À Nous la Liberté (1931)

In the heart of a labor-intensive French prison, two friends and cell-mates, Émile and Louis, find solace in their shared dreams of escape. Louis successfully breaks free, leaving Émile behind, and ventures into the outside world where he ascends to become a captain of industry, establishing a thriving phonograph manufacturing company. Alone but undeterred, Émile seizes his own chance at freedom, unknowingly stepping into the mechanized world of his old friend's phonograph factory. This satirical comedy, "À Nous la Liberté," takes us on a journey of two ex-convicts navigating their newfound lives. The tale weaves a tapestry of humor and irony as their reunion coincides with Louis' plans to modernize his factory, turning his workers into mere cogs in a machine. Amidst dealing with romantic entanglements and the ever-looming shadow of their past, they grapple with the realization that the emotional freedom they seek may not lie in physical escape, but in the humanization of the mechanized world they now inhabit. As the specter of exposure looms over Louis, first through Émile and later by a dangerous gangster, he makes the audacious decision to hand over his factory to the workers. Together, Louis and Émile escape once more, this time to the boundless freedom of the open road. "A Nous la Liberté," renowned for its left-wing satirical narrative, has stirred controversy for over a decade following claims that Charles Chaplin borrowed several ideas from it while crafting his acclaimed film "Modern Times." This film is a captivating exploration of friendship, freedom, and the consequences of a mechanized society, reminding us that true liberty often lies beyond the confines of physical walls.

À Nous la Liberté is a comedy movie featuring Henri Marchand and directed by René Clair.

À Nous la Liberté is currently streaming on Criterion Channel and IndieFlix.