Rendezvous De Juillet (1949)

In post WWII Paris, a group of young Parisians work to make their dreams come true. An anthropologist (Daniel Gelin) hopes to film a documentary on pygmies along with a budding cinematographer (Maurice Ronet) but he has difficulties scraping the money together. In the meantime, they are both involved with aspiring actresses (Brigitte Auber, Nicole Courcel). Directed by Jacques Becker (CASQUE D'OR), the first half of the film is a breezy romantic comedy that had the feeling of Truffaut's later Antoine Doinel films (STOLEN KISSES, BED AND BOARD). But the second half turns dark rapidly and seems headed to an unhappy conclusion. Becker splits the difference by having both a happy and unhappy ending to each of the couples. I found it a compromise and a weak conclusion but that's at the very end and it doesn't ruin the movie. A charming and often incisive look at French youth exploring their new options denied them during WWII. The B&W cinematography is by Claude Renoir (THE SPY WHO LOVED ME). With Pierre Trabaud and Philippe Mareuil.