Just like "Metropolis" (1927, Fritz Lang) and "Modern times" (1936, Charlie Chaplin) "A nous la liberté" is a film about industrialisation and mechanisation. "Metropolis" is much darker and moralistic in tone. The similarity with "Modern times" is however striking. A mix of comedy and social critisism with the assembly line as central symbol (lunch being served to the workforce on the assembly line) in "A nous la liberté" and the gearing wheel (Charlie being crunched between the gearing wheels) as the central symbol in "Modern times".
The similarity between the two films was so big that the production company of "A nous la liberté" sued "Modern times" because of plagiarism. Rene Clair himself had nothing to do with this claim. He was a great admirer of Chaplin and foud it a great honor that Chaplin was inspired by his film.
"A nous la liberté" is however much broader than industrialisation and mechanisation alone. Not only the workers are the victims of the economic system, also the capitalists are victims of their own greed. In a telling scene a bunch of men in suits is running after banknotes like savage beasts.
One can interpret the message of "A nous la liberté" even broader. One of the main characters is in love with a pretty girl. The girl however loves another man. In the end the main character is happy with the freedom that the loss of the girl gives to him. "Everywhere it's wine and romance".
"A nous la liberté" is one of the first French films of Rene Clair. When he went to the United States in the '40s, his films became more commercial (but not necessarily worse). The directors of the Nouvelle vague hated his American work. They considered Rene Clair as a second rated director. It is sad that also his early (more original) French films suffered from the critisism of the Nouvelle vague directors.
The similarity between the two films was so big that the production company of "A nous la liberté" sued "Modern times" because of plagiarism. Rene Clair himself had nothing to do with this claim. He was a great admirer of Chaplin and foud it a great honor that Chaplin was inspired by his film.
"A nous la liberté" is however much broader than industrialisation and mechanisation alone. Not only the workers are the victims of the economic system, also the capitalists are victims of their own greed. In a telling scene a bunch of men in suits is running after banknotes like savage beasts.
One can interpret the message of "A nous la liberté" even broader. One of the main characters is in love with a pretty girl. The girl however loves another man. In the end the main character is happy with the freedom that the loss of the girl gives to him. "Everywhere it's wine and romance".
"A nous la liberté" is one of the first French films of Rene Clair. When he went to the United States in the '40s, his films became more commercial (but not necessarily worse). The directors of the Nouvelle vague hated his American work. They considered Rene Clair as a second rated director. It is sad that also his early (more original) French films suffered from the critisism of the Nouvelle vague directors.