The singing film star in early French sound cinema

Abstract

In the early years of synchronized sound film, cinema’s relationship to live theatre was a topic of debate. Many stars from the Parisian stage successfully transitioned to the screen, becoming important figures in establishing a French national sound film style at a time when the medium’s future remained uncertain. Not only did French audiences take pleasure in hearing French stars speak on-screen, but the French singing voice also had an equally influential, if less examined, effect. Songs performed on-screen by stars from the French stage bridged theatrical traditions and sound cinema’s emerging audio-visual aesthetics. This article examines the singing star in early French sound cinema. Drawing on scholarly approaches to stardom in France and abroad by Richard Dyer and Ginette Vincendeau, I focus on musical numbers in early French sound films that feature three singers already famous on the Parisian stage: Fernandel, Henri Garat and Josephine Baker. I consider how these songs are visually structured around the singing star’s stage presence, and how the soundtrack was likewise constructed around their voices familiar to audiences from recordings and stage performances. Through my analysis, I show how the singing star contributed to a broader acceptance of sound cinema in France.