The Curtain Rises poster

Movie · 1938

The Curtain Rises

“"I was seventeen, I'm not anymore because you are and seventeen is not for everyone at the same time!"”

Released 6 October 1938 99 min Comedy / Drama More from 1938 → IMDb ↗ · Letterboxd ↗ · TMDB ↗

1938, France, Paris, at the Superior Conservatory of Dramatic Art ("Conservatoire Supérieur d'Art Dramatique"). The first-year entrance exams are in full swing. Many applicants, few accepted. Isabelle (Janine Darcey) is one of the few chosen. She joins former students from the second and third years, including François (Claude Dauphin) and Cécilia (Odette Joyeux). They attend the drama class run by Professor Lambertin (Louis Jouvet). The young people, passionate and eager to become comedians, clash in tumultuous love affairs, because by dint of acting, they imagine that life is a farce. François, for example, is in love with Isabelle, who also loves him, but is pursued by Cecilia, his former mistress... "Put art in your life and life in your art!"

FR·01

How old were they?

Oldest first
Paul Escoffier
as Le directeur du Conservatoire (uncredited)
63
André Brunot
as Fernand Grenaison, l'oncle d'Isabelle
59
Sylvie
as Clémence
55
Odette Talazac
as Une sociétaire (uncredited)
55
Georges Pally
as Marty, le patron du café
52
Louis Jouvet
as M. Lambertin, professeur au Conservatoire
50
Madeleine Geoffroy
as Mme Fernande Grenaison, épouse de Fernand
47
Noël Roquevert
as M. Pignolet, un vigile (uncredited)
45
Robert Pizani
as Jérôme
40
Julien Carette
as Lurette, le journaliste
40
Claude Dauphin
as François Polti
35
Roger Blin
as Dominique, le gardien du château de la famille de Cécilia
31
Yves Brainville
as Sylvestre
24
Odette Joyeux
as Cécilia Prieur
23
Bernard Blier
as Pescani, un élève du Conservatoire
22
Monique Mélinand
as Une élève du Conservatoire (uncredited)
22
Janine Darcey
as Isabelle Didier
21
Dora Doll
as Une élève du Conservatoire (uncredited)
16
Madeleine Lambert
as Mme Élisabeth Prieur, mère de Cécilia
Unknown
Mady Made
as Denise
Unknown
Babita Soren
as Norah Storm
Unknown
Henri Busquet
as L'appariteur du Conservatoire
Unknown
FR·02

The numbers

Computed from the cast above
47years between the oldest and youngest billed
63Paul Escoffier — oldest on the call sheet
16Dora Doll — youngest billed
39average age of the credited cast
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