Faubourg 36 (2008)

A man is charged with murder. He is Pigoil, the aging stage manager at Chansonia, a music hall in a Paris faubourg. His confession is a long flashback to New Year's Eve, 1935, when he ... See full summary »

Director:

Christophe Barratier

Writers:

Christophe Barratier, Christophe Barratier (adaptation),

Stars:

Gérard Jugnot, Clovis Cornillac, Kad Merad

Nominated for 1 Oscar. Another 3 wins & 6 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Gérard Jugnot	...	Pigoil
Clovis Cornillac	...	Milou
Kad Merad	...	Jacky
Nora Arnezeder	...	Douce
Pierre Richard	...	Monsieur TSF
Bernard-Pierre Donnadieu	...	Galapiat
Maxence Perrin	...	Jojo
François Morel	...	Célestin
Élisabeth Vitali	...	Viviane
Christophe Kourotchkine	...	Lebeaupin
Eric Naggar	...	Grevoul
Eric Prat	...	Commissaire Tortil
Julien Courbey	...	Mondain
Philippe du Janerand	...	Triquet
Marc Citti	...	L'inspecteur du Quai des Orfèvres

Storyline

A man is charged with murder. He is Pigoil, the aging stage manager at Chansonia, a music hall in a Paris faubourg. His confession is a long flashback to New Year's Eve, 1935, when he discovers his wife is unfaithful and Galapiat, the local mobster, closes the music hall. Over the next few months, Pigoil loses custody of his beloved son, Jo-Jo, and must find work. Pigoil and his pals take over the Chansonia as a co-op; Galapiat is momentarily benign. Their star is the young Douce, a girl from near Lille for whom Galapiat lusts. She in turn falls in love with Milou, a local Red. There are ups and downs, but mostly ups - but what about Jo-Jo and what about the murder?

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Plot Keywords:

music hall | murder | faubourg | love | flashback | 

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Genres:

Drama | Music | Romance

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated PG-13 for some sexuality and nudity, violence and brief language

Details

Official Sites:

Official site [jp] Pathé Distribution [fr]

Country:

France Germany Czech Republic

Language:

French

Release Date:

24 September 2008 (France)

Also Known As:

Paris 36

Filming Locations:

Prague Studios, Prague, Czech Republic

Box Office

Opening Weekend:

$44,690 (USA) (3 April 2009)

Gross:

$850,575 (USA) (19 June 2009)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Galatée Films, Pathé, Constantin Film Produktion

Technical Specs

Runtime:

120 min 120 min

Sound Mix:

DTS 70 mm (70 mm print) Dolby Digital

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Faubourg is not French for "the district." It is a contraction of "faux bourg", French for "false town" and were used to designate smaller towns attached to larger towns or cities. A lot of these faubourgs were independent cities until they were attached to Paris and lost all independence around during the 17th and 18th century. A new outer wall was later erected around the city. These faubourgs, especially those on the East side, were usually white collar, with a very active night life.

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Goofs

When Jacky accidentally turns on the radio while Pigoil is talking to his wife and her new lover, the radio is very loud immediately after Jacky flips the switch. On this type of old tube amplified radio, it would take several seconds for the tubes to heat up and amplify any signal, and the volume would go up very slowly.

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Connections

Referenced in Faubourg 36 - Le making of (2009)

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Soundtracks

"Loin de Paname"
Music by Reinhardt Wagner
Lyrics by Frank Thomas

User Reviews

Breezy

I may have seen one of the last musical hall revivals in London a few years ago on The Strand—it was full of tinny song and dance that made you tap your feet and long for the good old days of vaudeville and innocence. The telly has pretty much killed that simple pleasure, but Paris 36, a melodramatic story of the revival of a Chansonia in northern Paris, 1936, revives the joy of ensemble acting and dancing, original music, and the intrigue so much a part of the lively arts when they become business and pleasure.

Three Parisians undertake saving a music hall in their section of Paris called Faubourg using the talents of a star-crossed couple supplying the on and off stage romance. The intrigue is much less than Cabaret's; the nostalgia is more than Cinema Paradiso's; it's all more Moulin Rouge than Amelie. The songs are fetching, made especially for the film, and the plot is pure cliché right down to the lecherous businessman and cute ingénue.

The background is unmistakably fascist versus socialist, owners battling workers for a depression-era slim slice of the economic pie and soul. Paris 36 risks it all with formulaic intrigue and predictable denouement. Yet throughout is a good cheer, a bel canto breeziness that draws you in to song, dance, history, and politics, never too heavy, light enough to make you wish that music hall still stood on The Strand.