Pardon Mon Affaire, Too!

Un elephant, ca trompe enormement/Pardon mon affaire had been a box-office triumph two years before, so Yves Robert knew he had to reassemble the cast for one more go. All the weaknesses of the first film show up more glaringly this time: the gags just aren't that funny (the tennis match played with earphones to block out the jet noise, for instance)and the characterization remains sketchy; we never get a clear fix on Daniel's sexuality, or why Simon is so dependent on others.

Jean Rochefort remains very skilled in portraying befuddlement--even when the script doesn't help him much--and he is always a pleasure to watch. Daniele Delorme, who was married to Yves Robert, is the real treasure in this picture. Her career as actress spanned three decades of steady work before she started a production company with her husband. Here she is a wonderful foil for Rochefort in their tense domestic scenes together; she's calm while he's agitated.