Le Diable par la queue

This is the itranslate version of the French critic review of L'Oeil Sur L'Ecran:

To keep their dilapidated castle, a family of desginated nobles turned it into a hotel. But as customers are scarce, they arrange with the small local garage for travelers to make a forced stop. This will lead to very different people at the castle, including a bank robber... Written by Daniel Boulanger and cut by Claude Sautet, The Devil by the Tail is often described as "marked by the spirit of May 68" (in reality, this qualifier would apply much more precisely to Philippe de Broca's previous film, The King of Hearts shot in 1966. It is certainly more accurate to say that this is a light and wacky, kindly amoral comedy. Nothing is serious here, we seduce, we play with love, in all its forms. The film is imbued with a communicative pleasure. Yves Montand obviously had a good time composing this exuberant and charming southerner and Marthe Keller as a young nymph with long legs brings a nice touch of mutinous freshness. There are good scenario finds, the whole is fluid; we have a lot of fun.

Rated: 3 out of 4 stars

In France, too, the impoverished rural nobility has to struggle with the pitfalls of the modern world. An adorable Margravine (Madeleine RENAUD) does everything she can to maintain the dilapidated family castle. She is supported more badly than well by her manly daughter Diane (Maria SCHELL), son-in-law (Jean ROCHEFORT) and adorable granddaughter Amelie (GOLDEN GLOBE nominee Marthe KELLER). However, many travelers don't get lost in the cozy country castle. You have to help a little if you want to have paying guests. But one day the impoverished Margravine is really lucky. A charismatic crook (Yves MONTAND) ends up stranded in the castle with his millions in loot. A turbulent struggle for money immediately breaks out, which could reorganize the aristocratic miscellany in one fell swoop. But perhaps the solution lies in an alliance between the impoverished nobility and the criminal world...?

Director Philippe De BROCA, with a brilliant cast, has created a wonderful film with slight socially critical tips. BAFTA AWARD nominee Maria SCHELL in particular is in her element as the man-crazy matron. Her flirtations with Yves MONTAND and her subsequent remorse towards her husband are quite funny.

Truly not an indispensable classic of French cinema! But it's a nice opportunity for rediscovery, suggested by the German-French television station ARTE.

one of the most "charming" French films ever made - very well playd by all the actors, like Yves Montand or Martha Keller ( in her first french film ) Never boring - a good musical score with some "classical" piano music, and the filmmusic made by Delerue. The movy isn't outdaded, even if it dates from 1969 - only the very short skirt ( and I do mean SHORT !) dates the picture in the ends of the '60ies. Yves Montand plays a gangster who is stranded in the mounains of France, in a small almost broke hotel. With the help of the daughters lover ( "amant") who sabotages some cars, more guests will arrive at the hotel, and at the end, Yves Montand with the money of a bank robbery, will restore the hotel and working as the cook.

'Le diable par la queue' (1969) is part of a series of successful films that Philippe de Broca made in the 60s and 70s. Most of them combined comedy with action films, and the casts included some of the best-known actors of the era, which ensured them immediate and constant success with audiences. Revisited half a century or more after release, we can see that many of these films have not only 'aged beautifully', but are still enjoyable entertainment for today's viewers and have something special and interesting to say in addition. This is also the case for 'Le diable par la queue'.

The film's premise might as well be that of a thriller. In a corner of France, a noble family runs a hotel in a semi-ruined castle. They attract their customers in complicity with the local garage and gas station owner, who sabotages the cars of passers-by. Arriving at the castle-hotel, these are greeted by the family composed of counts, countesses, barons and marquises, who ensure a stay full of special services. Things get complicated when one of the customers forced to spend the night at the castle turns out to be a burglar, who had just committed a robbery and tries to leave the area with a hard case bag containing the loot of the heist.

The French love castles and movies set in castles. 'Le diable par la queue' was made at the end of a decade in which several of the successful 'serious' films had castles as a setting. This time the romantic vein and social commentary are almost completely replaced by the naughty and sexy humor of many comedies of the same period. Although the film is not a parody, we can guess that Philippe de Broca and his screenwriters had in mind the mentioned French models, but maybe also horror films like 'Psycho'. The result is very nice. The ladies of the noble family, from the marquise mother of the family played by Madeleine Renaud, the countess daughter (Maria Schell) and the baroness niece (Marthe Keller) flaunt and use their charms with aplomb. We can also see Jean Rochefort, at an age when he was more of a cuckolded husband than a standard of French pronunciation. Of course, however, the bulk of the feast is provided by Yves Montand, in a role in which he makes extensive use of his showmanship talents. A viewing of this film is likely to appeal to spectators looking for nostalgia, as well as to those who just want to be amused by a sparkling comedy.

In director Philippe de Broca's vast production this is probably the most underrated effort: almost fallen into oblivion (no DVD out) this movie is a gem of wit and innocence. You have to accept the utter futility of the plot and the impossibility to believe the twists, to enjoy the grace of youth displayed by Marthe Keller (the films constantly captures her long, naked, legs as she runs or rides a bike in the French countryside), the wonderful comic performances by Marielle and Rochefort, the consummate acting of Madeleine Renaud and the serene charm of Montand.

Though extremely lighthearted and quick-paced, the film manages to be poignant thanks to the superb score by Delerue (De Broca said that he would like the piano theme he composed to be played at his own funeral). What makes this film so special for me is the feeling of freedom that radiates from the characters as they move about in this tale, completely separated from social or political issues (remember the film was made in 1968). They manage to convey innocence while frantically pursuing love, happiness and enjoying themselves.