简介：JeanGrémillon’sfirsttalkie,the1930LAPETITELISE,isanythingbuttalky.Whileopening andclosingwithsoulfulafro-Latinstrains,somethingjustabovesilencereignsthroughout thefilm.Grémillonisalreadyorchestratingtheauditorymenaceofnuancedsoundsculpting thatwouldlaterpervadeREMORQUES(1941),settingforthevolvingrhythmicfiguresatan atmosphericwhisper.Grémillongraftsthisauralfriezeontosmolderingb&wphotography. Truly,theframeisoftensmokingforpurposesofmotif. Intruth,thisfilmhasthemostimpressiveuseofsoundIknowof,includingBresson’s MOUCHETTE.It’supforspeculationastohowmuchtechnicalissuesplayedintohis creativeuseofsoundandoff-screen.Whatisofparticularnoteisthatinsteadofmilkingthe capabilityofsyncsounddialogue,Grémillonusesitverysparingly,increasingtherangeof expressiveness.Anabstractscoreofatmosphericinsinuationisalwaysinaccompaniment withtheimagerytonally,rhythmicallyanddynamically.Listeningcarefully,ambientsoundiseveratworkinasubliminalmusicscore. ThestoryofLAPETITELISEbelongstothesandboxofmelodrama,butGrémillongrindsit intoexpressionisticminimalism.Whatisthisstory?Perhapsitwillsufficetosaythatitis thereunionofafatherfreshoutofprisonwithhisdaughternowgrownup,allprepared underapressurecookeroflensandmic.Conflagrationsariseperiodicallyfromtheembers oftroubledquiet,withlightingflickeringtoandfrompeaksofintensity.Emblazoned gesturesextendfromthesustainofaffectivebrood,whileconversationsflareupbefore subsidingbackintothesimmeringcauldron.…