Created during the time that France was under German occupation, Lumiere d'Ete tends to provoke differing responses in viewers. Many criticize it for creating characters that are exaggerated to the point of stereotype. Others defend director Jean Gremillon's treatment of these characters, saying that by stripping away the superfluous, we are left with characters that better embody extremes of behavior and feeling. However one's opinion, Gremillon certainly has created a work that is striking and powerful, however flawed. Much of his success is due to the superb work of Paul Bernard, Pierre Brasseur and Madeleine Renaud. Bernard's transformation from charming aristocrat to decadent Sadist is fascinating, and Brasseur matches him with his heartbreaking portrayal of a failure who still has an angry vitality left in him. Renaud, meanwhile, more than holds her own, mining both the desperation and the vanity of her character. Regrettably, neither Madeleine Robinson nor Georges Marchal measures up to this trip, and their lackluster performances drain much of the film's life. Gremillon directs with a sure hand, drenching the film in melancholy, and his masked ball is a horrifying highlight. Many will find that all of this talent is wasted in what they consider a pretentious exercise, while others will find the outcome profound or moving. While undeniably flawed, it is a testament to Lumiere's power that it provokes such strong responses.