"La cigale que je suis écrit au lion de la forêt que vous êtes en l'occurrence... pour vous dire que mon prochain hiver s'annonce mal... "

Pessimistic and handsome autograph letter signed by Abel Gance addressed to Carlo Rim, 37 lines in blue ink, in which the director of "Napoléon" worries about the vacuity of his professional future and the resulting financial difficulties: "My dear Carlo, like brother ass - I see nothing precise taking shape, from the top of my ruined tower - in this leaden cinema horizon which smells of storm as much as that of politics. The grasshopper that I am writes to the lion of the forest that you are in this instance - as our President - to tell you that my next winter looks bad. I therefore cling, perhaps naively, to the promise you were kind enough to make me of this gala for the return. & lampin tells me on this subject that "my question" will come back in a few days to the Council. You assured me that an irrevocable decision had been taken and I worry about this renewed examination. I work a lot but still in emptiness from a financial angle. Perhaps I will do the staging of the Tour de Nesle this autumn, but nothing is signed. & I think on the other hand to be in a position to make cinema take a giant step forward from tomorrow - if I am given the chance to rediscover through all of you, a little material balance and quietude. That's all, your affection will do the rest. Share with your wife an old friendship that my years of (illegible word) have not damaged. Abel Gance."
Creases inherent to mailing.
Carlo Rim was a Provençal writer, author notably of "Ma belle Marseille", a caricaturist, a filmmaker: "Justin de Marseille", "L'armoire volante", "La maison Bonnadieu", and was notably the friend of Fernandel, of Raimu and Marcel Pagnol but also of Max Jacob and André Salmon whom he met in Sanary.