V%C3%A9nus aveugle

Vnus aveugle Blind Venus is a 1941 French film melodrama, directed by Abel Gance, and one of the first films to be undertaken in France during the German occupation. It is also sometimes cited as La Vnus aveugle.

The beautiful Clarisse learns that she is going blind, and in order to prevent her lover Madre, a boatman, from sacrificing himself for her, she decides to break with him, pretending she no longer loves him. Madre angrily leaves, and Clarisse takes a job as a singer in a harbour bar to support herself and her crippled sister Mireille. When she discovers that she is pregnant, she wants to confess everything to Madre, but he has left on a yearlong voyage with a new lover Giselle. Clarisse gives birth to a daughter Violette, and when Madre and Giselle return she learns that they are married and also have a baby daughter. Clarisses child dies, and she herself becomes completely blind embittered against men, she withdraws into herself. Mireille tells the truth to Madre, who has separated from Giselle, and he undertakes an elaborate deception to take care of Clarisse, posing as the owner of a yacht on which he wants to take her on a cruise. The yacht is in fact the brokendown boat which used to be their shared home, but all their friends conspire to create the illusion that Clarisse is on a sea voyage. Madre restores the boat in preparation for a real voyage, and just when it is ready, Clarisse tells him she has recognised him and the boat. She accepts his love for her, and simultaneously regains her sight.Filming began onNovember 1940 and continued through the winter into 1941. Gances assistant director was Edmond T. Grville, and cinematography was by LonceHenri Burel with Henri Alekan as his assistant. In addition to the material difficulties that any filmmaking of that period underwent, the production was troubled by a disagreement between Viviane Romance and Sylvie Gance the wife of Abel Gance, which became so severe that they refused to continue working together. As a result, many of Romances scenes were directed by Grville, while Sylvie Gance was directed separately by her husband. Since the two actresses were playing sisters, the situation required extensive u

Source: Wikipedia