Reginald Beck: Invisible Artisan of Cinema

Posted on July 5, 2025 by

Reginald Beck (1902-1992) edited eighteen films of Losey’s, beginning in 1958 and stretching to Losey’s last, in 1985. It was a multi-decade professional partnership based on mutual respect. Beck was a small man, of modest manner and somewhat taciturn yet insightful in his opinions and generous in training younger editors. He and cinematographer Gerry Fisher formed the core team that supported Losey’s second career as an European director.
Beck’s demeanor deceitfully feigned that of a small bland Englishman, but inside burned a brightly shining personality with an unusual background. His career, spanning from the early days of British cinema through the European auteur movement, illustrates a complex mix of artistic vision, political conviction, and professional self-determination.

Reginald Beck editing
▲ Beck using a Moviola machine in the cutting room. The Moviola defined film editing from the 1920’s through the mid-Seventies, neatly overlaying Beck’s career. Beck’s familiarity and skill in using it made the complex task of cutting the film seem relaxed and easy – something it was anything but.

The M Klein Credit Controversy: Union Rules and Artistic Recognition

The case of M Klein exemplifies the bureaucratic obstacles that could overshadow artistic collaboration in the film industry. Despite Beck’s editing M Klein, he was unable to receive proper screen credit due to British film union regulations. The film’s credits instead list Henri Lanoë, Marie Castro-Vasquez, and Michèle Neny as editors. Beck gets credit but as a “Adviser to Joseph Losey”. Indeed!

British film union rules, particularly those enforced by the Association of Cinematograph, Television and Allied Technicians (ACTT), strictly governed credit allocation during the 1970s. These regulations often prevented editors from receiving recognition for work performed outside their home territories or under specific contractual arrangements. The ACTT, founded in 1933 and representing over 20,000 members by 1982, maintained rigid protocols about screen credits that sometimes conflicted with the realities of international film-making. The solution in the case of this film was to employ a French editor who was credited for Beck’s work. This arrangement, though unfair to Beck, preserved the artistic continuity of the Losey-Beck collaboration while accommodating the logistical requirements of filming in France. It was the only time Beck didn’t receive credit for his work through his entire collaboration with Losey.

▲ In truth there was always pressure to get things done. Marie Castro-Vasquez was the first assistant to Beck in M Klein. Following her work with him she had a career as an editor of feature films and tv series in the French market.

Artistic Freedom: The Freelance Editor’s Independence

Beck’s career was unusual because he was able to make (and stick to) a deliberate choice to work as a freelance editor rather than being tied to any particular studio. This independence, which he was proud of, allowed him artistic freedom but also created difficulties in an industry that was increasingly dominated by corporate structures. His freelance status enabled him to work with diverse directors across different production systems, from the quota quickies of the 1930s to the art films of the 1970s.

Working outside the studio system affected Beck’s approach to editing. Unlike editors employed by major studios who were often constrained by house styles and executive interference, Beck could develop distinctive collaborative relationships with individual directors. This freedom was particularly evident in his work with Losey. Beck pursued skillful editing techniques that supported Losey’s complex thematic concerns without outside pressure to conform to commercial formulas.

▲ A clear hierarchy is visible through the screening room seating arrangement as people wait to watch film rushes. Losey is center with Beck on his left and cinematographer Gerry Fisher on his right. The assistant directors sit in front of Losey. Margo Capelier, casting director, is in the front row. Marie Castro-Vasquez is far right, and Henri Lanoë’s head is just visible in the back.

Beck’s independent status also meant he could select projects based on artistic merit rather than contractual obligations. His filmography reflects this selective approach, spanning from Laurence Olivier’s Henry V (1944) to works by international auteurs, illustrating his commitment to cinematic excellence over financial security. Importantly, the freelance model allowed Beck to maintain creative autonomy while building long-term partnerships with directors who valued his unique skills. Like Fisher’s camerawork, Beck’s editing was central in supporting Losey’s complex themes and visual identity.

Political Beliefs: Russian Origins and Radical Sympathies

Beck’s political world-view was fundamentally shaped by his early experiences as a Russian-born émigré. Born in St. Petersburg in 1902 to a British father and Finnish mother, Beck’s family emigrated to Britain when he was thirteen (1915). Beck’s childhood exposure to revolutionary Russia and his family’s subsequent displacement instilled in him an understanding of political persecution and the arbitrary nature of state power. These experiences resonated with the themes explored in many of his later collaborations, particularly Losey’s films that examined outsiders, persecution, and the abuse of authority.

The intersection of Beck’s political beliefs with Losey’s anti-establishment stance created a powerful creative partnership. Beck’s Russian origins and immigrant experience gave him a unique perspective on British class society that proved invaluable in interpreting Losey’s critiques of social hierarchies. His editing choices consistently supported narratives that exposed the violence and corruption underlying respectable facades, reflecting a political sensibility forged in revolutionary upheaval. What Losey found in Beck was an editor who intuitively understood the psychology of displacement and persecution. Their collaboration on films like Accident (1967) and The Go-Between (1971) explored themes of class oppression and social hypocrisy that reflected both men’s critical views of established power structures.

▲ Losey speaking with Beck as Henri Lanoë, the credited editor, listens.

Style as an Editor: Invisible Craft and Sustained Tension

Beck’s editing style was rooted in the theories of Vsevolod Pudovkin which held that the assembly of shots served as bricks in creating narrative. His approach emphasized psychological complexity over flashy technique (contrasting with the theories of Sergei Eisenstein).

In M Klein, Beck’s editing supported the film’s Kafkaesque atmosphere of paranoia and identity confusion. The film’s exploration of a French Catholic being mistaken for a Jewish namesake required editing that could sustain psychological tension while maintaining narrative clarity. Beck’s work created a labyrinthine with life-or-death consequences through careful pacing and strategic withholding of information. A mark of his work with Losey was lengthy shots that built tension through duration rather than cutting. This technique demonstrated Beck’s understanding that editing’s power often lay in restraint rather than flashiness, and in M Klein this approach supported the film’s meditation on identity and persecution by allowing scenes to develop psychological complexity through sustained observation.

Relationship with Losey: Mutual Respect and Creative Partnership

The professional relationship between Beck and Losey represented one of cinema’s most productive editor-director partnerships, spanning eighteen films from The Gypsy and the Gentleman (1958) through Steaming (1985). Losey considered Beck one of the two best editors he ever worked with, the other being his first editor, Reginald Mills. Beck’s collaboration with Losey began after the director’s public falling-out with Mills over The Servant (1963). Beck then edited all of Losey’s subsequent films, establishing a working relationship characterized by shared political sensibilities and complementary artistic approaches. Their partnership proved particularly fruitful in films that explored themes of persecution, identity, and social hypocrisy.

What is ironic about the contribution that Reginald Beck made to M Klein, and Joseph Losey’s films in general, was that they were two people who worked on the margins of established systems, both dealing with issues of political exile and artistic displacement, and together they transformed these restraints of blacklisting and emigration into innovative film-making that challenged social norms as well as cinematic conventions. In some ways this wasn’t a surprising outcome for two such talented people, but it certainly represented a struggle and an opposition to forces and obstacles quite similar to those that many artists face today.

If you would like further information:

‘Association of cinematograph, television and allied technicians’ (2025) Wikipedia. Available at: https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Association_of_Cinematograph,_Television_and_Allied_Technicians&oldid=1278926362 (Accessed: 29 June 2025).
BFI Screenonline: Beck, Reginald (1902-1992) Biography (no date). Available at: http://www.screenonline.org.uk/people/id/1299434/index.html (Accessed: 13 March 2023).
BFI screenonline: beck, reginald (1902-1992) biography (no date). Available at: http://www.screenonline.org.uk/people/id/1299434/index.html (Accessed: 28 June 2025).
Burman, J. (no date) An Age of Transition and Turmoil: Editors Guild History 1965-75 -, CineMontage Journal of the Motion Pictures Editors Guild. Available at: https://cinemontage.org/an-age-of-transition-and-turmoil-editors-guild-history-1965-75/ (Accessed: 28 June 2025).
‘Reginald Beck’ (2022) Wikipedia. Available at: https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Reginald_Beck&oldid=1108833609 (Accessed: 9 April 2023).
Ryder, W. and Lawson, A. (1987) Reginald Beck Interview. (The British Entertainment History Project). Available at: https://historyproject.org.uk/interview/reginald-reggie-beck (Accessed: 13 March 2023).
Sloman, T. (1992) Obituary: Reginald Beck, The Independent. Available at: https://www.independent.co.uk/news/people/obituary-reginald-beck-1536223.html (Accessed: 29 March 2023).

Films Beck Edited (List adapted from “Reginald Beck.” In Wikipedia, September 6, 2022. https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Reginald_Beck&oldid=1108833609)

YearFilm NameDirector(s)
1932The Return of RafflesMansfield Markham
1933Death at Broadcasting HouseReginald Denham
1935Late ExtraAlbert Parker
1935Blue SmokeEdwin L. Ince
1936Wedding GroupAlex Bryce & Campbell Gullan
1936Find the LadyRoland Grillette
1937Calling All Ma'sRedd Davis
1937Variety HourRedd Davis
1938Father O'NineMaclean Rogers (aka Oswald Mitchell)
1938This Man Is NewsDavid MacDonald
1939This Man in ParisDavid MacDonald
1939The Stars Look DownCarol Reed
1940The Stars Look DownCarol Reed
1941Freedom RadioAnthony Asquith
1941Quiet WeddingAnthony Asquith
1942In Which We ServeNoël Coward & David Lean
1942Unpublished StoryHarold French
1943The Lamp Still BurnsMaurice Elvey
1944Henry VLaurence Olivier
1945Journey TogetherJohn Boulting (supervising editor)
1947They Made Me a FugitiveAlberto Cavalcanti (supervising editor)
1947I Became a CriminalAlberto Cavalcanti (editorial supervisor)
1948HamletLaurence Olivier (associate producer)
1950The Angel with the TrumpetAnthony Bushell (supervising editor)
1951The Long Dark HallReginald Beck & Anthony Bushell
1952The Wonder KidKarl Hartl
1953The Beggar's OperaPeter Brook
1953Laughing AnneHerbert Wilcox (supervising editor)
1953The Big FrameDavid MacDonald
1954Trouble in the GlenHerbert Wilcox (supervising editor)
1954Let's Make UpDenis Kavanagh (supervising editor)
1955King's RhapsodyHerbert Wilcox (supervising editor)
1957Island in the SunRobert Rossen
1958Harry Black and the TigerHugo Fregonese
1958The Gypsy and the GentlemanJoseph Losey
1959Serious ChargeTerence Young
1962EvaJoseph Losey
1963The Leather BoysSidney J. Furie
1965The Leather BoysSidney J. Furie
1966Modesty BlaiseJoseph Losey
1967AccidentJoseph Losey
1967RobberyPeter Yates
1968Boom!Joseph Losey
1968Secret CeremonyJoseph Losey
1971The Go-BetweenJoseph Losey
1971Figures in a LandscapeJoseph Losey
1971Something to HideAlastair Reid
1972The Assassination of TrotskyJoseph Losey
1973A Doll's HouseJoseph Losey
1973GalileoJoseph Losey
1975The Romantic EnglishwomanJoseph Losey
1977Un amour de sableChristian Lara
1978DespairRainer Werner Fassbinder
1978Roads to the SouthJoseph Losey
1979Don GiovanniJoseph Losey
1985SteamingJoseph Losey
Posted in Joseph Losey, Artists, Paris
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The Driver’s Dilemma: My Racing Dreams in a City of Bike Paths

Posted on June 28, 2025 by
▲ Formula 1 weekend, Montreal, 2025.

There’s something beautifully absurd about dreaming of Formula One glory while religiously using the metro and my bike in the city. It’s like being a vegetarian who fantasizes about winning hot dog eating contests – technically possible, but requiring some serious mental gymnastics to reconcile the contradiction.

The Making of a 36-Horsepower Speed Demon

My personal journey to Formula One dreams began in the most modest way possible: behind the wheel of my parent’s 1958 Volkswagen Beetle. While other kids were playing touch football or watching TV, I was sitting in our family’s parked Beetle, gripping the steering wheel with white knuckles, shifting through imaginary gears with the precision of someone who was still more than ten years away from having a driver’s license.

It was an ironic situation even then. Here I was, fantasizing about joining the ranks of Stirling Moss – while my automotive reality consisted of a parked car that even when running took roughly the same time to reach highway speed as it takes to get from Lionel-Groux to Snowdon (stops on our metro).

Those BBC radio reports crackling through our family’s shortwave radio painted vivid pictures of Monaco’s glamour, but they somehow missed mentioning the modern issues of environmental rape and pillage tied to petro use. They certainly didn’t prepare me for the cognitive dissonance I’d experience many decades later as a Montreal resident torn between childhood racing fantasies and an adult commitment to sustainable transportation.

Montreal’s Great Transportation Transformation

Moving to Montreal in 2003 was like stepping into a city caught between two realities. The Montreal public transit system was already one of North America’s most heavily used systems. Yet Montreal remained (and remains) a city where cars dominate the landscape. There’s a dream of urban sustainability but even in me there’s a conflict with secret Formula One fantasies.

The Annual Montreal Contradiction

Every June, when Formula One descends upon Circuit Gilles Villeneuve, Montreal experiences a total ethical meltdown. The small island in the Saint Lawrence that hosts our Grand Prix was originally created for Expo 67, then re-purposed into a racing circuit that celebrates everything Montreal’s current transportation policies are trying to discourage.

The race circuit itself embodies this paradox perfectly. The city lavishly hosts a sport that burns fossil fuels at obscene rates while promoting electric vehicles and public transit.

The Netflix Effect and Modern Racing Culture

The popularity of Netflix’s “Drive to Survive” has created a new generation of Formula One fans who, like me, experience the sport primarily through screens rather than exhaust fumes. It’s not exactly socially acceptable to be interested in a sport that represents everything we’re supposed to be moving away from, but secretly I am.

When my wife mentioned to a very close friend that we’d watched all seven seasons, the look of bewilderment that crossed her face was eloquent. Even if it was brief before she masked it. It was the expression of someone trying to reconcile how two people who take public transit everywhere and enthusiastically support biking could simultaneously be enthralled by the world’s most environmentally questionable sport.

Living with the Paradox

Montreal’s approach to transportation politics reflects a city that deals in nuance. We promote walkability through indices that measure access to employment and amenities while simultaneously maintaining one of Formula One’s most visible venues. Somehow, both realities coexist in the same metropolitan area without the universe completely collapsing from the contradiction.

Embracing the Contradiction

Perhaps the real wisdom lies in accepting that humans are complicated creatures capable of holding multiple truths simultaneously. I can genuinely believe that Montreal’s future depends on reducing car dependency while still hoping Lewis Hamilton will win as I hear the obnoxious bellowing of Formula One engines echoing across the St. Lawrence River.

There’s no doubt though that Montreal’s approach to transportation doesn’t adhere to ideological purity. The city that gives us extensive bike networks also gives us a yearly walk on the dark side. It’s an approach that acknowledges that progress is perhaps served by not abandoning everything from our past in our quest for purity.

After all, even as a committed environmentalist I can still appreciate the engineering marvel of a Formula One car, just as I hope the most dedicated tourist racing fan can get on our fancy new metro trains and wish they had them in their city. Montreal has figured out how to celebrate both, and maybe that’s the a sophisticated approach for where we are now.

Posted in Montreal, Photography, Transport
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The Artful Eye: Gerry Fisher’s Cinematographic Journey

Posted on June 22, 2025 by
▲ Though a creature of the studio system, Fisher still chafed at waiting for his union crew to catch up. Losey liked that about him. Here he is quietly eyeing a studio setup while two electricians stand behind him. The man squatting on the right is Victor Rodrigue, the stills photographer for the film.

The Established Collaborator

By 1976, when Gerry Fisher began work on M Klein, he had already accumulated twenty seven film credits as Director of Photography, with this project marking his sixth collaboration with director Joseph Losey. Their professional relationship had evolved into a well-oiled machine, characterized by mutual understanding and respect that transcended the need for excessive verbal communication.

Fisher approached cinematography as storytelling through visuals, preferring his work to enhance rather than overshadow the narrative. His unassuming personality and steady temperament, combined with meticulous precision and clear vision, made him particularly well-suited for the high-pressure environment of film-making. For M Klein, Fisher chose a visual style that balanced documentary-like authenticity with Losey’s signature visual richness, creating tension through sparsely lit scenes that subtly highlighted the film’s moral complexities.

Morning Meetings and Declined Spirits

Fisher’s workdays (when shooting on location) typically began with an early morning planning session in Losey’s trailer, where the director would with good-natured persistence (born of friendship) offer Fisher some Stoli with pomplemousse. While not abstaining from alcohol entirely, Fisher wisely maintained his professional composure on set—a prudent choice given the demands of his role.

Despite feeling free to disagree with Losey in private, Fisher maintained the line that “the director always had the final say” in public – the correct stance to take since Losey never reacted well when challenged in public. Their relationship, however, was founded on mutual respect and friendship, with Fisher feeling particular loyalty to Losey for giving him his first opportunity as Director of Photography in 1967 – a significant milestone in his career and the most difficult step for a cameraman to take.

▲ Losey sights over the camera at a boulevard scene near Pont St-Louis. Fisher, in the light coat, flanks him and on the other side is Lucie Lichtig, the accomplished Continuity Director who started her 50 year career in 1933 working for Max Ophuls. Sighting through the camera is Pierre-William Glenn, first Camera Operator.

The Silent Partnership of Filmmaking

Perhaps the most remarkable aspect of the Losey-Fisher partnership was how little they needed to speak to each other. During setups, Fisher would quietly survey the set from various angles, giving concise instructions to electricians about lighting adjustments and discussing camera positioning with his crew. His efficiency stemmed from clarity of vision—knowing precisely what he wanted and how to achieve it without unnecessary elaboration.

Fisher’s innovative approach to actor movement involved creating “zones” rather than specific marks, allowing performers greater freedom and naturalism in their movements. This method facilitated more spontaneous performances while maintaining visual coherence. Losey, confident in Fisher’s abilities, could focus his attention on directing actors, knowing the visual elements were in capable hands.

From Darkroom to Director of Photography

Born into a working-class London family, Fisher showed an early passion for photography, purchasing a film camera and constructing a darkroom in his parents’ home as a young boy. During the early years of World War II, too young to enlist, he contributed to the war effort by helping manufacture large-format reconnaissance cameras for the Royal Air Force. Later, when old enough to serve, he joined the Royal Navy as an electrician repairing landing craft.

Fisher’s career followed the traditional studio system path in England, beginning with entry-level positions loading film magazines and working as a clapper boy before gradually advancing to camera operator and beyond. Each step of his professional journey reinforced the discipline and technical precision that would later distinguish his work as a cinematographer.

▲ The film used the Citroën factory (recently closed) at Quai de Javel in Paris for one of the scenes in which Klein is searching for “Kathy”, his double’s girlfriend. Fisher had an easy time here – there was a lot of space and beautiful natural light coming through huge panels of windows. He is explaining the framing to his camera operator.

Bridging Cultural Divides

M Klein presented Fisher with the challenge of working in a French cultural and linguistic context while maintaining the sophisticated visual style associated with Losey’s films. His collaboration with bilingual cameraman Pierre-William Glenn proved invaluable, providing a crucial communication link with the predominantly French-speaking crew. Despite not speaking French himself, Fisher’s work in France eventually earned him the prestigious title of Chevalier de l’Ordre des Arts et des Lettres in 1997, recognizing his significant contributions to French cinema.

The Orchestrator of Light and Movement

As Director of Photography, Fisher coordinated three distinct groups: the camera crew handling complex equipment, electricians managing lighting, and grips responsible for camera support and movement. His lighting philosophy for M Klein favored strategic placement over abundance, creating textured illumination rather than flat, even lighting.

The pressures of film-making—described as “a bit like fighting a war, with less drastic results”—required quick, confident decision-making in view of avoiding significant financial costs. This was particularly challenging when shooting on location, where equipment had to be adapted to confined spaces. Through it all, Fisher maintained his resolute attitude: “we are not giving up”.

▲ Losey is livid, Fisher steps in as the peacemaker. The entire production has been transported to Strasbough and Losey has just been told the location won’t work the way it is. The person with responsibility, Alexandre Trauner, is on the right considering his options. Fisher, in his signature raincoat, has his back to the camera and on the left is Ludmilla Goulian, the production manager. Also listening in are Phillippe Monnier and Rémy Duchemin, 1st and 2nd assistant directors, and partially hidden (with Russian hat) is Lucie Lichtig.

Innovation and Recognition

Throughout his career, Fisher demonstrated technical innovation and willingness to experiment with new approaches. For M Klein, he selected a special film stock better suited to capture the predominant greens and browns of the film’s color palette. His commitment to pushing technical boundaries while serving the emotional and psychological themes of the screenplay earned him both a César nomination for M Klein and his later appointment as Chevalier de l’Ordre des Arts et des Lettres. These honors placed him among the most respected cinematographers of his generation, recognized for both technical excellence and artistic achievement.

A List of Fisher’s Films as Cinematographer (adapted from Wikipedia):

YearFilmDirector
1967AccidentJoseph Losey
The MikadoStuart Burge
1968SebastianDavid Greene
InterludeKevin Billington
Amsterdam AffairGerry O'Hara
Secret CeremonyJoseph Losey
The Sea GullSidney Lumet
1969HamletTony Richardson
1970Ned KellyTony Richardson
Macho CallahanBernard L. Kowalski
All the Right NoisesGerry O'Hara
1971The Go-BetweenJoseph Losey
See No EvilRichard Fleischer
Man in the WildernessRichard C. Sarafian
MalpertuisHarry Kumel
1972The Amazing Mr. BlundenLionel Jeffries
1973The OffenceSidney Lumet
Bequest to the NationJames Cellan Jones
A Doll's HouseJoseph Losey
1974ButleyHarold Pinter
S*p*Y*SIrvin Kershner
JuggernautRichard Lester
1975BranniganDouglas Hickox
Dogpound ShuffleJeffrey Bloom
The Romantic EnglishwomanJoseph Losey
The Adventure of Sherlock Holmes' Smarter BrotherGene Wilder
1976Aces HighJack Gold
Monsieur KleinJoseph Losey
1977The Island of Dr. MoreauDon Taylor
The Last Remake of Beau GesteMarty Feldman
1978Roads to the SouthJoseph Losey
FedoraBilly Wilder
1979Wise BloodJohn Huston
Don GiovanniJoseph Losey
1980The Ninth ConfigurationWilliam Peter Blatty
1981Rends-moi la delGerard Pires
Escape to VictoryJohn Huston
WolfenMichael Wadleigh
1982Un matin rougeJean-Jacques Aublanc
LovesickMarshall Brickman
1983YellowbeardMel Damski
Les mots pour le direJose Pinheiro
1985The Holcroft CovenantJohn Frankenheimer
1986HighlanderRussell Mulcahy
1987Man on FireElie Chouraqui
OrnFred de Fooko
1988Running on EmptySidney Lumet
1989Dead BangJohn Frankenheimer
Black RainbowMike Hodges
1990The Fourth WarJohn Frankenheimer
The Exorcist IIIWilliam Peter Blatty
1991Company BusinessNicholas Meyer
1992DiggstownMichael Ritchie
1994Cops and RobbersonsMichael Ritchie
1996When Saturday ComesMaria Giese
1997KAlexandre Arcady
1999FuriaAlexandre Aja
Posted in Joseph Losey
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Montreal living: Triangle vs the Plateau

Posted on June 14, 2025 by

Living in Montreal is a moving target and this is even more apparent when one compares life in the Plateau with with what it’s like to live in the new “Le Triangle” district. We lived in the Plateau for 16 years and now we’re in the 3rd year of calling the Triangle home. The two experiences are quite different, so comparing them is a bit like vintage vinyl vs a Bluetooth speaker, but I’m going to try anyway. Both play music but the similarities end there. I hope to be even-handed since I’ve enjoyed living in both places.

▲ The current south-east corner of the Triangle. The newer buildings are the taller ones. The city has set a goal of 3,200 new units in this area. Currently about 2,500 have been built.

Le Triangle: Shiny new kid on the block

Le Triangle represents Montreal’s latest attempt at creating a “smart neighborhood” – which is Montreal real estate speak for “we bulldozed some old car dealerships and built a lot of new condos”. In a neighborhood historically known for low income housing, shady enterprises, and car dealers, having multiple developers show up with their “sustainable development” mandates obviously causes a lot of tension. And that’s definitely been the case here.
On the other hand, most of the social housing in the Triangle remains intact, located on Mountain Sights Avenue. I don’t see that there are any plans to replace it, and all people benefit from the improvements being made to the area. Those improvements have been to develop two parks, build two handsome community buildings, create a protected pedestrian walkway, a bike-path, and improved sidewalks to soften up the area, as well as creatively dampening street traffic through pavers and bump-outs. However, there’s still no school nearby, difficult on-street parking, and limited small businesses.

▲ Bordering the park this innovative building (which has a sod roof and solar panels) was designed to be a community centre. It’s sparsely used since program money is a problem.

The fight over housing policy seems to have moved over now to the large plot of land nearby, where the city claims to have future plans for balanced development but where, for many reasons, nothing ever really happens. The 43 hectre (103 acre) “Hippodrome” (an old race track) was purchased by the province in 1995 for an undisclosed price and in 2017, after much drama, ownership was transferred to the city. Just to the west a fight over a connector road has been raging for close to eight decades, so it’s probably not healthy to hold your breath concerning any plans for the Hippodrome. Comparatively the work in the Triangle looks like a high-speed sprint.

▲ Without a doubt the most exciting thing that’s happened in the old Hippodrome site since horse racing closed in 2009 was a 2011 U2 concert. Otherwise its only use appears to be as a city gardening space. This is a partial view of the site, there’s a bit more to the right. The back boundary abuts a railroad, the horizontal line in the back being railroad cars.

From the point of view of a city resident, Le Triangle is a good example of what happens when city planners get excited about Transit-Oriented-Development (TOD) and decide to create a neighborhood. It’s now fifteen years after the project was announced, and the area is still being talked about as the poster child for modern urban living. It’s filling up with 10-story condo buildings, all promising variations on “life at another level”, which from a practical point of view, means a small swimming pool, a fitness center, indoor parking (extra), and shared working spaces. The pretty drawings fade away and reality cuts in as the condo developers expand their buildings out to the edges of their lots and the green spaces that were supposed to surround them either disappear or are created without conviction. The mandate to include a lot of open space too often seems to be interpreted by the developers as “we’ll plant a few trees and then flatten them a bit later with front loaders.”

▲ The Décarie is often overburdened with traffic. In theory it is an asset, but in practice it’s a problem. The nearby Metro stations are the best option.

Le Triangle as a daily experience

In Le Triangle the day starts with indoor parking – which is a concept so foreign to the Plateau that it might be mistaken for a new art installation. You then get into your car and head out into the thicket of traffic-blocked streets, driving past construction sites that promise to become “vibrant urban living environments”. You head on to the Décarie, where emergency vehicles claw their way down side shoulders past cars inhabited with trance-eyed motorists.
As an alternate approach you can try the Namur metro, where the STM (the agency that runs the Montreal metro) seems set on preventing a complete set of the escalators functioning at any one time as you drop down 24.1 meters to the platform.
What you gain from living in the Triangle is primarily the quality of your personal residence and the resources provided by communal living. Large, professionally-managed buildings can have problems but no sane person would argue that they approach the nightmares guaranteed when living in century-old duplexes or triplexes in the Plateau.
As the city likes to point out, proximity to the metro system is a big advantage too. There’s nothing like having a blizzard raging outdoors and being able to drop down into the metro for a safe ride to your destination. Especially if you don’t need to even consider digging your car out.
Socially the newness of everything means that no one has a corner on being “born in the neighborhood” and there are a lot of people, often with interesting backgrounds, who are looking to make friends. Multiculturalism is in full bloom in this part of the city, and it’s usually fun to meet the people and navigate the different behaviors and traditions. As a fall-back position, anonymity is possible too in this style of living.

▲ An old Plateau triplex overrun with vines. Pretty but a problem. You would hardly know that the Triangle and its environs existed in the same city. While this is a funny picture, the vines do no favors to their host.

The Plateau as a daily experience

In the Plateau a day starts with the spiral staircase, where during wintertime you can clip on with technical ropes to rappel down through the ice. Following that, and for all four seasons, you get to dodge the cyclists who come at you from all directions, while trying at the same time to calculate in your head the most likely construction-free path to the metro. The city is repeatedly digging up the streets to fine tune its vision of multi-modal transport while strong-arming property owners to replace private parking spaces with groves of trees. There’s lots of traffic and lots of congestion. It’s a mature neighborhood and that means that human behavior is highly developed and stylized. Unlike the condo living of the Triangle, anonymity is not an option in the Plateau. You have neighbors and they are part of your life (especially if you are in a shared-ownership building).
What you gain in the Plateau goes under quality-of-life. You don’t fake the patina of life that’s gained from old neighborhoods. Everything is small. You can walk a block and purchase your food from someone who recognizes you. Your neighbors have outside street gardens and you can sit on the front steps and talk with them about life and its problems.

▲ Back yards in one of the older sections of the Plateau. A few months after this picture was taken in 2013 these same buildings were purchased and, for a large sum, converted into a private compound.

There’s shade, and quiet ruelles, and people who often are considerate of each other. It’s a good feeling. Truthfully, we would have stayed in the Plateau but we didn’t have the option. Living spaces are small and expensive, and upkeep often involves major expenditures. We had reached a point where we had to close a separate artist studio space where we had worked for years and which had added to our living space, and we needed a home with enough space to continue our work. It would have taken too much money to have what we needed in the Plateau, and the Triangle was a workable option. We’ve missed our old neighborhood there and our friends, but having a place to continue our work and at the same time having a reasonable lifestyle was the responsible decision. It’s what made sense for us.

▲ Rooftop common space meant to be used as a back yard in a condo project. In a practical sense it’s used by family and friend groups and not as a community space.

On the other hand, I look at families and younger people (of which there are many) who are living and bringing up their children in this new and modern environment, and I wonder about it. I recognize it’s not possible to make a new neighborhood mature and multi-textured instantly, and I don’t at all dismiss that the Triangle represents a valid approach to living in a different and more outwardly-looking way. But one environment hands it to you on a plate, and the other leaves it to individual responsibility and initiative.
If you’ve had experiences living or working in these environments please leave a comment. I don’t pretend to have all or even most of the answers and I’m curious what others think.

I do personally feel that as a society it’s in our interests to creatively address what these newly-built environments represent. It’s not just the Triangle, but other similar neighborhoods in this city and others too. Embedded schools should not be built as an afterthought, but as a priority. Cultural and educational events/programs should be integrated into the planning of new neighborhoods from the start – it’s not enough to build attractive community buildings and then not fund them, leaving them locked and dark most of the time. Urban planning should be open and transparent. And it’s not giving the right message to disregard upkeep in neighborhoods through differing levels of public services. I know there are many people who have been working to improve things in these areas, but we have to do better.

So in the end choosing between the Plateau and Le Triangle is like choosing between a vintage leather jacket and a new technical ski parka. One has character and the other has more pockets. Both neighborhoods offer their own unique version of Montreal. Either way you’re still in Montreal, so you get to spend 50% of your time complaining about the construction while still actually loving being here. Living in the Plateau vs. The Triangle? It’s a big contrast – but for me there isn’t a simple answer…

Posted in Montreal
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Laughter in the shadows: The chilling cabaret scene of M Klein

Posted on June 7, 2025 by
▲ In the final shot of the cabaret scene, a chorus line of dancing girls in hoop skirts kick their way out onto the stage. These women were practicing dancing with the hoops, which was an acquired skill.

The cabaret scene in Joseph Losey’s M Klein, which occupies a full five minutes in the film, is the pivotal scene in the movie – when Klein first wakes up (with some prodding from his girlfriend) and realizes that the racist skit that he and others are mindlessly applauding in a WWII Paris cabaret is actually insulting, repulsive and sinister. The scene was drawn out as a sketch in the original screenplay but was developed in detail as Losey worked with the cabaret artist Frantz Salieri to bring into focus the violent hatred that underpins the action in this scene and the film overall. Losey created an audience of predatory scavengers to applaud and dine while watching the anti-Semitic stage show.

Joseph Losey directing actors

▲ Losey giving direction to Alain Delon and Juliet Berto surrounded by extras forming the audience at the cabaret La Nouvelle Eve. German officers are mixed with French aristocracy. The effect of the audience with the stage show was a feeling of foreboding, of predatory scavengers pretending to have a good time but playing out a hidden and evil plot.

Losey Salieri collaboration
Frantz Salieri was given the role by Joseph Losey of creating the stage show component in the film’s cabaret scene. Salieri, a multi-discipline artist working under a variety of names (Francis Savel as a painter, Dietrich de Velsa as film director), later collaborated with Losey on the film Don Giovanni. As a painter (Francis Savel) he had been the subject of an 18 minute documentary portrait (“Le Journal d’un Combat, Guy Gilles, 1964) which captured his painting process and, interestingly enough, was narrated by Alain Delon. A later work under the Dietrich de Velsa identity was his 1980 film, Équation à un inconnu (Equation to an Unknown), which was an erotic rendering of queer culture in France in the period preceding AIDS and was distinguished by his directorial vision.

▲ Multi-discipline artist Frantz Salieri adjusting the costume of the Jewish “clown” prior to filming. Losey had worked closely with the Italian screenwriter (Franco Solinas) to place this scene as the pivot point in the French Klein’s journey to meet his Jewish double.

Several years prior to the filming of M Klein Salieri created a Parisian transvestite cabaret show called “La Grande Eugène”, which performed on rue de Marignan in the 8th arrondissement in Paris and was known for its flamboyance and innovative theatrical staging. Salieri created a show that represented a radical departure from what was offered in the traditional Parisian entertainment venues, featuring transformiste performances with elaborate drag shows and sophisticated theatrical presentations. The show was the subject of a David Bailey photo essay published in London Sunday Times in 1973. The cast of “La Grande Eugène” was used as the mainstay for the cabaret show in M Klein. It’s likely that Losey had learned of Salieri’s work from the 1973 run of “La Grande Eugène” in London, and that’s what led to the connection and his collaboration in this film.[1] Losey, throughout his life, was always on the lookout for talented artists whose work he perhaps could incorporate in his film projects. Examples I knew of personally were Salieri, who he used, and also Pilobolus,[2] and jazz musician Don Cherry, both of whom he never collaborated with but followed closely.

▲ Rehearsing for the stage show Actress Magali Clément (second from right in line, in black boots, and “Lola” in the film) is practicing with professional dancers and members of La Grande Eugène during studio rehearsals that preceded filming. After mastering the moves the performers donned hoop skirts.

Losey’s concerns and background in theatrical production
In approaching the scene Losey concern was in creating content that might be attractive to racists. This concern arose because of a previous incident at La Cinémathèque française in Paris where a film festival screening wartime films had to be closed down because the anti-Semitic content attracted an audience looking for and cheering along what was shown. His goal was to find a way to stage the cabaret show in a manner that wouldn’t appeal to racists, and by using male actors to play the female roles, he was brilliantly successful in turning off racist interest.[3]

▲ La Nouvelle Eve, which still exists largely unchanged on rue Pierre-Fontaine in Paris, was a perfect, though cramped, location. Losey signaling an actor forward during shooting in the cramped quarters near the stage door.

In the script Klein tries to track down the other Klein, and in the course of this search goes looking for “Isabelle”, who he thinks is the second Klein’s girlfriend. This leads him first to the cabaret show being staged in the Parisian cabaret “La Nouvelle Eve”, and then to the stage entrance where he bribes the concierge to let him question one of the dancers. After questioning the dancer (Lola) she says that “Isabelle” is really “Cathy” and and that she doesn’t work at the Cabaret any more, but rather in a munitions factory near Metro Ballard.

▲ Dressing room “Lola” (actress Magali Clément) left, waiting for call during filming. Even when they were not being filmed the actresses and dancers gave the impression of being real cabaret performers.

Losey was adept at actual theatrical stage managing, with many credits during his American career. He was, for example, the stage managing the 1946 Academy Awards, so he knew how to create dynamic flow and excitement. He was good at timing pieces to come together and create energy, and he worked with Salieri to that end.

But there were challenges to the shooting at La Nouvelle Eve.

Issues in working on location
It was technically difficult to work in the cramped, narrow corridors of the location. As a result cinematographer used the 35 mm camera both shoulder-held and on a crab dolly, both of which were difficult and took a lot of skill and strength under these conditions. Klein is first seen questioning the concierge. The camera is on a hydraulic stand (shown in the photographs) for that shot, but then is shoulder-held in the stairwell, and all the shots flowed together seamlessly. Gerry Fisher, the Cinematographer, had set up the lighting to work with almost no space.

▲ Losey peers over the shoulder of the camera operator (Pierre-William Glenn) while the grip holds on to the hydraulic stand, which barely fits in the hallway. There’s a large diffuser in the doorway at the left and behind it the table where the sound-man is working.

The two sequences that make up the cabaret scene were shot first for the stage show in the cabaret La Nouvelle Eve on December 9th and 10th, and then the stage entrance scene was filmed at the same location on December 11th.

▲ Actual filming of the cabaret scene, Cinematographer Gerry Fisher is operating the camera on the right, filming spontaneous reaction shots from the audience which were then edited into the footage of the performance.

The results of the Salieri-Losey collaboration show camera and actor movement tied together skillfully. The result was the creation of the two memorable central scenes in the movie.

It’s also my only ever appearance in a feature movie. I was actually at my perch taking the photo above and got through editing unnoticed. It’s the third shot of the cabaret performance sequence (2:03:27).

Frame © Lira Films – Nova Films

✚ Other related posts:
Joseph Losey’s film M Klein: A behind-the-scenes look
Exploring location shooting in Joseph Losey’s M Klein
Homage to Margot Capelier, Casting Director
Sign up to get future posts on M Klein and other subjects …

[1] Le Monde. 1986. Frantz Salieri, May 3, 1986.

[2] Salieri’s conceptions and imaginative costume design were more radically stylized but recalled for me the costumes Pilobolus used (for instance, the “Tall Ladies” in the dance “Untitled”) in the same period.

[3] Losey, Joseph, and Michel Ciment. 1985. Conversations with Losey. London ; New York: Methuen. Pages 347-348.

Posted in Joseph Losey, Artists, Europe, Paris
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How Many Roads? is a book of photographs by Jonathan Sa'adah, available for order, offering an unglossy but deeply human view of the period from 1968 to 1975 in richly detailed, observant images that have poignant resonance with the present. Ninety-one sepia photographs reproduced with an introduction by Teju Cole, essays by Beth Adams, Hoyt Alverson, and Steven Tozer, and a preface by the photographer.
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