Garçon! is a French film comedy-drama first released in 1983, directed by Claude Sautet.  The film stars Yves Montand, Nicole Garcia, Jacques Villeret, Rosy Varte and Marie Dubois.  It has also been released under the title: Waiter!.  Our overall rating for this film is: good.


After a life of emotional and professional upsets, Alex finds himself headwaiter in a chic Parisian restaurant.  Well into middle age, divorced but still very much a ladies’ man, he has one great ambition: to open an amusement park by the sea.  One day, an old flame, Claire, suddenly re-enters his life.  For Alex, the fires of love are easily re-kindled, but Claire has another man in her life…

Claude Sautet’s third collaboration with Yves Montand – after the popular César et Rosalie (1972) and Vincent, François, Paul...et les autres (1974) – is this light hearted comedy-drama which plays to Montand’s strengths and allows Sautet to once more explore one of his favourite themes – the strength of friendship in relation to the ephemeral nature of male-female romantic relationships.  In comparison with the director’s better known works, it is pretty much an inconsequential film, easily overlooked and soon forgotten once seen.  However, a pleasing performance from a relentlessly cheerful Yves Montand, here playing an ageing Don Juan of impeccable manners, makes this a mildly enjoyable cinematic diversion.


© James Travers 2005

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