I've seen remakes before but the case of "Algiers" doesn't quite make sense, even with objective Hollywood terms taken into reasonable consideration, why would anyone remake a classic French film one year after its release. Granted dubbing didn't prevail back then but why they just didn't release the French original? In 1937, Renoir made "Grand Illusion", one year later, it became the first foreign movie nominated for Best Picture, why was Julien Duvivier's classic not given the same treatment, especially since the film was a classic that ended up inspiring one of the most classic American movie of all time and Best Picture winner of 1943 "Casablanca".
"Algiers" is so similar in every single frame that you just have to read my review of "Pépé le Moko" to know the story the hell with my review, just watch the original movie. The film that starred Jean Gabin and Mireille Balin was both the French equivalent and precursor to "Casablanca" even in the way the protagonists where all embittered and somewhat lost souls driven by nostalgia and overwhelming circumstances not to mention some legal matters, and it's ultimately nostalgia from Paris that let poor Pepe lower his guard and get in trouble, that and a handful of betrayals. But nostalgia or not, I'm sorry but I couldn't buy English speaking Charles Boyer as a street-smart Parisian, which is silly since the actor is French.
His accent enhanced my suspension of disbelief, I remembered Boyer playing another grand French figure like Raimu's "César" and to the actor's credit, his performances are never impressions but personal takes on characters that shine on their own without stealing anyone's thunder. I like even Boyer in "Algiers" but let's accept it as a fact that Hedy Lamarr could never pass as a Parisian in the role played by her superior counterpart Mireille Balin, it's good enough that she could pass as a decent actress. I didn't see many Lamarr's movie but after watching her, I couldn't see what the fuss was all about. But I wouldn't say she was the main cause for my lack of interest toward the film.
I couldn't possibly take "Algiers" seriously because every shot, every moment was a replay of the original, and while there's nothing to blame on most of the cast, everyone from the squealer (Gene Lockhart) to the suave fez-wearing detective (Joseph Calleia) does justice to their parts but it was still the parts as they were played by the French actors, on that level, maybe "Algiers" is a masterpiece of 'recreation'. And I suspect the riveting opening montage was borrowed from "Pepe le Moko" because I liked the part so much I watched it again and I remembered the whole sequence. Too many déja vu to use a fitting French term and yet, they didn't even use much of the character originally played by singer Frehel.
I enjoyed "Algiers" as far as Boyer could carry the enjoyment alone and as long as I could see Paris in his eyes, his accent and his marvelous singing of "C'est la Vie!" but when Hollywood tries too much to imitate classics, I'd rather care for the classics. French 30's movies were a step ahead of other movies and without spoiling any of the two movies, let's just say that there was one aspect that "Algiers" couldn't replicate, it's the ending. Hays Code struck again, and it's a shame. The ending is still powerful enough but only as a culmination of that particular story, any five minutes from the French film are better than the climax of "Algiers".
Still, you'll never read me saying this movie shouldn't have been made. It should have, for one simple reason: Boyer's loving tirade introduces his French lover image and the iconic tirade imitated by Tom in the "Tom and Jerry" cartoon (ah you set my soul on fire) and Pepe le Moko inspired naturally Pepe le Pew, if only for these tiny bits of legacies, "Algiers" was a huge gift for the world of entertainment. The rest of the film is forgettable, it's sad but like Boyer would say c'est la vie!
"Algiers" is so similar in every single frame that you just have to read my review of "Pépé le Moko" to know the story the hell with my review, just watch the original movie. The film that starred Jean Gabin and Mireille Balin was both the French equivalent and precursor to "Casablanca" even in the way the protagonists where all embittered and somewhat lost souls driven by nostalgia and overwhelming circumstances not to mention some legal matters, and it's ultimately nostalgia from Paris that let poor Pepe lower his guard and get in trouble, that and a handful of betrayals. But nostalgia or not, I'm sorry but I couldn't buy English speaking Charles Boyer as a street-smart Parisian, which is silly since the actor is French.
His accent enhanced my suspension of disbelief, I remembered Boyer playing another grand French figure like Raimu's "César" and to the actor's credit, his performances are never impressions but personal takes on characters that shine on their own without stealing anyone's thunder. I like even Boyer in "Algiers" but let's accept it as a fact that Hedy Lamarr could never pass as a Parisian in the role played by her superior counterpart Mireille Balin, it's good enough that she could pass as a decent actress. I didn't see many Lamarr's movie but after watching her, I couldn't see what the fuss was all about. But I wouldn't say she was the main cause for my lack of interest toward the film.
I couldn't possibly take "Algiers" seriously because every shot, every moment was a replay of the original, and while there's nothing to blame on most of the cast, everyone from the squealer (Gene Lockhart) to the suave fez-wearing detective (Joseph Calleia) does justice to their parts but it was still the parts as they were played by the French actors, on that level, maybe "Algiers" is a masterpiece of 'recreation'. And I suspect the riveting opening montage was borrowed from "Pepe le Moko" because I liked the part so much I watched it again and I remembered the whole sequence. Too many déja vu to use a fitting French term and yet, they didn't even use much of the character originally played by singer Frehel.
I enjoyed "Algiers" as far as Boyer could carry the enjoyment alone and as long as I could see Paris in his eyes, his accent and his marvelous singing of "C'est la Vie!" but when Hollywood tries too much to imitate classics, I'd rather care for the classics. French 30's movies were a step ahead of other movies and without spoiling any of the two movies, let's just say that there was one aspect that "Algiers" couldn't replicate, it's the ending. Hays Code struck again, and it's a shame. The ending is still powerful enough but only as a culmination of that particular story, any five minutes from the French film are better than the climax of "Algiers".
Still, you'll never read me saying this movie shouldn't have been made. It should have, for one simple reason: Boyer's loving tirade introduces his French lover image and the iconic tirade imitated by Tom in the "Tom and Jerry" cartoon (ah you set my soul on fire) and Pepe le Moko inspired naturally Pepe le Pew, if only for these tiny bits of legacies, "Algiers" was a huge gift for the world of entertainment. The rest of the film is forgettable, it's sad but like Boyer would say c'est la vie!