Masques (1987)

User Rating:

6.7/10   

Director:

Claude Chabrol

Writers:

Odile Barski (writer) &
Claude Chabrol (writer)

Release Date:

11 February 1987 (France)

Genre:

Comedy | Crime

Tagline:

France's master of stylish and witty suspense presents his delightfully dark and hauntingly humorous game of cat and mouse

Plot:

Roland Wolf wants to write a book about a TV game-show host, the hail-fellow-well-met Christian Legagneur...

Awards:

3 nominations

Cast

Philippe Noiret	...	Christian Legagneur
Robin Renucci	...	Roland Wolf
Bernadette Lafont	...	La masseuse / The masseuse
Monique Chaumette	...	Colette, la secrétaire / The secretary
Anne Brochet	...	Catherine
Roger Dumas	...	Manu
Pierre-François Dumeniaud	...	Max
Pierre Nougaro	...	Gustave
Renée Dennsy	...	Émilie
Yvonne Décade	...	Antoinette
Blanche Ariel	...	Rosette
René Marjac	...	Maurice
Paul Vally	...	Henry
Denise Pezzani	...	Mme Lemonier
Pierre Hisch	...	M. Loury

Also Known As:

Masks (International: English title) (literal title)

Runtime:

100 min

Country:

France

Language:

French

Color:

Color (Eastmancolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.66 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Australia:PG | Norway:12 (original rating) | Sweden:11 | West Germany:12 | Argentina:13

Filming Locations:

Senlis, Oise, France

Company:

Films A2

Chabrol puts on his Chabrol mask.

The eighties were not that much a great time for Claude Chabrol.Most of the works of this era ,either have not worn very well (les fantômes du chapelier,poulet au vinaigre) or were not themes for him anyway (le cheval d'orgueil,Patricia Highsmith's "le cri du hibou")

"Masques " is probably his best since "Violette Nozières" (1978) and nearly matches the brilliance of the late sixties/early seventies heyday.

Completely unpretentious,it's full of humor,suspense and of course gastronomy (is there a Chabrol movie where they do not eat?).A marvelous spoof on these numerous TV shows which take dumbness to new limits, a detective story,this movie is much fun to watch.

Philippe Noiret,overplaying as hell -and he's thoroughly enjoyable-,plays the emcee of a broadcast for old people who sing songs of long ago,("les roses blanches" ,the most maudlin song of the whole French repertoire,crooned by an old man, can be heard on the cast and credits).By no means a caricature, because, we've seen worse on French TV.

And to crown it all,the host uses "HItchcock presents " music to enhance his horrible show.And that's not all!Philippe Noiret's character is Mister LEGAGNEUR (GO-GETTER)

The emcee is so full of himself he asks a young novelist (Renucci) to write his biography.They are to work in the country in Legagneur's desirable property,complete with court and chef .A delightful gallery of weirdoes hangs around:A couple,Roger Dumas ,a wine connaisseur, and Bernadette Laffont,who enjoys reading someone's cards and less commendable things -to think that Laffont was featured in Chabrol's very first ,"le beau Serge" ,in 1958!-;a deaf and dumb chauffeur;two strange servants, one of them relishes with Charlotte Armstrong's detective stories-like Chabrol ,who adapted this writer twice :"la rupture" (1970)and "merci pour le chocolat" (2000)-;and,last but not least,a strange girl (Brochet), Legagneur's goddaughter(sic).She seems very sick,or maybe someone helps her to be sick?

Actually nothing is what it seems .Everybody hides himself behind his mask,including the director ,who puts on his Chabrol mask this time.