May 15th In Paris Movie Review – What Have We Learned?

May 15 photo from Adler Associates
Spread the love

While the black and white film May 15th in Paris (Le Quinze Mai a Paris) by pioneer filmmaker Barbara De Fina is a short, it speaks louder than most feature films.  Having worked with award winning Martin Scorsese for over 40 years Ms. De Fina has learned her craft as she compares modern day Paris to the city in the 1840’s.

Protesting skateboarder in Paris – May 15th – photo from Adler and Associates

Directed by Janek Ambros and distributed by Marie Adler of Adler and Associates Entertainment, Inc., tells the story of the poor and middle class French in 1830 felt neglected by their King Louis Philippe whom they saw as favoring the elite and landowners.  As the years went on laws became stricter for the people and banning together they stormed the palace to create the Second Republic which was supposed to be a populist government with the needs of the people in mind.

 

Protesting in Paris – May 15th – photo from Adler Associates

It wasn’t long, however, before those running the Second Republic began to favor the same rich patrons ignoring the working class.   Louis Napoleon Bonaparte rose up.  A charismatic leader he made promises to the people and  much of the upper class supported him as the “least worst” candidate, as a man who would restore order.  A good proportion of the industrial working class voted for Louis-Napoleon with his vague indications of progressive economic views.  His overwhelming victory was mainly due to support from the non-politicized rural masses.  The name Bonaparte already carried meaning and the other contenders had no real history.  The  neglected middle class had become fed up and  disenfranchised with those in power.  They placed their hopes in idealists and extremists who waved the banner of populism.”

 

Power soon rushed to Bonaparte‘s head and in 1851 he lead a coup de etat as he took control of the Second Republic.  Slowly he strangled the rights of the disenchanted masses.  Declaring himself a emperor of France and dictator he turned France into a fascist state.

 

Considering the modern events of Brexit in Britain and the election of President Donald Trump in the United States this eye-opening film which juxtaposes imagery of modern-day Paris has extreme relevance today.

photo from Adler and Associates

In narration the short tells the story of May 15, 1848 showing how protesters pushed the French establishment to give them the popular vote and were swayed by someone who made promises to help them.  Only after they elected the ruler did they see their  interests ignored in favor of the rich and powerful as the power went to his head.  Their revolution had backfire and turned against their own interests.

 

Is history doomed to repeat itself?  We hope not.

 

 

About Serita Stevens 66 Articles
An award winning writer of books, scripts, adaptations and teacher of writing I am also a forensic nurse and assist writers, producers, and attorneys with their medical, forensic, poison and investigative scenes in their stories or cases.

Be the first to comment

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published.


*