Mon homme (1996)
Directed by Bertrand Blier

Film Review

Once more, director Bertrand Blier courts controversy and the wrath of the entire feminist movement with this anarchic black comedy.  With tongue welded firmly to cheek, Blier implies that women are so dependent on male dominance that they would go so far as to throw away all of their independence and humiliate themselves just for a bit of the rough stuff.   This blatantly misogynistic interpretation has earned the film no end of flack and a certain amount of hell-fire condemnation in some quarters but even the most cursory familiarity with Blier's other work shows that the director is only having a dirty bit of fun.  After all, winding up trenchant feminists is one of the few pleasures left to the male sex in this so-called liberal world of misguided political correctness.

Mon homme may not be Blier's most coherent or satisfying film, but it is entertaining and explores the relationship between men and women with a rare candour and more than a touch of masochistic irony.  Anouk Grinberg gives a gutsy performance as the prostitute who loves to be abused (don't they all?) and manages to hold together a film which might otherwise have degenerated into a shabby mix of eroticism and cheap farce.  It is certainly not a film for all tastes, but for those who appreciates Bertrand Blier's brand of warped black comedy it is well worth watching, although probably not in the company of a rampant feminist.

Film Synopsis

Marie makes a reasonable living for herself as a prostitute in Paris.  One cold winter's evening, she notices a tramp sleeping by some dustbins and can't help taking pity on him.  She takes the filthy stranger backs to her place and tends to all of his physical needs.  Once the introductions are concluded, Marie invites her adopted waif, Jeannot, to become her pimp.  It is an offer that is too good to turn down, particularly for a man who takes pleasure in abusing and exploiting women.

The arrangement seems to suit both parties, until Jeannot goes out and finds himself another prostitute, Sarah.  This proves to be a fatal mistake, as Sarah's first customer turns out to be Inspector Marvier, a cop in the city's vice squad.  Marie and Sarah both get their revenge when Jeannot is taken into police custody.  Marie then makes up her mind to get herself pregnant by the next man she encounters, which is a wretched unemployed man named Jean-François.  Released from prison, Jeannot returns to Marie and begs her forgiveness...