Les parents terribles

Jean Cocteau was one of the few artists capable of bridging the gap between reality and the wondrous magic of existence. His "La Belle et la Bete" (1946), and even more so "Orphee" (1949), were masterful and inventive suspensions of reality for the sake of something infinitely more real..

"Les Parents Terribles" was not constructed in the same vein and is a rather simple story of a young man and his terrible parents. The endearing but doofus-like young man is played by the well-sculpted Jean Marais. Somehow, at 35, he looks younger in this film than he did in the 1943 "L' Éternel retour," which was also based on a Cocteau screenplay. The plot revolves around the young man's naive love for a girl who's been having an affair with his dad. Yvonne de Bray (somehow reminding me of Gloria Swanson in "Sunset Boulevard") gives an excellent incestual performance as Marais's clingy mother. The story's melodrama chugs along smoothly and only falters for me during one of the last scenes, where it spills too far over the top. Ultimately, the movie is a very enjoyable farce, even if nowhere near Cocteau's true wizardry.

Jean Cocteau wrote his play in 1938. After many trials and tribulations which were too numerous to be listed here he finally staged a hugely successful production with his ideal cast in 1946. He committed that production to celluloid in 1948 with the same cast.

The superlative framing, revealing close ups and unusual camera angles, including overhead, from Michel Kelber, sets by Christian Bérard that are characters in the drama, sparingly used score by Georges Auric and ensemble playing of the highest quality must make this a leading contender for the title 'best filmed play'.

Yvonne de Bray, the original dedicatee , Gabrielle Dorziat, Marcel André, Jean Marais and Josette Day all perform their roles with the same energy as they would within the proscenium arch but still succeed in remaining filmic.

A magnificent piece of theatre thankfully immortalised on film. Here Cocteau has also included the centuries old ritual of 'les trois coups' prior to the curtain rising; a great theatrical tradition.

Jean Marais came full circle in the late 1970's when he directed this play and took the part of the father.

The parents have rarely been more selfish and nastier than in this Cocteau play.Only Tennessee Williams's Mrs Venable in "suddenly last summer" can compete with Yvonne.Over-possessive to the power of 100,under her bourgeois mask,she is absolutely terrifying.And what about the father?He has an affair with Madeleine,who -coincidence- is in love with his son Michel.And when there's somebody who must sacrifice himself..it won't be him.

The play was ideal for cinema because the atmosphere is stifling,a constant huis clos where the characters are often filmed in close-ups:the parents 'faces exudes meanness,fear of getting old and ugly.Their apartment is deservedly called "la roulotte"(the trailer)as it seems as tiny as their occupants' heart.The only generous person is aunt Leo (Gabrielle Dorziat,dazzling as ever) who tries to save the young couple,because she knows what an unfulfilled life means;when she was young,she used to love her brother-in-law,Yvonne's now husband and she sacrified herself for her ungrateful sister.

Michel (Jean Marais ,a bit too old for the part but his gusto and his dynamism easily makes up for it) and Madeleine (Josette Day,who had already teamed up with Marais in classic "la belle et la bête") are unfortunate victims of the boy's old folks .

It 's untrue to say,as a precedent user mentions,that the nouvelle vague was rebelling against Jean Cocteau.He was never a target for them as was for instance,Jean Delannoy(who teamed up with Cocteau several times :"l'éternel retour"(1943) and "la princesse de Clèves" (1961).)

Cocteau is a monstre sacré.His works will outlive most of Godard's farces.I do hope they will.

Claustrophobic melodrama in which the son wishes to marry the father's mistress and everyone tiptoes around trying not to spill the beans. Very well acted but stifling in its lack of exteriors and guaranteed to drive you into the arms of the nearest bartender.

The film's plot seems ready to turn it into a farce, but the humor is weak and the pace is leisurely. Well acted and decorated, but not about people I'm interested in.

For hard core Jean Cocteau or French film fans only.