singular programming that illuminates the hidden corners of these three decades.
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