In the interaction of set, camerawork and Maurice Jaubert's restrained, moody music, Hôtel du Nord is typical of poetic realism. Its poetry is embodied in the superb set designed by Alexandre Trauner, a replica of one side of the Canal Saint-Martin, complete with bridges, punctuated by location shots of the canal and barges.
Ginette Vincendeau
February 1, 1999