The Talking Machine Forum — For All Antique Phonographs & Recordings

Saw this last night on Turner network. An escaped inmate started a phonograph factory.
There is one scene in the movie (not in this particular clip) where he is selling
phonographs on the street and the model is a Victrola 4-3. I picked up the exact
same model from an estate sale earlier in the day.

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9iSmkTQ7FoE[/youtube]

After seeing the U-Tube video, I ordered a copy from Amazon. I just had to get it. It is about an escaped convict who runs a phonograph factory.
Harvey Kravitz

Looks to be heavily indebted to Chaplin's "Modern Times," except in this one they're actually making something identifiable, whereas in Chaplin's movie you never find out what factory is producing---which is the point, the work is just mindless, repetitive assembly-line work tied to the clock and production needs.

[quote="Henry"]Looks to be heavily indebted to Chaplin's "Modern Times,"

Since "Modern Times" was released in 1936 and "A Nous la Liberte" in 1931, the influences would've been the other way round. BUT-I do think Chaplin influenced many film makers who were working simultaneously as he, and later as well. I had read Leonard Maltin's review of "A Nous le Liberte" in his film guide several years ago, and he gives it a **** excellent rating, "Probably Renoir's masterpiece" is what he said. A great film, and a perk to see that it deals with our interests!

Well, how about that! I learned something---thanks, denman6. Here's more: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0022599/

Interesting: In the link Henry provided I see that there was a lawsuit for plagiarism against Chaplin.

The lawsuit seems to have dragged on for more than a decade, according to the IMDb link. Also, the director credit is René Clair, not [Jean] Renoir.