jameswtravers

Georges Gauthier is an ordinary working class young man who lives with his mother and sister but who dreams of becoming a professional singer. His dreams are dashed when his sister elopes with her boyfriend, leaving him to look after his mother. Then he gets an audition at his local music hall. Impressed, the director engages him and Georges embarks on a successful career, under the name "Papillon". Fearing that his fame and success will upset his mother, his girlfriend and his best friend Jules, Georges must keep his singing career a secret - but for how long...?

One of the most famous and best-loved of French film musicals, Romance de Paris is probably the closest that French cinema managed to get to recreating the glamour and charm of the traditional Hollywood musical of the 1930s and 40s. It was directed by Jean Boyer, the best (if not the only) French director of the genre. The film musical is not well represented in French cinema-lack of popular appeal for the genre meant that there was never going to be the funds to compete with the Hollywood films which starred the likes of Fred Astaire and Gene Kelly. However, the few musical films which were made in France, mostly in the 1940s, are generally well made and have a whimsical Gallic appeal.

With its enchanting airs and loveable characters, Romance de Paris is one of the most uplifting and enchanting films made in France in the 1940s. This is quite remarkable when you consider that it was made during France's darkest hour (during the first year of Nazi occupation). It is a good example of the light, diverting kind of film which was popular with the French nation during this bleak period. The film's popularity was heightened by giving top billing to Charles Trenet, a stroke of genius as it turns out.

The ginger-haired, blue-eyed Trenet, the "fou chantant" was among the most popular of singers at the time and today has an international reputation as one of the great entertainers of the Twentieth Century. Romance de Paris is one of the few films Trenet starred in, probably his best. He is both convincing and enthralling as the typical working class lad who has a lucky break and who is not corrupted by his success, a latter day fairy tale which, despite its naïve simplicity has genuine warmth. It is interesting to note how close his character in the film resembles the real-life Trenet - both being passionate about music, both respecting the bonds of friendship and family, both shunning needless publicity. To a very good approximation, Charles Trenet and Georges Gauthier are one in the same person.

Although he is clearly the star of the film, Trenet works well with his co-stars particularly Jean Tissier and Sylvie, who play respectively Trenet's friend and mother in the film. The three lead characters have a pleasing rapport, and Tissier's performance is very nearly as entertaining as Trenet's.

Although perhaps overshadowed by the monumental, more sober films which were made at the time, Romance de Paris deserves its place in French cinematic history. With its ceaseless optimism, it served as a cheerful antidote to the penury of everyday life, a distraction from the grotesque business of war. It is no less effective when watched today, a testament to the genius of Jean Boyer and Charles Trenet.

Gérard and Hélène are set to begin a new life together in Argentina. At the last minute, Gérard decides to separate and leaves his partner stranded at the airport. Unwilling to turn to her sister and emotionally traumatised, the abandoned Hélène makes the airport her home. She makes money by working as a prostitute and strikes up a friendship with a café worker Marco. It is a precarious lifestyle but she has mastered her dependency on men - or has she?

Astonishing that this powerful film should pass almost unnoticed when it was released in the summer of 2000. Fortunately, it has enjoyed a second lease of life following Dominique Blanc's best actress award at the 2001 César's ceremony, shortly before director Roch Stéphanik was awarded the prestigious Cyril Collard.prize.

The film takes a familiar theme, the break down of a relationship between a strong male partner and a dependent female partner, and traces the resulting trauma experienced by the latter in coming to terms with her abandonment. All this takes place within the oppressive mausoleum that is Orly airport in Paris, providing a suitably surreal, yet disturbing familiar, backdrop to one woman's psychological collapse and subsequent reconstruction.

There are two things which mark this film most. First, there is of course Dominique Blanc's very creditable performance - and it is not too difficult to see why she was awarded a César. The actress shows a remarkable range in what is a very demanding role, appearing alternately vulnerable and dangerously seductive, the child and the tiger, but always with the utmost conviction. Secondly, the cinematography is also noteworthy, particularly the scenes where Hélene finds herself alone at the airport, which look as if they have been shot in another world, so haunting and menacing is the spacious neon-lit setting.

The film's length and drawn out ending count against it a little. Towards the end, you wonder if the director at the heart to finish what must have been an intensely personal work. By contrast, Hélene's sudden transformation at the end of the film appears contrived and unconvincing, although this is certainly the way the film should have ended. However, these quibbles aside, this is a riveting and sombre drama, with a smattering of dry comedy and irony, well worth seeing.

It is deeply frustrating that what could, and should, have been a great period drama, with some fine acting talent, should end up a dull, mediocre piece of cinema. The film lacks structure, has a lacklustre script, whilst the acting performances are generally lame and, in some instances, quite awful. There is some graphic and totally unnecessary violence, and vulgarity is used as a substitute for wit. To garnish this unhappy ensemble, the background music is repetitive and feeble to the point of nausea. I couldn't get out of the cinema fast enough.

First, the acting. Uma Thurman appears to be totally miscast in the role of Vatel's secret admirer, and her performance is dull, emotionless and sometimes irritating. By contrast Gérard Depardieu, a great acting talent, is wasted completely. All he is required to do is walk about the sets barking out orders to his servants and occasionally looking a bit miffed when one of the aristocracy gets his gander up. One suspects that he has already realised that the film is a turkey and so feels no enthusiasm to waste his energies trying to lift the film out of the pit of mediocrity in which it is well and truly lodged. And one can hardly blame him.

The film's only saving grace - indeed the only reason for seeing the film at all - is the magnificent depiction of the royal entertainment designed by Vatel. The scale of the activities is quite breathtaking, brilliantly executed, and offers an interesting insight into the life of the royal court at this time in history. Unfortunately, we are not allowed to enjoy the legendary fireworks scene because a servant is brutally and explicity killed in the process. This is probably the one true great moment in the film, but it seems to get in the way of the one piece of entertainment on offer to us and the tragic impact is lost completely.

On balance, it is the ending that is the greatest disappointment. This should be a deeply moving and tragic finale, but it fails completely to have any effect. The film just loses momentum after the fireworks scene and gradually shrivels up to nothing. It looks as if the entire cast and production team gave up and went home early. The final scenes lack any emotional impact or integrity and overall the film appears shallow and insubstantial.

A totally wasted opportunity.