Cœur fidèle
Jean Epstein, FR 1923Screenplay: Jean & Marie Epstein; Cinematography: Paul Guichard; Cast: Léon Mathot, Gina Manés, Edmond Van Daële, Claude Bénédict, Madame Manfroy, Mademoiselle Marice, Madeleine Erickson. DCP (from 35mm), bw, 84 min. French with English subtitles
Jean Epstein's first masterpiece, a melodrama in which the two main threads of his cinema converge despite seeming diametrically opposed at first glance – namely, a willingness for refined, often spectacular formal experimentation and an interest in simple, detailed descriptions of everyday life. The story was shot on location in Marseille and Manosque and unfolds in a captivating, atmospheric combination of reality and dream. Two men – an honest dock worker and a silver-tonged crook – compete for the attentions of a waitress at a bar. An intoxicatingly high-paced scene at a funfair generated particular attention, as Epstein attached the camera to the carousel like he'd announced he would in his manifesto Bonjour Cinéma: "The fairground becomes progressively blurred. The centrifugalisation amplifies the visual drama in extraordinary fashion – thanks to the 'photogenic' qualities of dizziness and gyration." Cœur fidèle provoked strong reactions on its release, but although the reviews were mixed, Epstein's approach was admired by filmmakers first and foremost and he was accepted as a leading figure of the French cinema avantgarde. Henri Langlois later referred to the film as the "Quai des brumes of the 1920s" due to its poetic qualities. (C.H.)
Piano accompaniment by Meg Morley on October 18, 2025
Courtesy Fondation Jérôme Seydoux – Pathé
Screening dates:
Sa 18.10.2025 16:00
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No reservations accepted for screenings from October 17 to 28; special ticket regulations apply during the Viennale. Tickets are available exclusively at the Viennale box offices, via telephone at 01/526 594 769 or via www.viennale.at.