Madame Sans Gêne

Catherine Lefebvre,Duchesse de Danzig ,was a pure Parisian:so casting Sophia Loren and her Italian accent is beyond me.Particularly if you have seen Roger Richebé's version (1941) starring Arletty.Arletty shone in this part which was tailor made for her:she was hilariously funny,which Loren is not.When compared to the actresses who played the part on stage (Jacqueline Maillan,Sophie Desmarets) Loren's performance is lackluster.The same goes for Robert Hossein,an excellent thespian ,but who is ill-at-ease in a comedy .

Only the second part is an adaptation of the Sardou/Moreau play.The first one is filmed on location and deals with Napoleon's wars ,but as historian Jean Tulard writes,everything rings bad.This second part,which takes place in the court of the Emperor ,is supposed to be funny:I dare you to laugh once.The subplot (which involved Napoleon,Marie-Louise and Neipperg) was ruled out to make room for the ridiculous scenes with the Prussians.

It's a long way from "Fanfan la Tulipe" ,Christian-Jaque's and Henri Jeanson's fans! The story was actually watered-down in the play:the historic Marechale was a crude vulgar woman whose manners beggared belief.

I haven't read the original play nor have I seen previous adaptations, so I can make no comparisons. But I can tell you, regardless of other versions, that this is a thoroughly enjoyable film with great acting, magnificent sets, witty dialogue and an unusual theme.

First let's talk about the unusual theme. This film is much like the celebrated stories of Guy de Maupassant, using an epic situation as a backdrop and instead telling a very common, human (and humorous) story. In this way, it reduces the epic backdrop to the absurd whilst focusing instead on the importance of individuals in their not-so-epic lives. In other words, this is anti-history. I know I didn't explain that very well, so I'll give you an example instead: Sergio Leone's "The Good, the Bad & the Ugly" is a perfect illustration, set against the American Civil War yet trivializing the war and instead focusing on 3 gunslingers fighting their own private war. Comedy, wit & irony are key in telling an ironic story like this, and "Madame Sans-Gêne" (as well as "The Good, the Bad & the Ugly") pulls it off brilliantly, largely due to the larger-than-life presence of Sophia Loren in the role of Catherine Sans-Gêne.

There's a line early in the film where the revolutionaries are storming the Tuileries Palace, and they pass by Catherine's laundry shop asking her if she'll come along. She laughs and replies, "No thanks, I already stormed the Bastille last week!" and continues with her laundry. This is the kind of Maupassantian humour I described above, and the film is full of it.

Robert Hossein delivers a marvelous performance as Catherine's husband, the handsome yet awkward provincial (a miller's son) who gets swept up in the epic and gets promoted to royalty. I've only seen Hossein in his heroic, swashbuckling roles, so it was a real treat to see him playing the role of a maladroit oaf for once. His goofy expressions, clumsy gait and general goofiness had me in stitches every time. If you're not familiar with Robert Hossein, try to imagine someone like maybe Christopher Walken playing the part of a nerd. That's the comedy I'm talking about.

I give another thumbs up to Julien Bertheau who plays the "little General" himself, Napoleon. His character is a real douchebag, but you love him for it, and you may even gain an appreciation for the infamous egomaniac who was thrust into one of the most absurd situations in history (leading a nation that had just overthrown its monarchy yet was all too eager to re-create the same monarchy, only with different faces).

I don't think you need to be a student of French history to appreciate this film. It tells a timeless story of the silliness of government, revolution, war, corruption & back to government ...and the loud-mouthed laundress who didn't seem to be affected by any of it. Watch it & enjoy!

Sophia Loren is the sole star of this expensive-looking but empty costume picture, in which she plays a washer-woman with ready opinions who, after adventurous goings-on, gains status in the napoleonic times.

It is such a shame to see this film that came out in the same year that Loren won an Oscar for her great performance in Two Women. In Madame, she is only used to bring in the charm (which she does, as always) and to display her undeniably shapely bosom through a constantly wet dress, as in some cheap wet T-shirt competition.

Unfortunately, this seems to be the only thought that the producer or the director had in mind; the plot is very undramatically presented, the latter part of this relatively short film seems slow and the rest of the cast is wasted. The film is obviously expensive and good-looking, but the opulent sets and costumes only underline the unimaginativeness of the presentation.

For those only whose interest in Loren's breasts is enough to keep them satisfied. Others avoid.

The character of Catherine the laundress had been created on stage in Paris in 1893 by the renowned comédienne Réjane who pretty well made the part her own, filming it twice. It has since been played on film by Gloria Swanson, now alas considered 'lost' and by the inimitable Arletty in what is rightfully considered the definitive version by Roger Richebé, featuring as Napoléon Buonaparte a certain Albert Dieudonné who had already played the younger Buonaparte in a little opus directed by Abel Gance! One should not forget the spirited Argentinian version starring the iconic, pocket dynamo Nini Marshall.

Following in these hallowed footsteps is Sophia Loren who brings her vitality, earthy sensuality and comedic sense to the role.

As one would expect from director Christian-Jaque he has used a generous budget to take the material out of the proscenium arch and opted for the romantic, action/adventure treatment complete with the storming of Les Tuileries although for this viewer at any rate, the scenes at court are far more effective. It is however a great pity that the sub-plot in which Catherine saves an aristocrat from execution and proves herself cleverer than the cunning Fouché has been omitted but of course this would have been out of place amidst the overrriding frivolity. For commercial reasons greater emphasis has been placed on the relationship between Catherine and the Lefebvre of Robert Hossein who convinces as a bumpkin sergeant who rises through the ranks but remains a bumpkin. The always-good-value Julien Bertheau is an imperious Buonaparte whilst Robert Dalban is a hoot as a 'camp' dancing master.

The production values are splendid and the film is a must for La Loren's legion of devotees, most of whom will overlook the film's shortcomings.

This woman is not embarrassed about anything. ACADEMY AWARD winner Sophia LOREN (she won the award in 1962 for LA CIOCIARA) plays Catherine Hübscher, who was very popular in France and rose from Paris washerwoman to Duchess of Danzig during the Napoleonic years.

The man at LOREN's side is the French actor Robert HOSSEIN. Director Christian-Jaque probably had 6 million FRF at his disposal for his spectacle. There was an enormous film budget at the beginning of the 1960s, which you can see in the film.

And LOREN probably never looked better than in this film. The role of the stunner is practically tailored to the CINECITTA diva.

Fortunately, the television program makers seem to have rediscovered this entertaining historical ham. Good this way!