The construction of 'Jacques Becker': realism, popular film and the auteur in 1950s film criticism.

Bibliographic Details
Title: The construction of 'Jacques Becker': realism, popular film and the auteur in 1950s film criticism.
Authors: Leahy, Sarah1 (AUTHOR) sarah.leahy@newcastle.ac.uk
Source: French Screen Studies. Feb-May2025, Vol. 25 Issue 1/2, p160-179. 20p.
Subject Terms: *FILM criticism, *MOTION picture actors & actresses, *REALISM, *AESTHETICS, *DISCOURSE
Abstract: Jacques Becker is well known as an auteur, one of the few French directors working in the post-war period who has been hailed as an 'uncle' of the New Wave (alongside Robert Bresson, Max Ophuls, Jean-Pierre Melville and Jacques Tati). This article positions him in relation to the 'quality' and popular cinema of the period through an exploration of the critical discourses that coalesce around his films. Becker embraced an auteurist conception of cinema but operated in an industry that was dominated by a commercial, quality cinema of international co-productions, stars and films destined for export. Drawing on articles from both the specialist and general press, this article explores the construction of Becker as an auteur at the very moment when the politique des auteurs was setting out its stall in opposition to the Tradition of Quality and popular cinema more generally. By tracing how Becker came to occupy a unique position in post-war French film, it sheds light on the framing of popular, quality and auteur film in relation to key social, political and aesthetic discourses in play at this time. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
Copyright of French Screen Studies is the property of Taylor & Francis Ltd and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)
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  Data: The construction of 'Jacques Becker': realism, popular film and the auteur in 1950s film criticism.
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Leahy%2C+Sarah%22">Leahy, Sarah</searchLink><relatesTo>1</relatesTo> (AUTHOR)<i> sarah.leahy@newcastle.ac.uk</i>
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="JN" term="%22French+Screen+Studies%22">French Screen Studies</searchLink>. Feb-May2025, Vol. 25 Issue 1/2, p160-179. 20p.
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  Data: Jacques Becker is well known as an auteur, one of the few French directors working in the post-war period who has been hailed as an 'uncle' of the New Wave (alongside Robert Bresson, Max Ophuls, Jean-Pierre Melville and Jacques Tati). This article positions him in relation to the 'quality' and popular cinema of the period through an exploration of the critical discourses that coalesce around his films. Becker embraced an auteurist conception of cinema but operated in an industry that was dominated by a commercial, quality cinema of international co-productions, stars and films destined for export. Drawing on articles from both the specialist and general press, this article explores the construction of Becker as an auteur at the very moment when the politique des auteurs was setting out its stall in opposition to the Tradition of Quality and popular cinema more generally. By tracing how Becker came to occupy a unique position in post-war French film, it sheds light on the framing of popular, quality and auteur film in relation to key social, political and aesthetic discourses in play at this time. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
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  Data: <i>Copyright of French Screen Studies is the property of Taylor & Francis Ltd and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract.</i> (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)
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        Value: 10.1080/26438941.2024.2330808
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        Text: English
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      – SubjectFull: FILM criticism
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: MOTION picture actors & actresses
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      – SubjectFull: REALISM
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: AESTHETICS
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              Text: Feb-May2025
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