Sunday 22 February 2026 15:00
languages: version allemande locations: Théâtre des Capucins
Leo McCarey is one of those filmmakers whose apparent lightness conceals a rare depth. A major figure in American cinema, he established a unique style blending slapstick, domestic comedy, and pure emotion.
From Slapstick Chaos to Human Truth
From his beginnings at Hal Roach, where he honed the art of the gag and shaped Charley Chase as well as the duo Laurel & Hardy, to his masterpieces of screwball comedy and romance, McCarey consistently placed humanity at the center of his work. Attentive to gestures, silences, and hesitations, his cinema explores the fragility of human connections, the irony of everyday life, and the beauty of simple emotions. Oscar-winning for The Awful Truth and the creator of the unforgettable Make Way for Tomorrow as well as the romances Love Affair and An Affair to Remember, he unites laughter and gravity with a masterful storytelling craft.
This retrospective invites you to rediscover the spirit, humor, and tenderness of Leo McCarey, from his silent shorts to his timeless romances.
In the films I am hoping to make, I don’t want to change my genre: I like people to laugh, I like them to cry, I like a story to be about something and I want the public to leave the theatre feeling happier than it had before.
Leo McCarey
