Le mari de la coiffeuse (1990)

User Rating:

7.3/10   

Director:

Patrice Leconte

Writers:

Claude Klotz (writer)
Patrice Leconte (writer)

Release Date:

3 October 1990 (France)

Genre:

Comedy | Drama | Romance

Plot:

Twelve-year-old Antoine falls profoundly in love with a voluptuous but suicidal hairdresser, a formative experience he never forgets...

Plot Keywords:

Love | Hairdresser | Barber Shop | Barber | Boy

Awards:

Nominated for BAFTA Film Award. Another 1 win & 7 nominations

Cast

Jean Rochefort	...	Antoine
Anna Galiena	...	Mathilde
Roland Bertin	...	Antoine's father
Maurice Chevit	...	Ambroise Dupré dit Isidore Agopian
Philippe Clévenot	...	Morvoisieux
Jacques Mathou	...	Julien Gora
Claude Aufaure	...	Gay Costomer
Albert Delpy	...	Donecker
Henry Hocking	...	Antoine - Age 12
Ticky Holgado	...	Morvoisieux Son-in-Law
Michèle Laroque	...	Adopted Child's Mother
Anne-Marie Pisani	...	Madame Shaeffer
Pierre Meyrand	...	Antoine's Brother
Yveline Ailhaud	...	Antoine's Mother
Julien Bukowski	...	Gloomy Man

Also Known As:

The Hairdresser's Husband

Runtime:

82 min

Country:

France

Language:

French

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Finland:K-11 | Australia:M | Argentina:16 | Chile:18 | Germany:12 (f) | Peru:18 | Sweden:15 | UK:15 | USA:R

Filming Locations:

Barneville-Carteret, Manche, France

Company:

Lambart Productions

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Confidences trop intimes (2004)

Cutting Emotion.

This is quite the different "little" foreign film and I mean that in a good way. I always hold foreign films in a different light from movies of North American mainstream cinema. While the foreign movies I've had the opportunity to view have been pretty consistent, I must admit -- I'm more picky and subjective when it comes to a foreign film. Why? I guess because they aren't in my language, they usually have very little star line and they are an uncalculated risk. Most turn out well however, but I don't pretend all foreign films are pure silk. I've seen a few I regret having taken time to view.

Perhaps the view that foreign movies are generally of good quality comes from the fact that the general public is only exposed to foreign films of good quality. The comparison to "our" movies help too. Most people (me included) don't see foreign films of their own decision and some just don't have access. Most people don't watch foreign cinema unless it's of the few hyped releases that have made the jump to American audiences. Unfortunately that's a pretty select group year after year.

The Hairdresser's Husband is not such a foreign film. It didn't make the language barrier jump which is unfortunate. It's well worth the watch for anyone not completed saturated by American movies and customs. The film is equal parts drama and comedy. It follows Antoine (Jean Rochefort) who as a little boy becomes infatuated with the local hairdresser almost like a secret boyhood crush. From that day on the love of a female hairdresser becomes part of his character. He grows up intent he will marry a hairdresser and hence the title -- "The Hairdresser's Husband". He's the kind of person you know will make no harm in the world. Even in adulthood in many respects he is still a naive child. His personality is such that you'd look at him and know what kind of person he is. A person on the pursuit of happiness.

So one day he walks into the local hairdresser's shop and becomes mesmerized by Mathilde (Anna Galiena) the shop's hairdresser. She is stunningly beautiful and flows with this free flowing charm. Next thing he's getting his hair cut and inadvertently blurts out "Will you marry me?"

General awkwardness follows. The next day, he comes back. Obviously not needing a cut. She tells him, she did hear what he said and the next thing they are together and he couldn't be more happier. Life suddenly has more depth and meaning for him. Like his life to this point had been in wait for this moment in time. She on the other hand finds her life suddenly in turn around. No longer day after day of being alone. They live in each other's warmth.

"The Hairdresser's Husband" is a kind hearted film that isn't so much a story, but a character study carried out by talented performances and real emotion at it's root. Asking nothing of us but acceptance as it plays out and although it is relatively brief, the short running time actually suits the material. In an American movie, Antoine would have lost her somewhere in Act 2 and had to battle to get her back from a person not deserving of her before having happiness again. They might have thrown in a subplot centering around their best friends too. That's the way Hollywood movies are. Thankfully there are no contrived plot points or useless characters thrown about here. It's all a tight package. It's sad seeing things ending up back at step one as shown at the start, but that does nothing to impact this great foreign film I'd recommend to anyone with a sense of empathy.