Le Grand carnaval (1983) - film review

It is 1942, at the height of World War Two.  The arrival of allied troops on the coast of North Africa provokes an outpouring of joy.  In the Algerian district of Tadjira, the whole population is in party mood and celebrate the invasion with a great carnival.  This upsets the lives of the town’s mayor, Etienne Labrouche, and the owner of a café, Léon Castelli, the two most influential men in the area, who share a bitter-sweet rivalry…

Le Grand carnaval is unusual in that it presents the lighter side of war, using this as a backdrop to a poignant personal drama.  Graphic images of war are kept well out of the picture, and indeed the tragedy of war gets little more than a footnote at the end of the film.  Indeed, the war is the least important part of this film, but it provides a colourful backdrop which affords some memorable scenes, nostalgia-laden with period music.

What the film lacks in characterisation and structure is more than made up for by some stunning location photography.  There are also some terrific performances from Philippe Noiret and Roger Hanin.

The film presages the terrible schism which was to tear Algeria apart shortly after the war, ultimately leading to the foundation of the Algerian state.  The film does not dwell on this, but references to it abound, and the French ill-treatment of the local Arab population appears distinctly shocking.  The tragedy in this film lies in the fact that the reconciliation which takes place between the film’s central characters is not mirrored in the society around them.

© James Travers 2001

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