mla195 Reviews

La trêve (1973 TV Movie)

There was a time when french TV was creative (so long ago).

[8/10 · 15 October 2019]

I join the other reviewer in his praising of this TV movie and wish to inform that it is now available - for 3 euros - It was specially ordered to Jean Cosmos, one of the greatest writers of french cinema, to be broadcasted on Xmas day 1973 : these were glorious days when french TV could both create artistically and entertain the largest audience.

The story is that of a serial escapist (PierreTrabaud) blocked with the cop conveying him back to jail (Maurice Bourbon) after a car accident in a snow-covered moutain countryside in the center of France (Lozère). The background is war captivity where Trabaud's found his compulsive seek for freedom and aim for revenge.

As always with Cosmos, the story is original and captivating and dialogs accurate and witty. I was impressed by the performance of Pierre Trabaud who is on screen almost all the 80 minutes-long film, most of the time inside the car with the good support from Maurice Bourbon. Just one scene is outside the car with a cameo by the great stage actress Martine Sarcey. Trabaud is largely forgotten today, and was never a star actor (probably being barred by a short stature) but his voice was in every ears thanks to innumerable radio shows and dubbing he did over decades (among them the french voices of Popeye and Daffy Duck). But seeing him in La Trêve makes me regret he was only given minor roles (see him in Becker's Rendez-vous de juillet), to the exception of Leo Joannon's Le Désert de Pigalle (1958) .

Bonjour Toubib (1957)

Pleasant and more. A tribute to Jean Cosmos.

[8/10 · 6 November 2016]

I felt Bonjour Toubib deserved a more benevolent comment than the only one it got from one of most prolific and usually well inspired reviewers. Of course it is not a masterpiece of cinematographic art but I cannot really understand this acrimony. Perhaps am I too partial to popular cinema and character actors and wrongfully give more importance to script and dialogues (very good, Jean Cosmos see below) than cinematography (decent). But I am also very interested in films dealing with social and historical aspects of medicine and this one is a document of top interest.

Here we follow an aged GP (Noël-Noël), in his daily practice in central Paris. Few rich patients but much more poor ones living in post-war slums, malnourished kids and tuberculosis everywhere. Money and prestige are not his share, GPs being overlooked by specialists and hospital doctors. His ambitions are for his son (Junior) who just finished medical school and - he thinks - who will pass today the highly selective competition for residency of Paris Hospitals, the first and necessary step to a prestigious medical career (see Daniel Ivernel in Duvivier's 'Sous le ciel de Paris'. Another interesting issue raised by the film is the place of traditional healers, sometimes more trusted than official medicine among populous areas addressed in many french films of the 50's (eg Jean Marais in Ciampi's 'Le guérisseur' or the great Yves Deniaud in 'Leguignon guérisseur').

Although a very subtle actor, Noël-Noël, also a writer and singer, was extremely popular and he is always a pleasure to watch. The supporting cast is excellent, with special mention to Georges Wilson playing both a drunk and a reluctant healer and the young and handsome Georges Descrières soon to become a star of the stage at the Comédie-Française and of the TV screen (Arsène Lupin).

Finally this comment gives me the opportunity to praise the memory of the great screen writer Jean Cosmos (1923-2014) as Bonjour Toubib was the first step of a filmography many authors could envy ending in 2010 with the 'Princesse de Montpensier' directed by Bertrand Tavernier for whom he had also written 'La vie et rien d'autre' 'Capitaine Conan' et 'La fille de d'Artagnan', three of the best Tavernier's. Jean Cosmos will also be remembered for great TV series over three decades such as 'Les 5 dernières minutes' or 'Ardéchois Coeur-fidèle' which got immense public success in their time and represent the proof that popularity is not an oxymoron to artistic quality.

Alas not yet available on DVD.

Desperate Decision (1952)

A scandal this one not yet restored

[8/10 · 28 May 2015]

Just read the opinion of our most prolific and usually excellent reviewer of french films and for once I felt in absolute disagreement and actually quite surprised at his harsh judgment on this rare and curious film of Yves Allégret.

To my knowledge it has not been restored for DVD and the only available source is an old René Château VHS itself made from a very poor copy. It certainly does not help to appreciate the great quality of cinematography of 'La Jeune Folle', an Allégret's trademark.

OK the story is rather weird and Irish people speak french, but so what ? Who can seriously think the film was intended as a documentary on the Irish insurrection ? Certainly not the director, nor the unbiased critics of his effort.

First and overall 'La Jeune Folle' is a superior demonstration of acting by Danièle Delorme. Should be sufficient to rate it as a classic. Supporting actors are good to excellent as Gabrielle Fontan playing an old nun far more nuts than the 'Jeune Folle' (mad young woman) who is an orphan exploited as a servant in a convent.

The film will also stay in memory for its extremely strong last sequences when a IRA member (Vidal) is tracked down by kids for the reward offered by the Brits. That treason can come from supposedly innocent Irish kids is already transgressive, it is made further scary by kids dressed up for Halloween wearing masks.

Definitely in wait for restoration.

Cyrano de Bergerac (1946)

Not so bad ... but for fans of the play only

[7/10 · 21 December 2009]

An extremely rare version of the all time most popular french play recently made available on DVD. Overall this is an average post-war french production with minimal settings are inexistent cinematography, except some fine and well taken cartoons accompanying Cyrano's description of his space travels. It nevertheless remains pleasant to watch thanks to the magic of the play and the outstanding performance of Claude Dauphin in Cyrano. The big problem is the rest of the cast - apart Pierre Bertin excellent as always as De Guiche - going from average (René Sarvil as Ragueneau)to atrocious (Roxane and Christian). As always in cinematographic adaptations of Cyrano (also alas sometimes on stage, even recently at the Comédie-Française), a number of lines are deleted to fit a 2-hour format. It is amusing that omissions differ between versions and to this point of view, I prefer this one to the dirty job made in Rappeneau's Cyrano with Depardieu. Barma's TV version of 1960 with Daniel Sorano in the leading role (also recently released on DVD) remains my favorite for the homogeneity of the cast but Claude Dauphin must be seen by connoisseurs.

Cinéastes de notre temps: Jean Renoir le patron, 2e partie: La direction d'acteur (1967) Season 1, Episode 22

For Michel Simon despite Jean Renoir

[7/10 · 10 March 2008]

It is always a great emotion to watch Michel Simon, perhaps the greatest french-speaking comedian ever, whether he appears in Carné's or Duvivier's pre-war masterpieces or in mediocre films by third rate directors. But it is actually the same emotion to watch him in the role of Michel Simon. As noted by Sacha Guitry in the prologue of La Poison, with him there is no reason to stop filming as no one knows when he starts or stops acting. Guitry was perhaps the only established director to trust Michel Simon and offer him major roles at the end of his career which Jean Renoir certainly did not, and this is why it is particularly painful to watch his hypocritical demonstrations of friendship and interest. Renoir's idea was probably to entertain his court of young admirers (Rivette et al.) by showing them some old freak. But in spite of his endless but insignificant talking, Renoir just does not exist in front of Michel Simon.

Les surprises de la radio (1940)

a must see for lovers of Pierre Dac

[8/10 · 27 November 2007]

A comedy of little cinematographic interest but an interesting document on french radio in the preTV era, how it was made and how important it was for the public. Allows to see radio stars of the time in action, some of them famous screen and stage actors, like Raymond Souplex or Claude Dauphin, and some radio shows such as a very funny and well taken trial parody starring the great actress Marguerite Moreno, prosecuted for dealing shares of the Tour Eiffel and other public monument to naive investors. But the gem of this film is certainly the great humorist Pierre Dac appearing as president of the "Club des Loufoques" (crazies) and organizer of wild treasure hunts in which people had to bring a list of ill-assorted objects to the radio hall. Great to see him at his acme (though he was around 46 at the time) and amazing resemblance with Harpo Marx in some face expressions.