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Prix de Beauté is Louise Brooks's last starring role in a feature, and
her only film made in France. It tells the deceptively simple story of
Lucienne, a high-spirited Parisian typist who leads a mundane life with her fiancé, André, and a number of friends.
While André indeed loves Lucienne, he has conventional expectations for
their life together. When the Miss Europa beauty contest comes to town, he
warns her to "not even dream" of entering it. Lucienne ignores his advice,
and from there, Prix de Beauté follows Brooks's character as she struggles
for independence and happiness. André is overcome with jealous
rage...leading to an unexpected and dramatic resolution.
One of the first sound films made in France (a silent version was made
concurrently), Prix de Beauté is an effective melodrama that is elevated to
the sublime by the remarkable performance of the radiant Ms. Brooks. Kino is
proud to present this little-seen film on DVD for the first time.
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