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| Princesse tam.tam | |
|---|---|
| Name | Princesse tam.tam |
| Director | Edmond T. Gréville |
| Producer | Marcel Vandal |
| Based on | novel by Paul Morand |
| Starring | Josephine Baker, Albert Préjean, Willy Rogiers |
| Music | Georges Van Parys |
| Cinematography | Michel Kelber |
| Release date | 1935 |
| Country | France |
| Language | French |
Princesse tam.tam is a 1935 French romantic comedy film directed by Edmond T. Gréville and starring Josephine Baker. The film adapts a novella by Paul Morand and combines elements of Paris, Colonialism, Jazz Age, and Belle Époque cultural exchange to depict a cross-cultural romance between a Tunisian street performer and a French intellectual. Its production involved contributors from the French film industry, showcased international performers, and influenced debates in France and abroad about race, performance, and modernity.
The film was released amid the interwar period dominated by figures such as Maurice Chevalier, Serge de Diaghilev, Coco Chanel, Joséphine Baker (the star herself), and institutions like the Théâtre des Champs-Élysées and the Folies Bergère. It emerged when the French press — including Le Figaro, Le Matin, and Le Petit Parisien — covered artistic exchanges between Tunisia, Algeria, and metropolitan France. The screenplay drew on the literary milieu of Paul Morand, networks around Éditions Gallimard, and cinematic trends shaped by studios such as Pathé, Gaumont, and Société des Etablissements L. Gaumont.
A French writer encounters a North African street performer and invites her into Parisian society, leading to confrontations with figures from Parisian high society such as salon hosts, critics, and impresarios. Scenes place the protagonist between venues like the Folies Bergère, the Opéra Garnier, and the bohemian cafés frequented by artists linked to Montparnasse, including painters associated with École de Paris and writers from Les Années folles. Conflicts arise involving impresarios, journalists from Le Canard enchaîné, and patrons from diplomatic circles tied to the French Protectorate of Tunisia and cultural institutions like the Ministry of Fine Arts (France).
Principal photography occurred in studios used by Pathé-Natan and crews associated with cinematographers like Michel Kelber and technicians who had worked with directors such as Jean Renoir, Marcel Carné, and Abel Gance. The film’s music involved composers influential in the Jazz Age and revue traditions, intersecting with performers from the Harlem Renaissance who toured Europe, including associations with promoters like Billy Rose and venues linked to Cotton Club circuits. Production design reflected Parisian stagecraft tied to set designers who worked for the Folies Bergère and fashion influences from Paul Poiret and Coco Chanel. Financing and distribution navigated the corporate landscape involving companies related to Gaumont and international rights negotiations with distributors in United States, United Kingdom, and colonial markets.
The central role was portrayed by Josephine Baker, whose career intersected with impresarios such as Serge de Diaghilev and venues like the Théâtre des Champs-Élysées; she performed alongside actors linked to French cinema figures including Albert Préjean and Willy Rogiers. Supporting cast members included theatre and revue performers with ties to companies like Folies Bergère and touring circuits that connected to artists from Harlem Renaissance and European modernists. The ensemble reflected networks involving playwrights, choreographers, and designers who collaborated with institutions such as Comédie-Française and schools associated with École des Beaux-Arts alumni.
Upon release, critics from newspapers including Le Figaro, Le Matin, and Comœdia debated the film’s portrayal of race and modernity, invoking commentators and intellectuals from circles around Jean-Paul Sartre, André Gide, Louis Aragon, and Paul Valéry. The film contributed to discussions in museums and institutions such as the Musée du Louvre and the Musée de l'Homme about representation, and it shaped debates in colonial administrations in Tunisia and Algeria. Subsequent scholarship by historians of film and culture referenced works by Richard Dyer, Stuart Hall, Frantz Fanon, and critics writing in journals like Cahiers du cinéma and Positif. Retrospectives at festivals including Cannes Film Festival and screenings at archives like the Cinémathèque Française have re-evaluated its aesthetic and social impact.
The story influenced stage adaptations, revues, and fashion, with choreographers and designers from salons associated with Paul Poiret, Elsa Schiaparelli, and dance figures who worked with companies like Ballets Russes. Musical influences connected to composers and bandleaders from the Jazz Age and touring artists from the Harlem Renaissance, while cinematic techniques echoed in films by Jean Renoir, Marcel Carné, Abel Gance, and later directors discussed in studies of French cinema and interwar culture. The film’s legacy appears in museum exhibitions curated by institutions such as the Victoria and Albert Museum, the Smithsonian Institution, and retrospectives hosted by the British Film Institute and the Museum of Modern Art.
Category:1935 films Category:French films Category:Films based on novels