Gribiche (film)

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Gribiche is a 1926 French silent film directed by Jacques Feyder, based on a short story by Frédéric Boutet. In Paris, Gribiche, a poor boy living with his war-widowed mother, returns a lost handbag to a wealthy American widow, Edith Maranet, who runs a nursery and is active in social causes. She offers to adopt him, and he moves into a grand home in the upscale neighborhood of Auteuil, where life is tightly scheduled and supervised by servants and teachers. Gribiche feels out of place, especially when he learns his mother has remarried. On Bastille Day, frustrated at being kept from public celebrations, he escapes and returns to Grenelle, where his mother and her new husband welcome him. Edith, initially hurt, forgives him and later provides financial support for his education.

Production notes: The film was produced by Alexandre Kamenka for Films Albatros. It stars Jean Forrest as Gribiche, Françoise Rosay as Edith Maranet, and Rolla Norman as Gribiche’s mother. Filming took place in 1925 at the Montreuil studio, with Art Déco-style sets designed by Lazare Meerson. Outdoor Paris scenes benefited from expressive nocturnal cinematography by Maurice Desfassiaux and Maurice Forster. Gribiche was released on 2 April 1926, with a running time of 153 minutes, as a French silent film with intertitles.

Reception and legacy: Gribiche was popular with audiences, though some critics found it overly sentimental. It is recognized for its nuanced depiction of class differences and its strong technical craft. The film has been restored by the Cinémathèque Française, with restorations in 1987 and 2008.