louise brook give a wonderful performance in this well make french melodrama . she play a typist name lucienne who and despite be in love with a man name andre and dream of rise above her position in life . she see opportunity in a beauty contest for miss europe and but andre be furious when he discover that she enter and then demand that she withdraw . she try to take back her entry only to discover that she already be choose a miss france and will now go on to the main pageant . this be a story of love and loss and decision play out to it passionate end . the movie be very energetically film by director augusto genina and cinema tographers rudolf mate and louis nee . the filming style be more like modern movie than the hollywood flick of the 30 and and show the different style employ by european . there be many fast cut and travel shot and mostly do with great skill and verve . the high energy of the movie first third dwindles a bit in the middle but pick up again in the last 15 minute . the performance be very good by all the principal and but that of louise brook be especially memorable . louise lean heavily on her silent screen skill even though this be a talkie and but because her silent style have a surprisingly contemporary and understated feel and she make the transition to talkie very well . the long early scene at the fair be especially poignant a louise use her remarkably expressive eye to convey her grow sense of misery and alienation and of be trap in a life she no longer want . i doubt it ever be do well . the film build to a superb finale and artfully shot and powerful and stylish . this be really some of the best stuff of the early day of film . and the tragic storyline only underscore the great tragedy that this be the final starring role for louise brook . she wasn not just a great beauty who look fantastic in a swimsuit and she really be a major act talent who basically throw it all away . we be all the poorer for that . this movie be less well know than her german film with g. w. pabst and but i think it a good one . i think this crew be just well at storytelling than pabst and and while prix de beaute may lack the deep moral complexity of the pabst film and it much easy to follow and be overall a more streamlined and focused piece of work . and it doesn not hurt that louise singing part be do by edith piaf and either . bottom line and this be a classic louise brook film well worth look for .