The Crazy Ray

"Paris Qui Dort" redirects here. Not to be confused with While Paris Sleeps.

Paris Qui Dort (literally "Paris which sleeps") is a 1924 French science fiction comedy silent feature film (65 minutes) directed by René Clair. Also released as Le rayon de la mort (55 minutes), its international English-language titles were The Crazy Ray and Paris Asleep (usually 55 minutes). It has also been released in the USA as a 35 minute short subject called At 3:25. by Red Seal Pictures.

Paris Qui Dort The Crazy Ray
Directed by	René Clair
Written by	René Clair
Produced by	Henri Diamant-Berger (producer)
Starring	Henri Rollan
Cinematography	Maurice Desfassiaux Paul Guichard
Edited by	René Clair
Music by	Jean Wiener
Distributed by	Film Arts Guild
Release date	26 December 1924 (1924-12-26)
Running time	65/55/35 minutes
Country	France
Languages	Silent film French intertitles

Plot summary

The film is about a mad doctor who uses a magic ray on citizens which causes them to freeze in strange and often embarrassing positions. People who are unaffected by the ray begin to loot Paris.

Cast

• Henri Rollan as Albert
• Charles Martinelli as The scientist
• Louis Pré Fils as the detective
• Albert Préjean as The pilot
• Madeleine Rodrigue as Hesta, the airline passenger
• Myla Seller as The niece / daughter of the scientist
• Antoine Stacquet as The rich man
• Marcel Vallée as the thief

Home media

The film is available on the Region 1 Criterion DVD release of another Clair film, Under the Roofs of Paris (1930). It is also available for free at the Internet Archive.

See also

• 1924 in science fiction

External links

• Paris Qui Dort at IMDb
• The Crazy Ray is available for free viewing and download at the Internet Archive