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Review
This early Louis Malle film is a sparkling French farce, very reminiscent of the comic
silent movies of the 1920s. A precocious little girl, with a foul mouth and a wicked
sense of fun, provides the catalyst for some deliriously funny comic situations.
The high-point is probably Philippe Noiret prancing about on top of the Eiffel tower,
but there are many, many more comic capers which look as if they have just tumbled off
the pages of a strip cartoon.
Zazie dans le métro is a complete contrast to all of Malle’s other films, in virtually every respect, but most apparently in its use of overt comedy and unusual photographic techniques. It is not a shallow farce but actually serves as a very perceptive and witty satire of French society, with adults often behaving more childishly than children. And its stars, Catherine Demongeot and Philippe Noiret, are quite simply magnificent. This is arguably Noiret’s best comic performance to date. The humour varies from the obvious (speeded up mad-cap chases, exploding sticks of dynamite) to the subtle (Uncle Gabriel’s bizarre tastes and questionable sexuality), with some moments of wanton surrealism thrown in for good measure. The film has a distinctly Godardesque anarchistic feel towards the end, which serves to offer one final damning comment on adult behaviour when set aside a little girl’s innocent quest for fun. © James Travers 2000 Write a review for this film...User Comments
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Director:
Louis Malle
Starring: Catherine Demongeot, Philippe Noiret, Hubert Deschamps, Carla Marlier, Annie Fratellini Synopsis
During a trip to Paris, 11-year old Zazie is foisted on her uncle, Gabriel, whilst her
mother goes off with a new boyfriend. Zazie only wants to see the metro, but a strike
on the underground prevents this. She blames this on the grown-ups and starts
to have some fun at their expense...
Credits
 More French Comedy  More French Fantasy |
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