La dame de chez Maxim

Another play from Georges Feydeau ,the most famous writer of the Theatre De Boulevard ;this pejorative name does not do the writer justice ;his stories of mistaken identities ,cuckolds and eternal triangles are good spoofs on the wealthy society of the Belle Epoque (an era which was not rosy for everyone ,in spite of its name).

Feydeau did not spare religion too:Marcelle Monthil shines in her part of the holier-than-thou silly old trout the general's nephew married ;this mindless drunk husband took home a courtesan ,"La Mome Crevette" (=the shrimp gal),the Dame from Maxims.To avoid problems with the missus,the good time girl passes herself off as an angel ,and it's the second Annunciation:she will conceive a child for she is the chosen one :all she's got to do is go to the Place De La Concorde and listen to the first man she 'll meet :his words will impregnate her and she'll give birth to a son who will reign over France.

Feydeau is hard on the army too;in "On Purge Bébé" (filmed by Renoir ) one of the plots consisted of selling chamberpots to the barracks.Here,he makes a fool of an old retired general and of his ridiculous family ;during his fête ,he is even slapped in the face by his sister-of-law who has not got a clue about the situation.

This is not a masterpiece but it's pleasant to watch;it was made at a time lots of people could not go to the theaters :hence the necessity to film the plays.