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Louise Brooks is stunning as ever in her final starring role in the early sound melodrama Prix de Beauté, also known by its alternate title, Miss Europe. After becoming a European sensation in her classic silent films for German director G.W. Pabst (Pandora's Box and Diary of a Lost Girl), Brooks' career began a tragic decline as alcoholism took its toll, but she's still in fine form here as Lucienne, a lively Parisian typist who enters an international beauty contest against the wishes of her disapproving fiancé André (Georges Charlia), only to find herself swept up in a whirlwind of fame and publicity when she unexpected wins the contest. Among the high-styled elite, the newly christened "Miss Europe" thrives on the affectionate attentions of several potential paramours, but when she returns to her daily routine with André, she soon realizes that she wants glitz and glamour more than André's conventional notion of domestic bliss. André is driven to jealous insanity, and once again, "Lulu" (as Brooks was famously nicknamed) falls victim to her own narcissism and the men who've played so recklessly with her charms. One of France's earliest sound features, Prix de Beauté was originally filmed in a silent version and quickly dubbed when sound films grew popular, and although Brook's voice is dubbed (along with her singing, which was dubbed by the legendary vocalist Edith Piaf), the film's technical crudeness doesn't detract from Brooks's astonishing beauty, which far surpasses a performance that was, according to director Augusto Genina, seriously compromised by Brookss off-screen drinking. Based on a story by René Clair (who was originally slated to direct), Prix de Beauté offers fascinating glimpses of vintage fashion shows and Parisian high society, but it's the divine Miss Brooks who makes it all worthwhile. --Jeff Shannon
Product Description
Prix de Beaut+ª is Louise Brook's last starring role in a feature, and her only film made in France. It tells the deceptively simple story of Lucienne, a high spirited Parisian typist who leads a mundane life with her fianc+ª, Andr+ª, and a number of friends. While Andr+ª indeed loves Lucienne, he has conventional expectations for their life together. When the Miss Europa beauty contest comes to town, he warns her to "not even dream" of entering it. Lucienne ignores his advice, and from there, Prix de Beaut+ª follows Brook's character as she struggles for independence and happiness. Andr+ª is overcome with jealous rage...leading to an unexpected and dramatic resolution. One of the first sound films made in France (a silent version was made concurrently), Prix de Beaut+ª is an effective melodrama that is elevated to the sublime by the remarkable performance of the radiant Ms. Brooks. Kino is proud to present this little-seen film on DVD for the first time.
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24 of 26 people found the following review helpful
Format:DVD
I'm going to comment more on the technical side of the disc, because the speed issue made it a bit tough to enjoy or properly judge the film.
Unfortunately, the film just runs too fast. I've never seen that before with a sound film; it normally effects silents due to the lack of a standard speed in the silent film era. My understanding is that this was originally shot as a silent, with dialogue & lots of sound effects added just before release. As this is the only print of the film I've seen, I am uncertain whether the frame rate was sped up in 1930 when they dubbed the dialogue, when they did this digital transfer, or at some point in between. The voices don't sound like chipmunks to me, but I am totally unfamiliar with French. The print is quite clear for the age, although there are a number of dropouts where a second or 2 is missing. My guess is that it's a largely unrestored 35 mm print in fairly good shape.
The silent version was also said to have been released in 1930 concurrent with this dubbed version. Brooks did not do any of her own dialogue, the speaking parts were dubbed by a French actress & the singing by Edith Piaf. IF there is an existing print of the silent version, I would be very interested to see it; I suspect it would be superior.
Just a couple comments on the film: The last 20 minutes or so is definitely the best part. I also was really surprised that they showed Brooks & her UNMARRIED boyfriend in bed together. The scene was totally non physical & they were both wearing heavy bed clothes; but this would have never happened in a pre 1960's US film, even pre codes only hinted at such things. Brooks is good, but it's definitely not her best performance. She appears somewhat bored until the last 20 minutes or so.... Read more ›
Unfortunately, the film just runs too fast. I've never seen that before with a sound film; it normally effects silents due to the lack of a standard speed in the silent film era. My understanding is that this was originally shot as a silent, with dialogue & lots of sound effects added just before release. As this is the only print of the film I've seen, I am uncertain whether the frame rate was sped up in 1930 when they dubbed the dialogue, when they did this digital transfer, or at some point in between. The voices don't sound like chipmunks to me, but I am totally unfamiliar with French. The print is quite clear for the age, although there are a number of dropouts where a second or 2 is missing. My guess is that it's a largely unrestored 35 mm print in fairly good shape.
The silent version was also said to have been released in 1930 concurrent with this dubbed version. Brooks did not do any of her own dialogue, the speaking parts were dubbed by a French actress & the singing by Edith Piaf. IF there is an existing print of the silent version, I would be very interested to see it; I suspect it would be superior.
Just a couple comments on the film: The last 20 minutes or so is definitely the best part. I also was really surprised that they showed Brooks & her UNMARRIED boyfriend in bed together. The scene was totally non physical & they were both wearing heavy bed clothes; but this would have never happened in a pre 1960's US film, even pre codes only hinted at such things. Brooks is good, but it's definitely not her best performance. She appears somewhat bored until the last 20 minutes or so.... Read more ›
10 of 10 people found the following review helpful
By SolarFire
Format:DVD
I do own a VHS edition of this movie (© 1989 Interama Video Classics) which also seems sped up,
as mentioned by a previous reviewer, but is listed as 93 min. on the case and listed as 94:38 on the tape itself (lead-in/out?).
IMDB also lists this as a 93 min. movie. This release is 88 min.
So is this missing 5 minutes or being run at a faster fps? I'm also hearing rumours of a 108 or 109 min. restored silent version.
I'm thrilled to see more Louise Brooks on DVD, but wondering if this is a release worthy of the Screen Goddess.
as mentioned by a previous reviewer, but is listed as 93 min. on the case and listed as 94:38 on the tape itself (lead-in/out?).
IMDB also lists this as a 93 min. movie. This release is 88 min.
So is this missing 5 minutes or being run at a faster fps? I'm also hearing rumours of a 108 or 109 min. restored silent version.
I'm thrilled to see more Louise Brooks on DVD, but wondering if this is a release worthy of the Screen Goddess.
4 of 6 people found the following review helpful
Format:DVD|Amazon Verified Purchase
A lot of people including my self by-pass silent films because of no sound. But if you want to see some really good early films you cannot go wrong with this film. A little on the long side it's star American Louise Brooks, as she did in Diary of a Lost Girl and Pandora's Box, is great and these movies show how great movies and acting these early works are. It's odd that German Cinema took a movie actress (Louise Brooks)from Hollywood and turned her into a star and Hollywood took this star and turned her into B film actress because of personal prejudice a great lost.
Format:DVD
Lucienne Garnier a typist for the newspaper is engaged to André one of the linotype operators at the same paper. I we get use of them being happy at the sea and at meals and so forth. One day Lucienne gets this urge to enter her picture in a beauty contest. Little did she know at the time that jealous André is revolted at the idea? Whoops too late now she is Ms. France. On the very day that Andre intends to propose she is wished off to Spain to become Miss Europe. You will have to watch the film to see how this plays out.
The story is not a new one it actually was produced earlier at least once in 1922 and several times after the film. I've only seen the DVD version so I cannot comment on what might or might not have been cut out or what might or might not have been dubbed other than in this presentation.
Maybe it's sacrilege to Louise Brooks's aficionados yet I had just as much fun looking at all of the technology of the time in this film. I was a especially intrigued with the close-ups of the Linotype machine as I I headset type by hand before and never had a chance to use one. Then there was the still camera with 6 second exposure. I had seen Bakelite phones but I never saw one of those hanging phones that they were using at this time. We get close-ups of unique train cabin amenities.
This presentation makes a good addition to your Louise Brooks collection.
The story is not a new one it actually was produced earlier at least once in 1922 and several times after the film. I've only seen the DVD version so I cannot comment on what might or might not have been cut out or what might or might not have been dubbed other than in this presentation.
Maybe it's sacrilege to Louise Brooks's aficionados yet I had just as much fun looking at all of the technology of the time in this film. I was a especially intrigued with the close-ups of the Linotype machine as I I headset type by hand before and never had a chance to use one. Then there was the still camera with 6 second exposure. I had seen Bakelite phones but I never saw one of those hanging phones that they were using at this time. We get close-ups of unique train cabin amenities.
This presentation makes a good addition to your Louise Brooks collection.
5 of 9 people found the following review helpful
By Jay Dabbs
Format:DVD
I have heard the singing voice used by Louise Brooks in Prix de Beaute. Not only is it not Edith Piaf,singing in the film dubbed for Louise Brooks. Edith Piaf was not singing professionally in 1930,nor was she recording in 1930. Since when is Louise Brooks a soprano?
