The Tomboy (1936)
"La garçonne" (original title)

Director:

Jean de Limur

Writers:

Albert Dieudonné (scenario), Victor Margueritte (novel),

Stars:

Marie Bell, Arletty, Henri Rollan

Cast

Complete credited cast:
Marie Bell	...	Monique Lerbier - la garçonne
Arletty	...	Niquette
Henri Rollan	...	Régis Boisselot
Jean Worms	...	Lerbier
Maurice Escande	...	Lucien Vigneret
Marcelle Praince	...	Madame Lerbier
Marcelle Géniat	...	Tante Sylvestre
Suzy Solidor	...	Anika
Vanda Gréville	...	Élisabeth
Jaque Catelain	...	Georges Blanchet
Pierre Etchepare	...	Plombino
Jean Tissier	...	des Souzaies
Philippe Hersent	...	Peer Rys
Rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Junie Astor
Léna Darthès

Storyline

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Plot Keywords:

lesbian | remake | based on novel

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Genres:

Drama

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Details

Country:

France

Language:

French

Release Date:

21 February 1936 (France)

Also Known As:

The Tomboy

Company Credits

Production Co:

Franco London Films

Technical Specs

Runtime:

95 min

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Banned in Anvers. It was banned in Paris as well, but the Council of Ministers overturned their decision following the outcry of the press.

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Connections

Remake of La garçonne (1923)

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Soundtracks

"Quand même"
Written by Louis Poterat and Jean Wiener
Sung by Édith Piaf

User Reviews

Woman's lib???

Adapted from a scandalous Victor Margueritte novel,"la garçonne" -aka "jalousie" - is a movie which features three distinct parts:

1.A bourgeois girl lives a life of luxury (tennis) ;her parents want her to marry for money though,because of the decline of their business.She discovers that her fiancé cheats on her,having both a lover and a child!She decides to sever all links with her milieu and her family.This first part is not convincing ,and the story is often confused.But there's an interesting Edith Piaf cameo (credited as " la môme Piaff ,with two f) and you can hear her sing.

2.Then there's the second part:it's by far the most interesting ,because ,for the time ,it was rather daring.For the heroine,it's independence day,no less.She has a lot of affairs ,including one with a woman,Niquette.Niquette is played by glorious Arletty ("les enfants du paradis" ) who is as excellent as ever ;her blonde lesbian (Arletty was actually a brunette) easily outclasses the rest of the cast including the lead (Marie Bell).Although the word "lesbian" is never uttered ,there are really risqué scenes :one of them shows women dressed up as men dancing together;another one takes place in an opium den .Besides,Jean Tissier's character is probably gay too.

3.But unfortunately,the third part destroys everything .Two men tell the girl she should behave herself :then becomes a rivalry between them but the virtuous one will show the sinner the straight and narrow.Goodbye woman's lib ,and hello spit and polish housewife.

Jacqueline Audry would remake "la garçonne" in the fifties :her lead ,Andrée Debar,a strange androgynous actress ,was deemed superior to Marie Bell,but the critics -I' ve not seen that version- generally do not think it's an improvement on the 1936 film except for color.

Another made-for-TV version came later,with Marie Trintignant,whose recent tragic death was widely talked about .