shadock-2

This was the most popular Canadian made movie in 1994, and it was made and shown completely to a French audience. Dubbed into English for later showing on television, it is still charming and entirely watchable, if no great work of cinema. Moreover, at least two major Hollywood productions on the exact same theme, "The Truman Show" and "Ed TV" were made well after this movie was released. But the real shame of Louis 19th is that almost all of the most popular and successful Canadian films of the past decade were made in Quebec in French for a Quebec audience. In addition to that, they proudly show off their Canadianness (in this case, by the main character talking about local children's TV shows, like the fondly remembered "Razzle Dazzle"). Meanwhile, this is the only year in a long time where there has been any really watchable films made in English Canada that are distinctly Canadian - "Duct Tape Forever" and "Men With Brooms". Meanwhile, Quebec continues year after year to turn out distinctively Canadian films like "Les Boys" (about hockey, you can't get more Canadian than that). Its not about money or talent - there are lots of great Australian films to choose from, and their industry thrives while English Canada's continues to die on the vine making cheap imitations of Hollywood movies.

One new year's eve while changing video tapes this show was playing on the channel the VCR was tuned to. Even watching a short snippet of this show you can't help but laugh out loud at some of the gags, and the outright outrageousness of it all kept you watching.

In the meantime, I've had the chance to watch full episodes which are more brilliant than most comedy series I've ever seen. Unlike previous series featuring priests which often focus on their religious beliefs to come to some poignant point, "Ted" focuses in on the humanity of the priests. As a group, they are ultra-competitive to the point of obsession, whether it be a look-alike contest or a soccer match.

The viewer identifies with Father Ted, who is the sanest of the bunch, but his basic competence is tested by those around him; the younger Father Dougal, who combines naivety with stupidity; the elder Father Jack who seems to be on a permanent bender, and their dotty but well meaning housekeeper. Like most of us, Ted feels he is surrounded by incompetence and longs for escape to a more cosmopolitan environment, but always fails to achieve it.

The original cut of this film ran to nine hours, but was cut to death for its premiere to about three, and later to its current length of about two and a half. At this length it's plot, which covers decades, whips by like a fighter jet, with character development taking second place. It is easy to see how the longer running time would help us understand how the female lead, played without a trace of sympathetic intent by Zasu Pitts, slowly developed from a generous and loving young woman to a miserly divorcee. As it is, we only get to see glimpses of the process, and they pass by far too quickly.

The full nine hour version lasted until about 1960, when it was sold for scrap.

One particularly good cinematic device is the metaphor using a pair of lovebirds to represent the couple. The birds are allowed the free range of the emotions the characters feel, while the characters themselves are remarkably restrained - rare in a film of this era.

Put aside 2 1/2 hours to watch it someday. It will go by like half an hour.