Alternate Best Actor 1945: Pierre Brasseur in Children of Paradise

Pierre Brasseur did not receive an Oscar nomination for portraying Frédérick Lemaître in Children of Paradise.

Ah I return the the masterpiece that is Children of Paradise, now to complete my unfinished business, which I likely would've done if I had known Brasseur was going to be as good as he is, when I reviewed Jean-Louis Barrault as Baptiste Deburau in this film, particularly given the two performances, despite not always sharing screen time with one another, are reflections of each other in a way. Not as the expected antagonists, but rather two men who embody different natures both in the art of performance and the art of love. Brasseur's own performance being a stark contrast to Barrault, as we find him in the opening scenes of the film, which are absolutely brilliant in terms of the vividness of the world, and the tangible nature of every character we introduce, as we find his Frédérick just trying to find some way to break into the theatrical world. Brasseur's is just glowing with charisma here from the first instance where he asks to be let in with this slick sincerity though with a certain unquestioned sarcastic wit rolled into one as he cons, but does so with an obvious passion for the whole idea. When not immediately successful he happens upon the woman of many affections Garance (Arletty), where we get the complete opposite of what we will see with Barrault's Baptiste who is weighted down by his romantic intentions, with Frédérick, the man lives for romantic notions. Brasseur delivers every line with the utmost ease and as this natural flow of id almost in the notion of romance, as the man speaks with no barrier and his smile is burning bright with a not quite devious, but close to it, notion regarding Garance as he charms her quickly though briefly.

We follow him into attempting better in the world of the theater, where he attempts to find a job with the constantly stressed out theater owner who just wants successful productions but basically is weighted down by every possible chaotic event at every turn. Brasseur comes in with this manner of almost looking past everything, not quite as someone who is blind to it, he definitely notices it, but rather Brasseur conveys this sort of easy ambition of the man. Brasseur's performance having this effortless combination of the man who very much wants to perform, lives for it really, to the point he loves to casually reference Shakespeare like a proper fan, but presents it as the nature of the man. Brasseur expresses this specific love the stage, love of performance, but again, as against in contrast to Barrault, where we see this strict devotion to the performance as his mime where the craft is of this specified intensity, Brasseur brilliantly makes it all look easy, though never do you ever think he is less than absolutely as passionate for the art, it is just the different kind of approach to it. That difference between the men reinforced again as we see their approach to love, where Frédérick, is best described as really love just about every female he passes by, including seducing an older landlady, which is a scene that Brasseur plays so perfectly, because he is able to express this as just the id of the man. While there is lust to be sure, Brasseur doesn't make him sleazy or hideous, because his notions of true romance are true, but again, where Baptiste suffers for his love, Frédérick  is invigorated by it. To the point where each has a chance with Garance sexually, which Baptiste almost runs from for not being a perfect version of how he sees true love, Brasseur is great as Frédérick immediately jumps at the chance. Brasseur portraying again a lack of weight to the notion rather he lives for the flirtation, brimming with joy as he catches her eye and gets the go ahead to join her for the night, which we Brasseur expresses a man who treats the idea lightly, but not blithely.

The film has a time jump for its second half where we re-enter with Frédérick changed by becoming even more than he already was, as we see Brasseur who is just amazing in somehow naturally turning the already over Frédérick to an even more extreme version of himself, and making it not only work, but incredibly entertaining. Brasseur's performance I think is subtly genius in that he does exude a slightly older manner even if it isn't focused upon too much, but the maturity speaks more to now this man fully developed into himself with this confidence even greater than before. Where Frédérick was a man of charm, using the charm to try to get ahead, this is now the man who is ahead, is well aware that his charm works and speaks a man whose actions have only fulfilled his wants. Brasseur now brandishes his unabashed shamelessness about himself, presenting himself with this particularly intense power of personality that is particularly captivating every second he is on screen.  As we see him before rehearsing for a show, he is now a star of the stage, as we see him with two women hanging on him, and Brasseur exudes in every word and grin filled with a zest for himself, a man who wants to and is enjoying life. Even when angry creditors come to attack him, Brasseur's manner is a man taking it all in stride presenting Frédérick as merely accepting being him also requires a fight or two. We then are granted the performance side of Frédérick fully, where we had briefly seen him be slightly annoyed while playing a minor pantomime role in a Baptiste led production, here we see in full command of his art though to an Edward Norton level of ego as he comes into attempting to fix his dry uninteresting play, much to the ire of the play's creators. Brasseur though again is perfect in you see him certainly loving taking a few potshots at the unpleasant men, but at the same time his passion is very real, such as when explaining his changed outfit for the part does have honest logic to it, and within even still his smirk Brasseur grants conviction to wanting to put on the best show he can. Leading to one of the best scenes in this masterpiece where Frédérick performs to an adoring crowd by turning the straight drama basically into a parody, where he ad libs around the rote moments to make them work. Brasseur is outstanding throughout the sequence in again brandishing the performance of Frédérick essentially, and indeed selling this idea to us as he does the audience, and being as convincing as such. Being indeed hilarious in his manner of not taking any notion seriously with fourth wall breaks, he delivers with the utmost glee, and just being a pure delight that you'd likely be cheering for by the end of the production as well.

A unique scene for Brasseur comes right afterwards however where he finds Marcel Herrand's poet yet violent thief Lacenaire in his dressing room, who demands money, and naturally for Frédérick he takes it in stride. And in this sense you do get the charm offensive again where Brasseur very much presents a man who takes life in stride so a thief wanting to steal from him is just like anything else might happen so he brings the same jovial manner that he makes wholly convincing as he just wilfully offers to share his lottery winnings. Brasseur's manner I think is key here in that you do sense a slight concern in his eyes at moments when the man seems more threatening but only within his overall approach which is still as Frédérick just going about it as he does most things, with a love of life. Particularly as once all threat is gone, to the point Lacenaire even reveals another possible assailant working with him, who also happens to be a fan of Frédérick, Brasseur is incredible because you do see some genuine concern for a second, before going to the performer looking to hear a review of his performance from the men, where he presents that eagerness with the utmost sincerity, which is very comical sense he engaging with violent criminals, yet still entirely honest with how Brasseur presents the moment. Of course all his swaggering leads him to get shot in a duel, by unhappy playwrights, and afterwards what we get from Brasseur is a *slightly* more modest Frédérick for the remainder of the film. Frédérick ends up being the least important element in the last act, after dominating the opening of the second half, in fact is only accidentally into some dueling crossfire due a whole complex romantic cube that he's slightly part of. Regardless Brasseur still is a very welcome presence in every scene he is in, particularly when we do see him with his old companions from the first half, where Brasseur brings a remarkable warmth that is decidedly uncomplex compared to everyone else, showing a man still not weighted down, though now he delivers these words with just a bit more measure and sense of wisdom about them than before. Even when he expresses a slight bit of jealousy to the actual loves, Brasseur presents it as the man doing it all in good humor and actually brings this natural excitement as the feelings of jealousy he believes have made it so he can finally play his dream role of Othello. Where we very much exit him playing Othello to adoring crowds, and he gets a final conversation with some pompous men, where I think Brasseur is again great in the way he still has the ego no matter what, but kind of a less pestering eagerness. He still flawlessly delivers his witty asides to cut down the pompous men who dismiss Shakespeare, but Brasseur in the end shows the ego perhaps now is in service to a little greater goal than just his own enjoyment, not that one ever hated Frédérick even for that. And the entirety of this performance is an effortless delight, as he makes every moment he's onscreen shines, and provides the essential contrast of a man who is just as passionate and romantic as the rest of the characters, the difference is he always does it with a big smile on his face and glides through these notions as though he walks on air.