La vida en el castillo

Yet another worthwhile past-time of old French movies. A bit of everything, anti-war, comedy, love story, what else?

The story isn't great, but Rappeneau with Deneuve, Noiret, Brasseur, this one must not be missed.

A flawlessly made catch of love, hate and boredom of a bunch of people in 1945, while the allied assault on the French coast is underway.

Actually, with paratroopers about to be landing on the lawn of that castle! From the first minutes you wouldn't dare guessing that this is what is going to happen, with everyone concerned about apples (or just not).

I can only rate it as seven, alas, because of the unbelievable story. Starting with counting of apples, and ending with a complete transformation of one of the heroins, it's just not realistic.

Enjoy watching it, and don't expect a movie of serious narration.

This minor gem is a lightweight romance set during World War II in the French countryside. It struck me as unusual because I didn't expect a Gallic romantic farce that included Nazis. In any event, it's well played; Deneuve is at her most beautiful; and the lush, romantic music by Michel Legrand is beautiful, too. Nice.

2003 is a perfect time to talk about Rappeneau's directorial debut because he has now, 38 years later, returned to the subject of WW11 in 'Bon Voyage', which I have commented on in the appropriate place. Of course it helps any fledgling director to have Philippe Noiret and Catherine Deneuve co-starring in his first time at bat but, like virtually all French directors he had a tasty track-record as a screenwriter behind him - he had, in fact, co-scripted 'Zazie Dans Le Metro' five years earlier in which Noiret starred as a drag queen - and it shows in the way he handled this film. Something of a ground-breaker at the time - it wasn't 'done' to find charm, drollery, to say nothing of laffs in Occupied France til Rappeneau showed the way - it paved the way for so many others. Well served by his cast, especially the two principals La Vie de la Chateau is a delight from start to finish, a souffle lighter than air as only a French chef could concoct. With a revival long overdue any video/DVD copies lying around should be snapped up.

With the director of "Zazie in the Metro", and both the star and composer from "Umbrellas of Cherbourg", how could this be anything but brilliant! Set in a decaying chateau during World War II, populated by eccentrics, with Germans camping out in the courtyard while the French Resistance goes about under their very noses.

Something like a Carry On film at times, with touches of Allo Allo. Sometimes you get the impression someone is about to burst into song - I wonder if it would have worked as a musical? Deneuve is marvelous - beautiful, and very funny as she twists her husband round her finger, and staves off advances in all directions.

A pleasing classic that you shouldn't miss, but the combination of black and white, and subtitles may be offputting to some.

Perhaps it was a misguided idea from the start to attempt to make a comedy set in German-occupied France in the last months of WWII (and to shoot it in black & white, for no discernible reason), but "La Vie De Château" is weak even on its own terms; any comedy, regardless of time period, is supposed to have more than three laughs in 90 minutes. This film has little to offer beyond Catherine Deneuve's exquisite beauty, and to be honest I struggled to even finish it. No traces of the director who would make the excellent "Cyrano" 24 years later here. ** out of 4.