Grandi manovre

This finely crafted movie takes us convincingly back to the France of some 100 years ago. Against the setting of a small provincial town, it shows how its prominent citizens mix up with the officers of the local cavalry regiment. Citizenry is represented here by the excellent female star Michèle Morgan, the military equally well by actor Gérard Philipe. The magnificent interaction between the two of them makes this movie going: Morgan, playing a divorced Parisienne running a ladies' fashion shop, has herself seduced at last by officer Philipe's tireless efforts. But at that very moment their relationship takes a turn for the worse.

Their tragedy gets more dimension, and is softened at the same time by the succesful development of another love. A young local girl (Brigitte Bardot) finds her cavalry officer, played by Yves Robert. The sincere human warmth between them contrasts with the stiff etiquette in the Morgan/Philipe-affair.

'Les grandes manoeuvres' (= the big army-excercises) is a very well made movie. I only think it a little too mechanical, as director René Clair forces you to watch it with hardly any emotions. Not even Brigitte Bardot is able to change that.

A French army regiment, resplendent in colorful uniform, is quartered in a French provincial town for summer exercises. As this detachment first enters the town marching in order down its main thoroughfare, a beautiful woman (Michele Morgan) appears on the balcony of her fashion shop and catches the eye of the regiment's dashing and handsome Lothario who has already compiled a notorious string of conquests (Gerard Philipe). This gives rise to a bet by his fellow soldiers with him, when the soldiers reach their barracks, that this time he will not be able to seduce this woman. He launches a spirited campaign for her, designed to sweep her off her feet, but becomes so ensnared in her charms that he completely loses his mind and falls genuinely and madly in love with her, forgetting totally about the bet and wanting only her. The high point of his fortunes is reached when, practically on bended knee, he protests to her that he does not love her for only a few days or a few weeks but for his whole life. She is on the point of yielding to his entreaties when she learns of the bet. The denouement is exquisite torture as she is unable to credit his protestations any longer notwithstanding that she passionately desires to, he is in effect impaled to his hurt on the thorns of his past, she ends by returning to the fat husband with greasy ringlets of curls from whom she'd been divorced and who appears totally unworthy of her, and the regiment marches out of town at the end of summer. There are comic interludes of great charm and even some hilarity, as well as all the brilliance and wit that make a French movie a French movie, but all in all this is a sentimentalist's dream of a production in which the adorable loveliness of Michele Morgan is at its dazzling height.

One shouldn't be dissuaded from seeing this film because of one disappointed viewer. It is a charming and beautifully crafted film, not often seen in the U.S., but well worth watching. It is very Gallic in its attitudes, which means that it has a certain amount of gallantry, chauvinism, sexism, and a plain, old-fashioned outlook on the sports of love, but it refuses to be pinned down to a formula, or to have a pat ending. I find it ever so much better than Clair's earlier work, and if you can shift your mental gears to the French way of thinking, it is a very rewarding, bittersweet film.

Ironic indeed that one who was once considered a 'pioneer' should come to be regarded as 'old-fashioned'. Craftsmanship is timeless of course so let us salute and applaud that of Rene Clair. The undeniable elegance of this film is inclined to rob it of its depth and makes the comic element more effective than the tragic but that is a minor criticism. There are after all so many things to enjoy: the sumptuous colour, splendid settings, gorgeous costumes and enchanting performers the likes of whom are gone forever alas. Michele Morgan is beautifully understated whilst the inimitable charm of Gerard Philippe succeeds in making his 'cad' sympathetic. Jean Desailly makes the most of a thankless part and hard to believe that a year later Bardot would be strutting her stuff in the risible 'And God created Woman'. A captivating film from one whose creative talent has added sparkle to our rather lacklustre world. Merci bien Monsieur Clair.

I admit, I was not very big in this film for the most part of it. But hey, is very good from a visual standpoint. We have very unexpected angles and a weird set of lights. Look at how messy the lights are in this film. It helps even more to put focus in the characters. In fact, it alone put a focus in the characters, because they become darken than the set's natural light. And the plot is kinda ugh, you know what I mean? Very cliché. Sure, back in 1955, this kind of 'Guy wants to date girl because of bet with friend" must have been interesting and very original, but nowadays? Not very much, if you ask me. Maybe this is the film that started all these clichés? Well, I don't know, further research is welcomed. But anyway, the editing, the transition of scenes is very crazy, and certainly a very good technique aesthetically talking. This technique alone can change completely the film's ambient.

Is kinda interesting and even funny at times, but yeah, for the most part there is nothing that you already haven't seen before made much better than in this film.