Voyage à travers le cinéma français

I have always loved the French cinema, literature, and culture; my great grandfather was French; I am fluent and French was one of my subjects at universty; and I have steadily collected French films, totalling more than 100.

So when I saw this DVD on sale, I pounced. Alas, while I do not regret buying it, I have found it lacking, especially compared to Martin Scorcese's earlier effort relating to US and Italian cinema, which was far more enlightening, situating each film in its time and context.

VOYAGE A TRAVERS LE CINEMA FRANÇAIS is a mélée of Tavernier's own recollections, and relations with directors and actors, and you see interesting snippets, but ultimately it is Tavernier's own fun.

To me, the single most memorable piece of information in this compilation was Tavernier explaining that the defect in his right eye was caused by tuberculosis at a young age. I find it hard to forgive that he dismissed a masterpiece like Jean-Pierre Melville's LE CERCLE ROUGE but praised a dud like UN SINGE EN HIVER.

Unless you have actually watched the films that appear in this compilation, you are bound to feel frustrated.

Tavernier is a very important figure in the history of not only French but world cinema. There is no better man suited to direct a documentary about the history of French cinema. Alas, this is a very subjective voyage through French cinema based on Tavernier personal connections and recollections and, most importantly, own taste.

The first half is fantastic, but the movie loses itself after the tale of Gabin, France greatest actor. There is no thread liking one part with another, no message to be told. It is just one recollection after another, which could go on forever, and indeed it went on as TV series of 10 episodes.

The movie or documentary fails because he actually carries very little interest. If you know French cinema prior to see this documentary, you will learn very little. If you don't know much about French cinema then yes, you will learn about Renoir, Becker, Gabin and The Great Illusion (the undisputed greatest movie ever made) but you will miss out on the legends that were Raimu, Fernandel, Bourvil, Clouzot, Dassin, De Funes and the greatest director out of them all Robert Bresson.

How come they've been left out? One might ask, well, for one thing, by time restrictions, although Clouzot and Guitry were touched upon in the TV series. But the main reason is Tavernier's own taste. Tavernier likes film noir and gritty films, hence the omission of all the comics of France Golden Age. He also isn't a particularly spirituel director, hence the omission of Bresson and Bunuel. It's a shame, it is similar to directing a documentary about the France football team and omitting to talk or even mention Zidane, Cantona and Papin.

A nice effort but lacking too much in structure and interest, although the first half is brilliantly told.

I thought that I had seen a lot of French films, but now after having gone on this journey with Bernard Tavernier, I realize that I have missed many more! This documentary should be required viewing for film students and basically anyone who appreciates world cinema and/or French culture and language.

Incredibly interesting, informative and strangely intimate. Merci beaucoup, Bernard, mon ami!

Sure looks and sounds like Tavernier took this trip with Tarantino as his constant companion, huh? In other words we spend way too much time in the crime/noir room of the Gallic movie mansion. I mean, I don't mind that certain of my favorite directors, like Malle and Truffaut, are given extremely short shrift. That's bound to happen whenever your personal list is put alongside someone else's. But not to balance Jean Gabin with, say, Simone Signoret or Danielle Darrieux or Jeanne Moreau but rather pairing him in the actor category with Eddie Friggin Constantine is to let one's love of one particular genre, to mention nothing of one's sexism, overwhelm one's good sense. And did you notice the lack of humor or whimsy in Tavernier's selections? Not a comedy or a musical to be seen anywhere in this guy's dark field of vision. Again, Tati and Demy are not my favorite French film makers but shouldn't they at least be mentioned somewhere along this particular excursion?

We now come to the "however" part of my review or: Why I Give It A 7 'Stead of a 6? First off, I learned a lot. Got a new appreciation of film makers like Becker and Sautet as well as a crash course in the superiority of French movie music scoring of the 1930s/40s versus that of Hollywood. Second, I enjoyed Tavernier's ability to admire a director without undue hagiography as in his affectionate but clear eyed portrait of Melville, in my opinion the best part of the documentary. And finally there is no denying that Tavernier is a most engaging guide, by turns relaxed, intense, self deprecating and always generous and warm in his assessments. Give it a B minus.

Tavernier does a tour de force as he introduces us to all aspects of French cinema. He focuses on directors, of course, but also the music and composers, cinematography, the entire milieux. From Becker to Melville and back. I have been given a boost as to what I can study and explore.