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In his autobiography, Elia Kazan notes that his classic "Baby Doll" bears a resemblance to the films of Marcel Pagnol, whom he admired. This similarity of style is indeed uncanny, and "the Baker's Wife" is perhaps BD's closest cousin. So steeped in culture, so guileless in their presentation, both films irresistibly charm, although BD, with its revenge theme, is a much darker work. Pure entertainment, their message is nonetheless thoughtful and poignant. Human folly at its best. The stark cinematography, the outdoor locations, the cartoonish characters, the choppy editing that somehow suits the material. These qualities permeate the films. And, incidentally, both feature a nubile young wife lusting after a handsome stranger. Not surprisingly, Pagnol and Kazan hailed from the stage. It is ironic that the erotic "Baby Doll" is sometimes likened to a European "art" film, for "the Baker's Wife" is anything but an "art" film! However, it is a great work of art. Raimu, as the cuckolded husband, contributes one of the all-time great performances. Like Chaplin, he is of tragic character-simultaneously hilarious and heartbreaking. I purchased a VHS copy of "the Baker's Wife" years ago directly from Interama Video Classics, and the picture quality is fine, especially considering the age of the film. The subtitles are clear, bright, and very legible (a sticker on the cover states "New subtitles"). Boris Kaufman, the fine cinematographer of "Baby Doll", also photographed Vigo's "L'Atalante", another classic French film of the '30s.
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