The Revolving Doors

Cinema will soon be celebrating the 80th anniversary of the switch to all-talking pictures. But this absorbing French/Canadian drama shows that the coming of sound meant the end of a unique form of entertainment, the silent movie, complete with its atmospheric piano accompaniment. As the pianist who leaves the dream palaces to find fame in the jazz joints of New York, Monique Spaziani gives an engaging performance, piling on the years for the bookend segments, in the latter of which she meets the grandson who has come to know her through her diary. Francis Mankiewicz directs neatly and there's a solid performance from French actress Miou-Miou.