Film Review
Sacha Guitry's multifarious talents as writer, director and actor are very much exemplified
by this boisterous farce, in which Guitry shares the limelight with some leading performers
of the day (Saturnin Fabre, André Lefaur, Marguerite Moreno...). An ensemble piece
in the truest sense of the word, the film's greatest
asset is its extraordinary cast, who work together as effectively as an established theatrical
troupe. This is particularly so for the actors playing the nine bachelor tramps
- each manages to distinguish himself with eccentric charm whilst complementing his comrades,
rather like some magnificent music hall act.
Ils étaient neuf célibataires is a surprisingly modern film, and
shows how far ahead of his time Guitry was in both his writing and his filmmaking technique.
The film certainly shows much greater innovation and sophistication than most French burlesque
farces of this era, and also illustrates both Guitry's passion for social commentary and
his inventiveness. The anthology film was a fairly novel phenomenon
at the time but would become hugely popular in the 1950s and '60s.
Guitry exploits the format to showcase both his writing and his illustrious
performers. Although weighed down slightly by a needlessly convoluted plot
and an excess of characters (a supporting cast of around twenty is not untypical for Guitry),
it is a hugely entertaining film, stuffed with witty one-liners, unexpected visual jokes
and some truly bizarre characterisation.
By today's standards, the film may appear a touch politically incorrect, but this merely
reflects the age when it was made. In 1938, when Guitry wrote the script for
the film, fascism was at its height in mainland Europe and, in France, a huge influx of
refugees from Eastern Europe resulted in an ever-rising tide of xenophobia. Concerned
by the prevailing mood in his country, Guitry imagined how this would end, with mass expulsions
of foreigners. His reaction was to make a satirical film, one which he presumably
hoped would serve to alert his fellow countrymen to the path they might be treading.
Unfortunately, Guitry's well-intended aims were soon overtaken by events. The very
day after the film's première, World War II broke out and the French people had
other matters to concern themselves with. Oddly, the film is probably more
relevant to the Western world of the early 21st century than to late 1930s France.
Sixty years on, the problems of homelessness and racial tension are just as visible.
Plus ça change....
© James Travers 2004
The above content is owned by filmsdefrance.com and must not be copied.
Next Sacha Guitry film:
Le Destin fabuleux de Désirée Clary (1942)
Film Synopsis
When a law is passed authorising the expulsion of all foreigners from France, a small
time conman, Jean, sees an opportunity to make money. He opens a hospice for homeless
elderly bachelors with the intention of marrying off its inmates to wealthy foreign women,
for whom the only way to stay in France is to marry a Frenchman. Aside from the
financial gain, Jean's motive for this scheme is to trap a beautiful Polish woman into
marrying him. Things go well until the former bachelors decide to visit their new
wives at their homes...
© James Travers
The above content is owned by filmsdefrance.com and must not be copied.