Crianças Sem Destino

I'll give it 5/10 for the solid craftsmanship that went into making it. Delannoy always knew how to move his camera; he could also get good performances from his actors. When he came to make Maigret tend une piege, the actors were outstanding and served to create a film of stunning power.

What of Chiens perdus sans collier? We never see any great imaginative perception of these children's situations. Alain Robert's spectacular actions as he burns the barn down--and almost kills himself--is well shot, but it seems derivative of Clement's Jeux interdits of 1951. The love affair between Francois and Sylvette is redolent of TV melodrama. Gabin's performance as the children's court judge is well observed but he has done this sort of part many times in his career.

I don't care to reopen the debate regarding cinema of quality vs. New Wave--I like too many of the directors on either side of the barricade. I merely want to write about what I felt watching this particular film.