"Drole de Drame" **** (out of ****)I know I already made an entry into my "Master-piece Film Series" not too long ago when I wrote about D.W. Griffith's "Birth Of A Nation" (1915) but I didn't write many reviews last month so I want to catch up on these entries. Also, I have recently seen "Drole de Drame" (1937) for the first time and wanted to write about it. I simply had to include it in the series. So please forgive me for breaking my own rules.
"Drole de Drame" was directed by Marcel Carne. I have written one other review for a Carne film, his "Therese Raquin" (1953). I didn't include that title in my series but I did express my appreciation for Mr. Carne's films. He is one of my all time favorite directors though I rarely speak about him.
Most people are not aware of Marcel Carne's work. When some viewers think of French cinema they probably think of the nouvelle vague and Jean-Luc Godard. That is probably the most cliche answer. But I bet Carne's name will not come up. And to be honest Carne doesn't belong in the class of French directors such as Godard or Alain Resnais. Carne's work probably has more in common with Jean Vigo. Both in style and the time period in which they worked.
Carne is now somewhat forgotten I'm sorry to say. His best known film might be the masterpiece "Children of Paradise" (1945). But for me to call one of his films a masterpiece is pointless. They are pretty much all masterpieces and will each be included in this series. His "Port of Shadows" (1938) is excellent as is "Daybreak" (1939) and his comedy "The Devil's Envoys" (1942).
"Drole de Drame" however was made before all of this. It was Carne's third film. It doesn't have much in common with "Daybreak" or "Children of Paradise" but all of these films were written by the same person; Jacques Prevert. A well known poet and songwriter. He wrote the original lyrics for the song the "Autumn Leaves" which has since become something of a jazz standard. Prevert and Carne made quite a successful team. Their work managed to transcend time and make strong social commentaries, mostly on World War 2.
"Drole de Drame" is a flat out comedy but with some interesting social ideas. To describe the plot would nearly be pointless. I would pick and chose and try my best to make it sound coherent. But the film isn't coherent. One strange event leads to another but the movie seems to be having so much fun playing around with this genre that its pleasures become infectious.
The film starts with Bishop Bedford (Louis Jouvet) starting a crusade against a crime novelist, Felix Chapel. The Bishop feels such novels give readers inspiration to commit crimes and fill the world with violence. If you want to read something, read the Bible. To help him on this crusade the Bishop employs the help of his cousin, a fellow novelist, who writes on the subject of plants, Irwin Molyneux (Michel Simon). What the Bishop doesn't know is Felix Chapel is really Irwin! Now the plot sounds similar to the classic American comedy "Theodora Goes Wild" (1937) with Irene Dunn. But "Drole de Drame" takes things further. A murderer is out to kill Felix because he followed Felix's book on how to commit murder and still got caught.
Irwin and the Bishop are not close because being in the Bishop's company makes Irwin uneasy since he has to live a double-life in front of him. The Bishop invites himself over to dinner at the Molyneux's household. But, through events I won't reveal here, the Bishop suspects Irwin has killed his wife, Margaret (Francoise Rosay) and calls Scotland Yard.
Now Irwin and Margaret go into hiding. The couple tries to get their maid, Eva (Nadine Vogel) to help them clear their names. She turns to the milkman, Billy (Jean-Pierre Aumont) for help, since he gave Eva the ideas for Irwin's crime stories.
And to put the icing on the cake we learn that the Bishop has been fooling around on his wife, with their 12 children. He is afraid his secret will be revealed during the investigation.
If "Drole de Drame" is starting to sound a little strange that is probably because it is. This is a classic farce dealing with issues on society, gossip and hypocrisy. The wonderful thing about the film is everyone plays this material straight. Never, at any moment does Michel Simon seem to winking at the audience suggesting "hey everyone! Aren't I funny"!
The material, which was based on J. Storer Clouston's "His First Offence", speaks for itself. It is the material which is funny not so much the characters. Prevert and Carne simply allow the plot to carry itself out. It all seems logical to the film's world. In this environment everything that happens makes sense though we realize in the real world these events would never happen. Situations could never get this out of hand. But that's okay. That's where the humor comes in. That's what makes this film so funny to watch. Think of the Marx Brothers or the Wheeler and Woolsey comedy "Diplomaniacs" (1933). Events take the same bizarre turn here.
Some viewers may be shocked that Carne would direct such material. Most viewers are probably more familiar with his dramatic work during the war, though his "The Devil's Envoys" is a comedy, it is more romantic. "Drole de Drame" has no time for sentimentality.
Those looking for something completely different from Carne should enjoy this. But, as I said, don't think that the film has no hidden agenda. There are social commentaries being made. "Drole de Drame" is smarter than you may suspect. That's why it is one of the masterpieces of cinema!
Posts
