La kermesse héroïque

...because of the American production code. In early-17th century Flanders, at the town of Boom, a Spanish duke (Jean Murat) and his advisors are due to stop over for the night. The townsfolk panic, as they believe the "savage Spaniards" will rape and pillage their small village. So the burgomaster (Andre Alerme) and his sharp-witted wife (Francoise Rosay) devise a plan wherein many of the menfolk will pretend to be dead and the "widows" will be accommodating to the visitors. The plan works, only too well, as the women find the Spanish visitors virile and attractive in comparison to their fat and lazy husbands.

This is a fun, bawdy, lighthearted historical fiction that doesn't skimp on period detail. The costumes are elaborate and fascinating, from the corsets to the giant frilled collars to the over-sized pants. The performers are entertaining, especially the ladies, playing a range of flustered flirtation and nervous excitement. There are sly comments about the church of the time, and the hedonistic impulses of even the most chaste. Marcel Carne was one of the assistant directors.

"Men are cowardly lions and women are cunning minxes," is how film critic Jamie Russell describes the theme in Jacques Feyder's December 1935 classic, "Carnival in Flanders." The film's core plot had struck a sensitive nerve with the male members of theater audiences while women rejoiced at what they felt was so obvious. The French film is one of the earliest movies to demonstrate the superiority of a group of women over men when it comes down to saving an entire community from wholesale ruination.

French director Feyder is largely unknown to today's cinephiles, partly because World War Two disrupted an upward trajectory in his film career and had died three years after its conclusion. His contemporary, Rene Clair, lamented "Jacques Feyder does not occupy today the place his work and his example should have earned him." The Belgian actor turned scriptwriter and director was in the forefront of silent movies' poetic realism movement as early as 1916, creating such standouts as 1926 "Carmen" before receiving an invite from MGM to direct Greta Garbo's final silent, 1929's "The Kiss." After four years in Hollywood where Feyder was relegated to directing French versions of English-language releases, he returned to Europe where his most popular and highly-regarded film was "Carnival in Flanders," a work he's most known for.

After directing the somber 1935 dramatic film 1935's 'Pension Mimosas,' Feyder wanted a change in pace in tackling a light-hearted subject. His regular scriptwriter, Charles Spaak, suggested a story from 17th century Flanders under Spanish occupation. Excited with the prospect, Feyder proposed framing his farce in the aura of classical Flemish painters' art so revered in his native Belgium. Writer Spaak fulfilled his request, showing how the pompous male city officials wilted at the first sight of a Spanish official with his army arriving in the city to spend the evening. With imaginary visions of rape and pillage, the mayor and his council members feigned death upon the Spaniards' arrival. The women, however, found the men's strategy ridiculous. Since the city happened to be celebrating a carnival, they welcomed the army with open arms, melting the Spanish soldiers' hearts instantaneously.

"Farce can be incredibly painful," writes film reviewer Mark Frost, "but 'Carnival in Flanders' handles the comedic situations with finesse-with many laughs-out-loud moments." The international film community embraced Feyder's film, earning a handful of prestigious honors, including the New York Film Critics Circle Awards for Best Foreign Language Film. But filmgoers in Feyder's native country were incensed by his motion picture. Fist fights broke out in movie houses showing 'Carnival in Flanders" across Antwerp and Ghent, with the city of Bruges outright banning the film. Viewers drew parallels of its plot with the Belgians' acceptance of German soldiers in their cities and towns during World War One. Simultaneously released in both French and German languages, Berliners applauded its message. Ironically, when Germany kicked off World War Two in 1939, the head of the Nazi propaganda office, Joseph Goebbels, prohibited "Carnival in Flanders" from being shown. Reportedly he was sensitive to the comparisons between the Reich's soldiers occupying foreign cities with those seen in 1600's Flanders. Feyder became a pariah to the Nazis when they overran France in 1940, forcing the director to flee to Switzerland for the duration of the war.

"Carnival in Flanders"

This a clever, charming film that depicts the womenfolk of a Flemish village winning over Spanish invaders. The mayor's wife rallies the women to use all their power and resources to seduce the Spaniards--and it works!

There are some very funny moments involving the vigil for the "deceased" mayor (especially when the court midget blackmails him). Most films about the 17th Century are pretty stodgy, but "Carnival" is delight.

I recommend this film.

I enjoyed this film very much--partly because of its clever writing and partly because it shows a period you just don't see in films very often. It's well worth your time.

"Carnival in Flanders" is set in the 16th century--during the time that Flanders (modern Belgium) was ruled by Spain. It is set in a fictional town in Flanders--and apparently some thin-skinned Belgians during the 1930s wanted to ban the picture because they thought it made them look bad. That's silly--it's just a cute little comedy! The film begins with some minor intrigues in town--including a painter wishing to marry the daughter of the Burgomeister (that's a mayor for us Yanks). However, suddenly, this is unimportant--what IS important is that the Spanish army will be passing through and the town council KNOW this means they'll sack the town. So, they come up with a crazy plan--to pretend that the Burgomeister is dead. This really won't help anyone--just the Burgomeister! So it's up to the man's wife and the women of the town to deal with these invaders. However, they are shocked to see that the Spanish are incredibly polite--and kind of cute!! What's next? See the film.

I found myself laughing several times during this movie--a very good sign for a comedy. I particularly liked the needlepoint scene! All in all, very entertaining, funny and exceptionally well made--they got the look of 16th century Flanders down pat. A wonderful little comedy that deserves to be seen.

The women hold a big banquet and all of the Spanish officers are invited. However, one of them is not interested and prefers to stay indoors and do his needlepoint. One of the village men is also not interested so the officer invites him to bring out his knitting. They discuss what kind of stitches to use and the officer opines that a particular stitch feels nicer on the leg.

The scene is perfectly innocent, but how interesting that already in 1935 they had the idea that maybe not all of the soldiers wanted to be seduced by women! And they actually dared to put the scene in! :)

The question of just what the Mayoress has done with the Duke is left unsaid, but probably also would never have passed the Hays Office in Hollywood.