Nozière: A Story Of Murder In 1930s Paris And Renoir's

Paris has often been run by rumor. The driving force behind both Sarah Maza’s history book Violette Nozière: A Story of Murder in 1930s Paris and Jean Renoir’s film The Crime of Monsieur Langue is a crime and its proceeding trial. While Violette Nozière documents an actual crime and trial and The Crime of Monsieur Lange depicts a fictitious crime and de facto jury, both are heavily influenced by public opinion. Analyzing these two different source genres can help historians better understand Paris in the 1930s. Public opinion is always changing, and it is important that we understand how it is applied in multiple aspects to be sure the correct assumptions are found. Looking at Renoir’s film, one can see the values held by many Parisians of

Because of its widespread popularity, the public felt inclined to weigh in with their own opinions about a girl who killed her father who allegedly sexually abused her. At the beginning of the trial, many Parisians sent in letters to Judge Lenoir expressing their opinions on the Nozières and the case. Maza claims that “As the investigation proceeded, however, it soon became clear that ‘public opinion’ was not going to settle down into straightforward denunciation of Violette” (147), showing the non-stop influence of the public on the case. Some sided with Madame Nozière, some with Violette, and others wanted to protect the legacy of Baptiste Nozière. These letters were often prompted by rumors and gossip that the writers had heard. Paris has always been rife with gossip, and the 1930s held no exception. Concierges “served as a sort of human gossip and information switchboard” (148) that facilitated rumor, storeowners heard accounts from all of their customers, and cafés were alive with chatter. The myriad explanations and interpretations made the Nozière case one about what was right and wrong in society, not about a girl who tried to kill her

One can gather that socialism was on the rise and supported by many of the working class. From the co-op in The Crime of Monsieur Lange to the Communist party’s support of Madame Nozière, public opinion was shifting away from supporting a patriarchal society. What was once taboo became more popular topics of discussion, such as the pornography in Baptiste’s possession, Estelle’s miscarriage of Batala’s child, fathers taking their daughters’ innocence, and ousting men of unnecessary power. A film, while not necessarily factual, focuses on culture and values. Cinema is an art form that reflects what the directors and actors, and by extension, the general public, believe. The freedom of expression in style in content gives us an unimpeded view of what is seen as right and wrong. Historical books, however, are based on fact and can give primary accounts of events. While wording can get in the way of clearly representing a culture, it does recount behaviors. Much like the oft-discredited psychoanalyst Sigmund Frued, it records what happened very well, but its interpretations can be disconnected. By combining primary and secondary sources, we can get a well-rounded factual and cultural view of a city ripe with change in a newly emerging world. We can understand Paris in the 1930s much better, with visuals from crime reports and movie sets, political change from party activities and affiliations