Un singe en hiver

French films often focus on things that are really quite different from the English/American scene. They're a lot about dialog, attitude, and big(mouthed) iconic protagonists - often less about an obvious moral at the end. This film is neither really a comedy nor a drama, it's like that perfect nuance between the two and borrows from both in a very typically French kind of cynical/blasé way.

Instead of a great big moral as most films around the world usually have which they culminate towards, this one has rather a theme that is omnipresent throughout the developments. It's more like an ongoing element of both lead characters' conscience, or rather subconscious - as the synopsis states: the desire to travel. That irresistible urge to discover or rather rediscover a place exotic, festive and foreign; foreign to the boring old daily, routine life.

As referenced in the first line of this review, French films are best when the dialog is best and this one has the right quality for the ambitions of the story and Gabin and Belmondo both do a very good job, Gabin especially as he seems to have been that very character at some point in his life, understands him so well. Such lines as (speaking to his wife, -paraphrasing): "Suzanne tu n'as que des qualités, mais tu m'emmerdes !" - so French in spirit, and a sentence so heavy with significance as it pertains to the sheltered, redundant gentrified "real" life.

Interesting, well acted out, very good dialog, very well paced and filled up: 7.5/10. My own criticism: perhaps the "dream life" is hinted at too much where the film settles for carrying out the events in the plot while not further exploring that strong element of abstract emotion that remains merely underlying and implied.

A very good movie where Belmondo and Gabin performed a so great duet. The story of a man who has stopped drinking- and then dreaming- and who thanks to a young man who tries to forget a lost love in alcohol will turn drunk again during an exciting night. Every man who has ever felt the pleasure of alcohol as a dream and nostalgic catalyst will enjoy watching it. The dialogs are exceptionnal thanks to Michel Audiard.

I have read a recent interview with Belmondo, saying that the veteran Jean Gabin hate all that new wave french cinema when he was asked to do this movie with young Belmondo, who was, at that time, an actor who was working with the New Wave directors (Godard, Chabrol, Truffaut). But a solid friendship was born when the two men work together on that movie. In fact, the respect and this friendship seems to be very easy to see when we look at this charming movie. It's full of a sense of poetry. It's a movie about friendship, dreams, nostalgia, sadness between two men from different generations. It's also a movie about alcool, in a sense that the beatniks of that era refers to. It's also very well written. Gabin and Belmondo gives a very warm performance. You must see this wonderful movie.

What could I add more besides everything that has already been told? That's the only picture between Jean-Paul Belmondo and Jean Gabin. Unfortunately. it was at this time the new generation vs the old one. You will have nearly the same scheme in 2009, with LE VIEIL HOMME ET SON CHIEN, where this time Belmondo will have a short sequence - too short for my own taste - with Jean Dujardin; Belmondo had this time the same position Gabin had with him more than forty five years earlier.

This movie: UN SINGE EN HIVER, is not only a film about drunk people and loneliness, absolutely not, but about the true meaning of life and friendship. And in this film, Jean Gabin plays a old sailor character, the nearly same he will have nine years later in LE DRAPEAU NOIR FLOTTE SUR LA MARMITE, a poignant movie too, even being a comedy written by Michel Audiard.

A splendid movie for everyone who had a dream and/or came back from it. About dream, excess, life, boredom, and going beyond what life gives you. And alcohol. To watch.

The actors are splendid, both at the best of their style, Gabin, an established, grounded man with a vision, Belmondo as a bold and hot-tempered, troubled young man. Suzanne Flon, Paul Frankeur and Noel Roquevert also strongly support the scenario in their 2nd roles.

The dialogues by Michel Audiard are just splendid. One liners that make you laugh and think beyond the action and that reflect on yourself.

It's a movie for people who dream further.