Blue jeans

Jacques Rozier's second film has two young men on the prowl for women on the Cote d'Azur. They've got a couple of Vespa scooters, but little money for entertaining or gas, and neither technique nor charm. If they tried these sorts of move at night on a deserted street, they'd be menacing. In daylight, without other people around, they're just creepy. They do promote a couple of make-out sessions, but nothing more, and then get annoyed at the women.

There are one or two good lines here, and the character of the men is the sort that I've seen a lot. Simultaneously off-putting, funny, sad, and a little dégoûtant, as the French say, it's the sort of theme that Rozier would revisit in ADIEU PHILIPPINE at greater length and effect.

In a "most childishly pure," * way, Blue Jeans documents a day in the life of two young Cannois, Dany and René, as they prowl the beaches and streets of Cannes on their Vespa GS scooters, pestering and harassing young women - back when men pestering and harassing women was the cultural norm. Jacques Rozier apparently observed such behaviour while visiting the area and decided to 'recapture' it on celluloid.

The film evokes an upbeat mood as it opens with our lascivious duo riding towards the promenade of La Croisette on a scorching day to the sounds of Cuban Cha-cha-chá, but there is also plenty of awkwardness to go around as young women are approached and taunted in-situ, many obviously unaware of the reason for the film crew.

Eventually more young local (non-professional) actors enter the equation bringing with them some semblance of a plot (this is so much easier to watch when the women are willing participants), and while it successfully reminds us of the joys of summer and the carefree nature of youth, it's also kind of depressing to note that this was a typical unproductive day for young men like our two protagonists. One wonders how their lives turned out.

* A Godard quote. Also, irony.

If you appreciate "Adieu Philippine" by Jacques Rozier (his first long feature about youth), you must see "Blue Jeans", a short feature shot 5 years earlier, same kind of story, two young friends on Vespa trying to pick up girls on the south French coast. They both already look like the boys in "Adieu Philippine", not very smart trying desperetly to be funny with girls to get a date. And also already Cuban Cha Cha music. That kind of movie is almost unique document in France. Enjoy.