Film Review
Many of us probably remember that in Italy, England and France the
anthology film (which consisted of several short segments, often linked
by a common theme) had its hour of glory in the 1950s, but lasted for a
few more decades. At first, this kind of film was made for
reasons of economy, allowing producers to make use of a wide range of
film directors and actors in what were effectively short films that
were usually inexpensive to make. Sometimes, however, the
different approaches of the various contributors to an anthology film
did not quite gel, and this impacted on the quality of the end
product. This kind of film was very popular with the public, as
they effectively got to see several films for the price of one
ticket.
Les Parisiennes,
released on the 17/1/1962, is one such film.
Here, four fashionable film directors join forces on an engaging comedy
of manners, in which several charming creatures (a Parisian street kid,
a middle-class woman, a single woman and a student) attempt to seduce
members of the opposite sex in various interesting ways. An
unpretentious little film that is enlivened by the music of Charles
Aznavour and Georges Garvarentz,
Les
Parisiennes cheerfully evokes the spirit of a period that is now
known as 'Les années Yé-yé'.
Jacques Poitrenaud imposes his distinctive style with
Ella (Dany Saval). Michel
Boisrond, a habitué of light comedies and anthology films,
presents the last sketch of his career,
Antonia (Dany Robin). A
pioneer of French television, Claude Barma directs the one comedy-drama
in the film,
Françoise (Françoise
Arnoul). Marc Allégret, a famous director of the old
guard, affixes his inimitable signature to the segment
Sophie (Catherine Deneuve).
Parading around the seductive leads is a likeable ensemble that
includes: Françoise Brion, Darry Cowl, José Luis de
Villalonga, Paul Guers, Johnny Hallyday (who sings his smash hit
'Retiens la nuit'), Elina Labourdette, Christian Marquand and Jean
Poiret.
Les Parisiennes was a great
success, attracting an audience of 2 million, and is now available on
DVD. It is heartening to know that the anthology movie is still
alive today, cropping up from time to time in international
productions. Perhaps it will become more popular, when audiences
become accustomed to its charms...
© Willems Henri (Brussels, Belgium) 2013
The above content is owned by filmsdefrance.com and must not be copied.
Next Marc Allégret film:
Le Bal du comte d'Orgel (1970)
Film Synopsis
Four stories about Parisian women in the sixties.
1) Ella, a dancer from Pigalle, has a meeting with an American
producer. Worried that she may arrive too late, she shares a taxi
with a stranger, not knowing that he is the man she is going to see...
2) Françoise returns from the United States and decides to take
revenge on her best friend by seducing her fiancé...
3) Antonia is a married woman who has been abandoned by her
lover. She intends to convince him that she still has the power
to seduce...
4) Sophie, a young student who has no boyfriend, pretends to be the
mistress of her mother's lover. In fact, she is in love with a
guitar player...
© James Travers
The above content is owned by filmsdefrance.com and must not be copied.