Faubourg 36 (2008)

Director:

Christophe Barratier

Writers:

Christophe Barratier (written by)
Christophe Barratier (adaptation) ...

Release Date:

24 September 2008 (Belgium)

Genre:

Drama | Music

Plot:

A man is charged with murder. He is Pigoil, the aging stage manager at Chansonia, a music hall in a Paris faubourg...

Plot Keywords:

Producer | Fascism | Robbery | Shot In The Chest | Alcoholism

Awards:

3 wins & 5 nominations

Cast

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

Also Known As:

Paríz 36 (Czech Republic)
Paris 36 (International: English title)
Paris, Paris - Monsieur Pigoil auf dem Weg zum Glück (Germany)

MPAA:

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

Runtime:

Canada:120 min (Toronto International Film Festival) | Argentina:120 min | USA:120 min

Country:

France | Germany | Czech Republic

Language:

French

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Certification:

Switzerland:10 (canton of Vaud) | Switzerland:10 (canton of Geneva) | USA:PG-13 | Germany:6 | Australia:M | Argentina:13 | Czech Republic:12 | Hong Kong:IIA | Japan:G | Singapore:NC-16 | Sweden:11 | Mexico:B

Filming Locations:

Prague, Czech Republic

Company:

Blue Screen Productions

A wonderful movie

This is not a great film, a masterpiece of cinema-as-art. It is, however, a wonderful movie that will delight you while you watch it and leave you with many happy musical memories after it has finished.

Though the director and star are the same, this movie has no resemblance with Les Choristes. It is, instead, an homage to French popular music of the 1930s (and 1940s). If you don't know that music and the stars who made it famous, you'll miss the many references. The movie will still be enjoyable, but it won't evoke the memories (and pleasures) that it would to French viewers over 60.

The music, most of it original, nevertheless comes very close to pastiche of popular numbers from that era. (One repeated number is very close to Messager's "Clou clou," which I think is from his Véronique.) The performances and characters also allude to stars of the past, though not necessarily in a one-on-one way. There is the music hall singer Tony Rossignol, whose light lyric tenor recalls Tino Rossi, though his Spanish get-up and music recalls Luis Mariano. Kad Merad's character starts out doing terrible impressions, of animals and Fernandel. He finally has a hit when he starts singing like Charles Trenet. Even though the music is pastiche, it is sometimes very catchy, and very much caught me up.

One of the previous reviewers said that Clovis Cornilliac was made up as Jean Gabin but couldn't reproduce the latter's charisma. I hope he was not meant to recall Gabin, because he certainly doesn't. He's pleasant in his role, as is the female lead, but the star is definitely Gerard Jugniot, who gives yet another first-rate performance.

This won't make the viewing list for any course on French cinema, nor should it. But you'll definitely enjoy it.