Madame Marguerite

This comedy of manners was masterfully done. For a story about a woman who was an atrocious singer but didn't know it and performed publicly, it was delightfully light-handed. Catherine Frot was exceptional as Marguerite. She didn't portray the character as a silly, narcissistic woman as I'd feared but expected. She was portrayed as a passionate, thoughtful, lonely and yet vibrant woman who was just blissfully unaware of her lack of talent. Yes she was a terrible singer and we all laughed when she performed, but it was done with such feeling toward Marguerite that it never felt that I was being asked to laugh at her but rather the situation.

I fell in love with all of the characters, even those who used Marguerite and those that tried to swindle her – they were just so well written and full of life. And you can't help but love those who supported and stood by her.

The ending was also surprisingly heart-wrenching, but fitting and sadly satisfying.

This film shows in an artistic and subtle way how self consciousness can become very subjective in one's own perspective. A musician's environment can become a metaphor to others to learn about how difficult it is to trascend in life. As music is the main theme in this film, in a general understanding, tuning or being in tone is fundamental to success in any discipline related to this field. The main character of this film loves music and feels it in her own soul, but however lacks the objective sense of the public in the audience about the way she sings. When she finds out the truth she just falls apart in her desire to gain her objective and that marks her life for good.

The comedy of manners is the weapon of choice for satirising the wealthy and powerful. Its favourite target is vanity, like in the fairy tale Emperor's New Clothes where a vain ruler is fooled into believing that beautiful garments have been made for him only to display his pompous nakedness for all to see. The narrative of Marguerite (2015) is framed around this theme, except that instead of clothes the hapless victim is encouraged to believe she has a beautiful voice. In her case, the self-deception is less about vanity and more about her love of singing and the inability to hear her own voice.

Marguerite is loosely based on the true story of American socialite Florence Foster Jenkins. This sumptuous art-house style French production portrays her as a wealthy and eccentric benefactor of the arts in 1920s Paris. She is easily manipulated by the flattery of others and obsessive about opera singing. She also loves her unfaithful and financially dependent husband who is incapable of telling her the truth about her voice and who always has an excuse for missing her recitals. Her friends and house staff protect her from the knowledge of how badly she sings in gratitude for her kindness and because she is a 'lovely lady'. The stakes are raised when Marguerite decides on a public recital where of course the audience cannot be stacked with grateful patrons. The resulting performance is a seat-squirming experience that fills both the on-screen theatre and your own cinema with painful laughter and vicarious embarrassment for someone who can be so cruel to music. The film itself becomes an operatic performance of pride's folly.

This could have been an unbearable story made worse by intolerable singing, but it works well as a comically sad tale about a gullible woman who wants desperately to believe she can create beauty with her voice. The filming, sets and costumes evoke the era with authenticity and French actress Catherine Frot's subtle performance balances the sublime with the ridiculous. Frot's wide-eyed trust in others is both endearing and engaging as she draws us into her make-believe world that borders on madness. Some truly beautiful operatic voices create a haunting background score that only accentuates the appalling noise that comes from Marguerite's voice box. Its an entertaining story but don't be surprised if you catch yourself asking "what is so funny about bad singing?" and feeling embarrassed for laughing at another person's delusions.

'Marguerite' was for me the most anticipated inclusion of the French Film Festival touring Australia as I write this review. In part due to the pithy and alluring plot line given in the booklet for the screenings, and in part as Catherine Frot was freshly known to me since seeing 'Haute Cusine' a couple of years back. I was really impressed with the subtle but powerful presence of Ms Frot on screen. I've become most enamored with the many wonderful actresses from France and this film and performance has already put Catherine Frot into an award winning position; confirming her long and distinguished career.

Rather than give away too much of the plot; i'd would prefer to sing the praises of the panoply of elements that make this movie so memorable and commendable. It is beautifully staged and executed, with a faithful commitment to the period and a skillfully cast ensemble of actors to back the leading lady. I was especially impressed with Congolese actor Denis Mpunga who lends such a solid and fascinating literal support as Marguerite's butler. Michel Fau steals every scene he is in as an overly hammy opera singer; and Andre Marcon manages to both represent and challenge the archetype of a philandering husband.

While the film does run long; a shade over 2 hours; for the most part it is compelling, intriguing, amusing, sad and thought provoking. How many movies can be described that way? There were moments where I was both laughing and crying; a result of powerful direction by Xavier Giannoli who also co-wrote the film, and of course the impeccable performance from Catherine Frot. There is enormous dignity that the actress conveys as well as a hapless and at times a quiet knowing which is hugely endearing and makes Marguerite neither a victim nor a focus for ridicule. La Frot has such cinematic presence and yet at times there is great stillness to the performance; and of course there is the full bodied musical pieces that anchor the film's structure and themes.

There is a majesty to the film cinematically; and despite a couple of plot strands hastily thrown in and not satisfyingly completed, there is a potency and cogency to the script and to the film's overall running time. I feel it will be one of my favorites of 2016.

Never mind the parallels other reviewers have given to the American singer Florence Foster Jenkins. Director Xavier Giannoli has created a marvelous story which is operatic in it's own right! "Marguerite" is both funny and tragic as can be found in many classic operas. Catherine Frot brings the character Marguerite to life in such a believable way the viewer feels sorrow for her self imposed delusions on her ability to sing and her inability to see how her husband uses her and her so called society friends cater to her delusions even tho they themselves are laughing behind her back.

Her devoted butler, Madelbos, sees her as she sees herself - a grand opera singer who has performed all the great operatic female roles to perfection. Thus all the care and detail he contributes in her costumes and photos of her as if she actually performed these roles. Since her husband avoids her Marguerite has placed life into Madelbos's hands. Enter the two young journalist who meet Marguerite by sneaking into her estate during a fancy party to raise funds for the War Orphans charity. These two young men are very involved with the post WWI avant-garde movement in Paris and they find Marguerite to be both anti-establishment and uproarious. They write a glowing but tongue-in-cheek review of her singing. She reads it and is so taken with these two young men she befriends them and they in-turn introduce her to the underground art movement in Paris at that time. These people accept her as a performance artist and take her to heart.

So now Marguerite finds herself in two worlds, 1. The established moneyed society which patronize her and 2. The avant-garde art underground youth art culture. She experiences happiness, ambition, and excitement. Of course all this comes crashing down around her and she breaks under the reality. Her husband learns the hard way that he really loves her but it is too late. Her butler Madelbos could see this eventual end and is prepared to capture this bitter sweet moment.

What a wonderful movie, story, vision, Xavier Giannoli has brought to the screen. A delight to see, maybe painful to hear at times, but your heart will ride with Marguerite through her highs and lows, and be broken along with her friends that believed in her.

Bravo!!!