The Crazy Ray

For the 1923 Lon Chaney film, see While Paris Sleeps.
Paris Qui Dort
The Crazy Ray
Directed by René Clair
Produced by Henri Diamant-Berger (producer)
Written by René Clair
Starring Henri Rollan
Music by Jean Wiener
Cinematography Maurice Desfassiaux
Paul Guichard
Edited by René Clair
Distributed by Film Arts Guild
Release dates
  • 26 February 1925
Running time
35 minutes
Country France
Language Silent film
French intertitles

Paris Qui Dort (literally "Paris which sleeps") is a 1925 French science fiction comedy silent short film directed by René Clair. Also released as Le rayon de la mort, its international English-language titles were The Crazy Ray and Paris Asleep. It has also been released in the USA as At 3:25.

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

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.

External links