Le jour se lève marks the high point of ‘poetic realism’, the fatalistic, atmospheric French thrillers that anticipated American
film noir. Starring French cinema’s most iconic actor, Jean Gabin,
Le jour se lève combines the meticulous visual style of its director, Marcel Carné, with a sophisticated flashback structure from screenwriter Jacques Prévert.
Le jour se lève was released on blu-ray by Studio Canal for its 75th anniversary in 2014. This restored version features two minutes of additional footage—including a rather risqué shot of Arletty in the shower—censored by the French government on the film’s original theatrical release.
