Tatie Danielle (1990)

Auntie Danielle, supposedly in ailing health but in reality just a nasty old bitch, lives with a paid housekeeper who she regularly abuses. When the housekeeper dies falling off a ladder, ... See full summary »

Director:

Étienne Chatiliez

Writers:

Florence Quentin (scenario and dialogue), Florence Quentin (adaptation)

Stars:

Tsilla Chelton, Catherine Jacob, Isabelle Nanty

3 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Tsilla Chelton	...	Tatie Danielle
Catherine Jacob	...	Catherine Billard
Isabelle Nanty	...	Sandrine Vonnier
Neige Dolsky	...	Odile
Eric Prat	...	Jean-Pierre Billard
Laurence Février	...	Jeanne Billard
Virginie Pradal	...	Madame Lafosse
Mathieu Foulon	...	Jean-Marie Billard
Gary Ledoux	...	Totoff Billard
André Wilms	...	Dr. Wilms
Patrick Bouchitey	...	Beggar
Christine Pignet	...	Cab driver
Evelyne Didi	...	Woman in bus
Isabelle Petit-Jacques	...	A passer-by
Karin Viard	...	Agathe (as Karine Viard)

Storyline

Auntie Danielle, supposedly in ailing health but in reality just a nasty old bitch, lives with a paid housekeeper who she regularly abuses. When the housekeeper dies falling off a ladder, Danielle moves in with her great-nephew and his family. She continues using her nastiness to manipulate everyone into doing things her way until the family goes on vacation to Greece. The young housekeeper they hire to watch after her knows what Auntie is doing, and deals with her accordingly, and they begin forming respect for each other.

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Plot Keywords:

greece | grande dame guignol | abandoned dog | greek dancing | dog | 

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Taglines:

Tatie Danielle is a spoiled old lady who has become expert, after long years of study, at the art of imposing on other people.

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Genres:

Comedy | Drama

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Certificate:

PG-13

Details

Country:

France

Language:

English French

Release Date:

17 May 1991 (USA)

Also Known As:

Auntie Danielle

Filming Locations:

Avenue Wilson, Château-Thierry, Aisne, France

Box Office

Gross USA:

$604,624

Company Credits

Production Co:

Téléma,FR3 Films Production,Les Productions du Champ Poirier

Technical Specs

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Color (Eastmancolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.66 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

For his second film, Étienne Chatiliez took a good part of the first team already working on his first movie, La vie est un long fleuve tranquille (1988) (1987). We thus find not only Charles Gassot as producer and Florence Quentin as co-writer, but also a number of actors: Catherine Jacob; Patrick Bouchitey; André Wilms and Christine Pignet.

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Connections

Referenced in Hélas pour moi (1993)

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Soundtracks

Ca sent la messe
Written by Philippe Chatiliez

User Reviews

May I be spared from meeting such a woman!

Tsilla Chelton gives a flawless performance as the cunning, scheming, mischievous old widow Auntie Danielle, She commands our attention in every scene and she is on the screen most of the time. Her aged housekeeper companion Odile is driven frantic by this cantankerous old shrew who insists she completes the most impossible and dangerous tasks such as cleaning the chandeliers. Her nephew and niece move in to look after her in her supposedly frail state of health and she makes life absolute hell for them, too. She has a framed photograph of her late husband Edouard hanging on the wall and she consults him on all her personal matters. I found these conversations highly amusing. The most entertaining part of the movie is when the relatives take off for Greece leaving Auntie Danielle under the care of a young woman employed to look after her. Sparks fly when these two obstinate individuals come face to face neither giving way to the other, The bed-wetting scene is quite a gem, but there are many other incidents which are equally amusing. The ending of the film in the Alps comes somewhat as a surprise as we see a complete transformation of Auntie. The spirited singing at the beginning and the end has nothing to do with the story, but I think it is a charming and original addition to a film which keeps you chuckling long after the credits have rolled.