Eifersucht

I loved "Eaux Troubles" directed by Henri Calef, so I wanted to discover the good movies by this not enough known director. And "Bagarres" is a good drama with strong atmosphere in a mountain village. We don't know in what french region it happens, there are some actors from Pagnol, a Giuseppe with another accent, parisian accent, so quite difficult to locate the action. But finally, it doesn't really matter, the drama is tense, the cast is excellent, especially the scenes between Jean Brochard and Maria Casarès with special connotations. And the cinematography by Michel Kelber ("La Beauté Du Diable") has a graphic depth in field, some scenes are terrific without being too demonstrative.

With hindsight,"Bagarres " (=rumbles) appears like a blueprint for its follow-up "Eaux Troubles" ,probably Calef's finest work.Mouloudji plays in both and his two characters are some kind of relatives : the guy who has been an outcast all his life and who is pure evil and perversity.Like in its follow-up,a microcosm :Zolaesque peasants all vying for the most beautiful girl of the place ,a brunette (Maria Casarès) who seems at first a victim but who in the end knows how to reap the benefits.Very well acted by Casarès ("Les Enfants Du Paradis),aging Orane Demazis (formerly Marcel Pagnol's favorite actress),Roger Pigaut,Jean Murat ,Jean Brochart and of course Mouloudji. The ending is not very satisfying ,compared to what would be fully achieved in "Eaux Troubles" but every Calef 's work ,the most overlooked of post WW2 French directors ,deserves your undivided attention.