The Tender Enemy

This is one of Max Ophuls' most ingenious works, bristling with good humour and wit, in a plot that knots itself up in a kaleidoscope of innovations, and yet it all holds together, in what must be one of the most marvellous comedies ever realized on film. A great party is set off to celebrate the engagement of a well-to-do girl with a rich and well situated man, and her mother is the chief of the occasion. Without being invited, two ghosts feel they can't miss this occasion, and it's her father and her mother's previous lover. Both are dead of course, but they take part in the celebration nonetheless and enjoy both champagne and brandy. Two butlers almost become aware of their existence, as they are confused by doors opening by themselves and the sound of a champagne bottle being uncorked obviously by itself. It appears that both these ghost men were not happy about the woman they loved, hilarious marriage scenes being exposed and the dilemma of the lover, an artist at the circus dealing with tigers, which doesn't end too well. As they discuss their frustrations with that woman, a third man appears denouncing them for their abuse of such a glorious woman, and it appears he knew her before either of them. An airplane also plays some important part in all this, as it is driven by the daughter's secret lover, the unhappy daughter who doesn't want to marry that rich old man at all. The three ghosts decide to do something about it, and then at last they manage to get some contact with the mother, the woman they all three loved, and she settles the matter - or at least makes an important move that proves decisive.

This film is a wonder of cinematic invention and also human psychology, they are all presented with great typically Ophulesque ironic but warm humour, and there are lots of very hilarious scenes and details. The music is perfectly adapted to all this, constantly changing, both in tunes and in rhythm, and you will recognize many of the great melodies of the 30s. In brief, this is yet another of Max Ophuls' many masterpieces, - and in some respects the most brilliant of them all.

This is one of the rare movies in Ophuls' work were the woman is not sacrificed.The victims here are rather the two men,or rather their ghosts ...who come back on Line's wedding day.They are her father and her mother's lover, a lion tamer.It is not really a tale of fantasy though.The ghosts' role is to introduce the flashbacks .They exchange pleasant lines: "how annoying it is to feel the living passing through you!" and after realizing they were unhappy during their earthly ride,they decide to make LIne marry the man she really loves.

This is an odd disconcerting film and the characters have not the substance they have in the director's other works.There's a good use of music: the popular waltz "Froufrou" (=rustle),"Aimer" sung by an opera singer and the ironic little tune "Il était un petit navire " (there was a little ship which had never sailed away).But one cannot place "Tendre Ennemie" among Ophuls' best works.