Le Jour se Leve (1939)

Le Jour se Leve (1939), or The Sun Goes Up, is a French film from early cinema master Marcel Carne. The film stars French legend Jean Gabin as Francois, a mild-mannered factory worker who murders Valentin (Jules Berry), a wealthy aristocrat. Returning to his home after the murder, Francois replays the events that led to him committing the murder, and all roads lead back to Clara (Arletty), a woman he was madly in love with, but who ended up shacking up with Valentin instead of him! While this is certainly not the first instance of nudity on film, it's definitely one of the earliest nude scenes in history as the lovely Arletty bares her beauties while bathing early in the film! It's almost shocking to see a nude scene in the midst of a film like this, but Marcel Carne was a director known for pushing boundaries, and we're certainly glad he did. Speaking of pushing boundaries, the boundaries of your shorts might experience some pushing as well after seeing that knockout nude scene!