For those wanting to see a lighthearted, fun and entertaining film during the time when Nazi Germay occupied France, one will surely be entertained by Claude Autant-Lara’s 1942 film “Le Mariage De Chiffon” which is included in the Eclipse Series 45: Claude Autant-Lara – Four Romantic Escapes from Occupied France”. But for those who find this film to be too fun and sweet considering the turmoil and tragedies happening in France at the time, may best want to look elsewhere.
Image courtesy of © 1942 Gaumont. © 2018 All Rights Reserved.
TITLE:Â Le Mariage De Chiffon (as past of the Eclipse Series 45: Claude Autant-Lara – Four Romantic Escapes from Occupied France)
YEAR OF FILM: 1942
DURATION: 103 Minutes
DVD INFORMATION: Black and White, 1:37:1 Aspect Ratio, Monaural, French with English subtitles
COMPANY: Janus Films/Gaumont/The Criterion Collection
RELEASED: January 23, 2018
Based on the Novel by Gyp
Directed by Claude Autant-Lara
Adaptation by Jean Aurenche, Maurice Blondeau
Dialogue by Maurice Blondeau
Produced by Pierre Guerlais
Music by Roger Desormiere
Cinematography by Philippe Agostini, Jean Isnard
Edited by Raymond Lamy
Production Design by Jacques Krauss
Costume Design by Claude Autant-Lara
Starring:
Odette Joyeu as Corysande dite Chiffon
Andre Luguet as Le duc d’Aubieres
Jacques Dumesnil as Max de Bray
Pierre Larque as Jean
Suzanne Dantes as La Comtesse de Bray
Louis Seigner as Philippe de Bray
Georges Vitray as Van Doren
Robert Le Vigan as Maitre Blondin
This delightful comedy brought Claude Autant-Lara his first popular success as a director. Chiffon (Odette Joyeux) is being pushed by her mother to wed a dashing military officer (André Luguet) but finds herself drawn to her stepfather’s penniless brother (Jacques Dumesnil). For LE MARIAGE DE CHIFFON, Autant-Lara convened the creative team including screenwriter Jean Aurenche, cinematographer Philippe Agostini, and the incomparable Joyeux that would reunite for each of his subsequent three features, initiating a remarkable run of sharp love stories.
Quite often we will see in entertainment, people who had created or produced quality work throughout their productive years and then as they grown older, they become a different person altogether.
May it be through acts of stupidity, change of ideology, decline of mental health, whatever it may be, sometimes it can diminish any appreciation one can have towards works in their oeuvre.
French filmmaker Claude Autant-Lara is one of those men.
A man who produced romantic comedies during the Nazi occupation of France. Films that were entertaining, collaboration as an art director and costume designer for Jean Renoir, especially in “Nana” which he also starred in.
But unfortunately, towards the end of Autant-Lara’s life, when he was elected to the European Parliament, he became a man known for hatred in 1989. Expressing concerns about American cultural threat and even going so far in an interview calling the Nazi gas chambers as “string of lies”.
The scandal would lead to his resignation and memories of Claude Autant-Lara unfortunately is a man who incited racial hatred.
What changed Claude Autant-Lara? It’s hard to say, considering during the 1940’s, through the occupation of France, he created entertaining love stories. What can make a man who created cinema of love become a man who made remarks of hatred? With that being said, it should be no surprise as we have seen a lot of things in America, with entertainers that unfortunately have followed a similar path.
And this is the focus in the “Eclipse Series 45: Claude Autant-Lara – Four Romantic Escapes from Occupied France” which includes four films:Â “Le Mariage De Chiffon”, “Lettres D Amour”, “Douce” and “Sylvie et Le Fantome”.
In my reviews for this Criterion Collection DVD set release (Note: Eclipse Series are DVD release only, no special remastering/restoring, no special features included), I will focus on cinema.
The first film featured in the DVD set is “Le Mariage De Chiffon” which begins with Lt. Commander Aubieres (portrayed by Andre Luguet) who is stationed back in a place where he worked long ago.
While leaving the station, he sees a young woman hopping around in the rainy night with one shoe. She is looking for her other shoe but with no light, she can barely see a thing. Aubieres offers to help and eventually finds her shoe, but instead of returning it to her, it gives the older military soldier a chance to carry the young woman towards her home. While thankful, the young woman rushes off without giving her name, in fear that she may upset her mother.
As for Aubieres, he still has the young woman’s missing shoe.
We learn that the young woman’s name is Corysande, but called by her nickname “Chiffon”.
Chiffon lives with her mother, a fellow widower, La cometesse de Bray (portrayed by Suzanne Dantes) who is more interested in looking good to society and showcasing her wealth. Her mother is always upset for Chiffon for not listening to her but also, feels her decisions of not being a proper lady will affect her chance of attracting a man.
Chiffon also lives with her stepfather, Philippe de Bray (portrayed by Louis Seigner), a meek man who does whatever his wife says, and cares about playin g pool and the curve of his moustache. But he does care for Chiffon and tries to help her when he can.
Also, living in the home is Philippe’s brother Max de Bray (portrayed by Jacques Dumesnil), a man who has literally spent his money trying to build a flying aircraft (airplane) but is now penniless. But while he looks wealthy and has an affair with a wealthy woman, he hopes to make his dreams of making a flying aircraft come true.
What complicates matters is Chiffon is in love with her “uncle”. While not her true uncle, but an uncle by marriage, she wants him to look at her as a young woman not girl.
Meanwhile, Max is looking forward to meeting an old friend in the military, who happen to be the Lt. Commander Aubieres (who also happens to be smitten with Chiffon).
When the government comes to take away Max de Brays inventions and belongings, since he is delinquent in past bills, Chiffon learns that she can save him if she gets married and uses the dowry. But will she have to marry the Lt. Commander in order to help the man she really loves?
VIDEO & AUDIO:
“Le Mariage De Chiffon” is presented in black and white (1:37:1 Aspect Ratio). Considering the film is over 85-years-old, picture quality is actually very good on DVD. No major film damage but there are some parts where you can see slight blurring but nothing too detrimental.
Grain is present and for the most part, most people should be pleased with the overall picture quality for a DVD release.
The film is presented in French monaural with English subtitles. Dialogue and music is clear
SPECIAL FEATURES:
Eclipse Series releases do not come with special features but included is a three-page essay about the film and Claude Autant-Lara by Nicholas Elliott, a writer and translator, and the New York correspondent for “Cahiers du cinema” and a contributing editor for film for “BOMB” magazine.
The first film featured in Eclipse Series 45: Claude Autant-Lara – Four Romantic Escapes from Occupied France is “Les Mariage de Chiffon), an entertaining romantic drama, one may call it a romantic comedy, thanks to its carefree character Chiffon, played by French actress Odette Joyeux.
While she studied dance at the Paris Opera Ballet before becoming an actress, she was able to take on the role of a bubbly young woman, in love with a man who is like her uncle, while an older Lt. Commander is smitten by her.
Her character was a tad bit independent, no doubt innocent thus leading to a tad bit of naivety, Odette Joyeux was 28 when this movie was released, but she no doubt did a wonderful job of playing this young girl wanting to know and explore the world, with men and wanting to be loved and to love.
But while she has had notable films in her career, Odette Joeux will probably be remembered as an author of some plays and essays on dance. Writing two novels which were aimed to inspire dance and was made Chevalier (Knight) of the Legion D’honneur in 1989 and promoted to Officer in 1998. She was also made an officer of the Ordre national du Merite in 1994.
So, she was no doubt a shining star and “Le Mariage De Chiffon” is a film that shows an early versatility to her acting career.
“Le Mariage de Chiffon” is also entertaining because of how the supporting characters are around Chiffon.
Her mother La cometesse de Bray is wealthy yet overly-concerned about her daughter, her stepfather Phillippe is a meek man who tries to stay away from his wife and is often playing pool or taking care of his mustache with the help of the butler.
The men in Chiffon’s life are intriguing, Max de Bray played by Jacques Dumesnil, is a builder/inventor and a risk it all type-of man, who believes in the future of aviation and hoping to get a plane off the ground. Max is also a man having an affair, looks as if he has money but in truth, he’s a man that has spent nearly every penny into his aviation venture.
While the older, much refined and suave Lt. Commander Aubires portrayed by Andre Luguet, who would have a long career between 1910-1970. Luguet played the character wonderfully, compassionately and despite being much older than actress Odette Joyeux, his screentime was well utilized by filmmaker, Claude Autant-Lara.
As for the film, it was a happy film in which people who hope and dream, and show that it’s possible that dreams can come true. Probably a much needed film for its time, especially during the Nazi occupation of France (1940-1944), for those that wanted something uplifting. While others may have looked at this film with disgust, especially the young who fought against Nazi Germany and the many who were of France, that collaborated with the the Nazi Germans and Vichy regime.
I’m not an erudite when it comes to the occupation of France, but I am aware that during and after the occupation was turbulent times in France (I recommend Ronald C. Rosbottom’s “When Paris Went Dark: The city of Light Under German Occupation, 1940-1944). Not only were French Forces collaborating with Nazi Germany to capture and apprehend members of the Resistance, who were comprised of mainly young men and women.
The Germans had rules, especially when it came to cinema, the French did not challenge it. When Nazi Germany were unable to keep tracks on the Resistance or Jews in France, French officials didn’t challenge it, they helped the Germans. Nazi Germany cast a darkness of fear in France, many including the Vichy were too afraid to fight, except young men and women who sacrificed their lives.
One who want cinema that strikes you through the heart with reality of what took place during the occupation of France, may want to also check out Marcel Carne’s 1945 film “Children of Paradise” (Enfants du Paradis), Rene Clement’s 1952 film “Forbidden Games” (Jeux Interdits), Jean-Pierre Melville’s 1969 film “Army of Shadows” (L’Armee Des Ombres) or Francois Truffaut’s 1980 film “The Last Metro” (Le Dernier Metro).
But for those wanting to see a lighthearted, fun and entertaining film during the time when Nazi Germay occupied France, one will surely be entertained by Claude Autant-Lara’s 1942 film “Le Mariage De Chiffon” which is included in the Eclipse Series 45: Claude Autant-Lara – Four Romantic Escapes from Occupied France”. But for those who find this film to be too fun and sweet considering the turmoil and tragedies happening in France at the time, may best want to look elsewhere.