Crainquebille | 1922 | Drama

Title: Crainquebille | 1922 | Drama Director: Jacques Feyder Studio: Les Films Legrand Starring: Maurice de Féraudy, Félix Oudart, Jean Forest, Marguerite Carré, Jeanne Cheirel, René Worms, Charles Mosnier Based on: Novel *L’Affaire Crainquebille* by Anatole France Release Date: 1922 (France), US release 1923 Runtime: Approximately 90 minutes (restored versions vary) Format: Silent black and white Country: France Language: Silent with French intertitles Genres: Social Drama --- Chapters: 00:00:00 Introduction to Jérôme Crainquebille and Les Halles 00:15:00 Confrontation with the policeman 00:30:00 Arrest and judicial confusion 00:45:00 Imprisonment 01:00:00 Release and ostracism 01:15:00 Renewal of hope --- Summary: Crainquebille is a 1922 French silent social drama about Jérôme Crainquebille, an elderly vegetable seller in the Paris marketplace of Les Halles whose life is upended after a misunderstanding with a policeman leads to his arrest for alleged insults. Processed through the rigid and indifferent legal system, he serves time before being released into a community that now shuns him, illustrating how ordinary people can be crushed by bureaucratic injustice. The narrative blends realism and compassion in its portrayal of a humble working man’s struggle for dignity. --- Background: Directed by Jacques Feyder and adapted from Anatole France’s 1901 novel, the film was noted for its realistic depiction of Parisian street life and social institutions. It helped establish Feyder’s reputation as a filmmaker capable of blending poetic nuance with social realism and was released in the United States under alternative titles such as *Bill* and *Old Bill of Paris*. --- Trivia: The film was known in English-speaking markets as *Bill* and *Old Bill of Paris*. Contemporary reviewers praised the realism of the market scenes and the performance of Maurice de Féraudy as Crainquebille. The story critiques the impersonal nature of the justice system through its portrayal of Crainquebille’s ordeal. Restorations of the film have been presented at international silent film festivals with live musical accompaniment. --- Public Domain / Rights: Original Release: 1922 (France), 1923 (USA) Original Studio / Distributor: Les Films Legrand / Red Seal Pictures (US) Copyright Status: Public Domain Renewal: Unknown --- Hashtags: #Crainquebille1922 #JacquesFeyder #SilentFilm #FrenchCinema #SocialDrama #ClassicFilm #PublicDomain