Tia Danielle - Perversa e Perigosa

Tsilla Chelton gives a flawless performance as the cunning, scheming, mischievous old widow Auntie Danielle, She commands our attention in every scene and she is on the screen most of the time. Her aged housekeeper companion Odile is driven frantic by this cantankerous old shrew who insists she completes the most impossible and dangerous tasks such as cleaning the chandeliers. Her nephew and niece move in to look after her in her supposedly frail state of health and she makes life absolute hell for them, too. She has a framed photograph of her late husband Edouard hanging on the wall and she consults him on all her personal matters. I found these conversations highly amusing. The most entertaining part of the movie is when the relatives take off for Greece leaving Auntie Danielle under the care of a young woman employed to look after her. Sparks fly when these two obstinate individuals come face to face neither giving way to the other, The bed-wetting scene is quite a gem, but there are many other incidents which are equally amusing. The ending of the film in the Alps comes somewhat as a surprise as we see a complete transformation of Auntie. The spirited singing at the beginning and the end has nothing to do with the story, but I think it is a charming and original addition to a film which keeps you chuckling long after the credits have rolled.

I have to say that I don't like this film. I love French films because I think they are more in depth, thought-provoking, and spend more time developing relationships between the characters. Unfortunately, Tatie Danielle is cruel and mean. She criticizes everybody but herself. She makes everybody else's life worse than hers by her actions. The way she treats people including the old woman who cared for her in the beginning of the film is exceptionally cruel when it causes her death. She moves in with unsuspecting relatives who have two young sons. One son is obviously homosexual but the parents either ignore it just turned a blind eye to it. Not Tatie Danielle! You can imagine what she has to say and do. Just look what she does to the family pet dog. Anyway, she finally meets her match in the caretaker assigned to her when the family takes a much-needed Greek vacation for a month. If only Americans could take month-long vacations, how I envy the French. Anyway, they get along until she has to leave her. Then Tatie Danielle gets famous for her poor treatment by getting national sympathy. When she's not in the old folks home after that incident, she is away with her caretaker somewhere. I don't know. I think Tatie's cruelty is just too much for me or anyone.

This should be a cult film for those with mean elderly relatives. We have recommended this to folks with hypercritical mothers, mothers-in-law, and others, who also said "She's mean." And nobody else believes them, because the relative can be just so nice to others. we've seen the little smirk that comes across her face when she makes somebody else suffer. She is also willing to suffer herself, if it means others suffer even more.

This film rings so true that it must have been based somebody's actual experience. Packaging family angst as a comedy probably wouldn't sell in Hollywood, so we have to pick this up from the French.

Cinematically, it's better than average, with notable performances from Tati and her niece and nephew.

It's charming and amusing to boot.

A film like "Tatie Danielle" is a welcome departure from the formula comedy-dramas out there focusing on the elderly members of our society. We're not dealing with another "Who will take care of Grandma" story, but are confronted with a real problem: This old lady is NOT the dear little Granny we know from story books. She isn't the type anyone would hate to ship off to a nursing home. She's the devil in disguise of a sweet old woman, who manipulates people around her to cause general unpleasantness.

In frequent moments of talking to herself (or rather her long-departed husband), Tatie Danielle fills us in on the "big picture". Apparently this woman has never worked or cared for herself. The widow of a high ranking military officer, living comfortably on a handsome pension, the old woman makes it her mission to terrorize anyone she encounters. The scene where a dear friend of many years dies because of Danielle's unreasonable demands to perform ridiculous cleaning chores shows the utter lack of compassion this woman has. Later she is party to abandoning an old family dog, more evidence of the cruelty within her.

Despite the roller-coaster ride of mean and spiteful behavior from an ungrateful, chronic malcontent, this film has many reflective moments, as well as a lot of good laughs. If you're put off by "Auntie Danielle's" mean cruelties, stick it out, because there is a big pay-off in the end, as well as a captivating story leading there. Not for everyone's taste, but certainly an excellent piece of International Cinema! The English subtitles are very efficient, giving just enough of the original French dialog to "translate" the meaning. Poor subtitles can spoil a foreign film, but an excellent job was done here!

This movie is brilliant. I would love to meet this aunt, or better, have this aunt. I wish all aunties were like her. She's the inner character inside of some of us -screaming out against all the algorithms by which one is supposed to live one's life by. She's a dissatisfied rebel. Her relationship with the paid housekeeper is one of the most touching I have ever seen in film. Very moving and deeply human. A great film for all who struggle and rebel. Tatie cuts through the crap!! The film is brilliantly acted and paced. The scenes of all the ordinary people doing their ordinary things are filmed with great compassion and tenderness. Which is why the ending of the film delivers such a great emotional punch line. This is a very memorable film. Everyone should have it in their library and show it to their children.