First on the Rope

{{short description|1944 film}} {{Infobox film | name = First on the Rope | image = File:First on the Rope.jpg | caption = | director = [[Louis Daquin]] | writer = [[Alexandre Arnoux]] Louis Daquin [[Jacqueline Jacoupy]] [[Paul Leclercq]] | based_on = ''First on the Rope'' by [[Roger Frison-Roche]] | producer = Jacqueline Jacoupy | starring = [[Irène Corday]] [[André Le Gall]] [[Lucien Blondeau]] | narrator = | cinematography = [[Philippe Agostini]] | editing = [[Suzanne de Troeye]] | music = [[Henri Sauguet]] | studio = Pathé Consortium Cinéma | distributor = Pathé Consortium Cinéma | released = {{Film date|1944|02|23|df=yes}} | runtime = 106 minutes | country = France | language = [[French language|French]] | budget = | gross = }} '''''First on the Rope''''' (French: '''''Premier de cordée''''') is a 1944 French [[drama film]] directed by [[Louis Daquin]] and starring [[Irène Corday]], [[André Le Gall]] and [[Lucien Blondeau]].<ref>Crisp p.94</ref><ref>Nord p.292</ref> It is an adaptation of the 1941 novel of the same title by [[Roger Frison-Roche]]. It was a faithful adaptation of the novel, which began shooting in June 1943 during the [[German military administration in occupied France during World War II|German Occupation of France]]. Despite being directed by Daquin, a [[French Communist Party|French Communist]], it was considered to demonstrate a [[Pétainism|Pétainist]] ideology possibly even containing elements of [[Nazism]].<ref>Crisp p.94-95</ref>

The film's sets were designed by the [[art director]] [[Lucien Aguettand]]. [[Location shooting]] took place around [[Mont Blanc massif|Mont Blanc]] in the [[French Alps]].

==Synopsis== The son of a veteran [[mountain climber]] succeeds his father as "the first on the rope", leading expeditions into the mountains. However, after nearly losing his life during a climb he develops [[vertigo]] and abandons his position to take over as a [[hotel manager]]. Two years later when his father is persuaded by a [[Norwegians|Norwegian]] [[tourist]] to take him on a trip into the mountains, his son is forced to come to their rescue when they run into a trouble during a storm.

==Cast== * [[Irène Corday]] as Aline Lourtier * [[André Le Gall]] as Pierre Servettaz * [[Lucien Blondeau]] as Jean Servettaz * [[Marcel Delaître]] as Ravanat dit 'Le Rouge' * [[Jean Davy]] as Hubert de Vallon * [[Maurice Baquet]] as Boule * [[Mona Dol]] as Marie Servettaz * [[Yves Furet]] as Georges à la Clarisse * [[Andrée Clément]] as Suzanne Servettaz * [[Geymond Vital]] as Maxime Vouillaz * [[Tosca De Lac]] as L'acrobate * [[Louis Seigner]] as Le docteur * [[Roger Blin]] as Paul Moury * [[Eugène Chevalier]] as Un guide * [[Guy Decomble]] as Warfield * [[Jacques Dufilho]] as Fernand Lourtier * [[Fernand René]] as Napoléon * [[Albert Duvaleix]] as L'oncle Dechosalet * [[Jérôme Goulven]] as Un guide * [[Jean-Marc Thibault]] as Un pensionnaire des Servettaz

== References == <references/>

== Bibliography == * Crisp, Colin. ''French Cinema—A Critical Filmography: Volume 2, 1940–1958''. Indiana University Press, 2015. * Nord, Philip. ''France's New Deal: From the Thirties to the Postwar Era''. Princeton University Press, 2012.

== External links == * {{IMDb title|0193431}}

[[Category:1944 films]] [[Category:1944 drama films]] [[Category:French drama films]] [[Category:1944 French-language films]] [[Category:Films directed by Louis Daquin]] [[Category:Pathé films]] [[Category:1944 French films]] [[Category:Films scored by Henri Sauguet]] [[Category:French-language drama films]]