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Artistic Integrity and Industrial Change

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Abel Gance and the End of Silent Cinema

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Abstract

This chapter offers a chronological contextualization of Gance’s place within the European film industry. Cuff details the relationship between Gance and his producers: Louis Nalpas, Charles Pathé, and Jacques Grinieff. The chapter argues that Gance grew increasingly frustrated with the commercial constraints imposed upon his artistic ambitions. Cuff reveals how Gance sought to establish an international film syndicate whose work would be supported by the League of Nations. The chapter explores how Gance planned to mobilize cinema to achieve global pacifism and cultural reconciliation. Cuff concludes by showing the ways in which Gance accommodated sound technology into his utopian schemes.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Warwick University, Coventry, UK

    Paul Cuff

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  1. Paul Cuff
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Cuff, P. (2016). Artistic Integrity and Industrial Change. In: Abel Gance and the End of Silent Cinema. Palgrave Macmillan, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-38818-2_5

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