FRENCH SOPHISTICATS

Continuing on my French theme and all things continental, I bought a French movie last week. It's called 8 Women and stars perennial French darling Catherine Deneuve alongside other actresses, Isabelle Huppert, Virginie Ledoyen and Emmanuel Beart. It's set at Xmas in 1950s France where a family is gathering but the only man of the house is murdered so it's a terribly fashionable murder/comedy/musical that is a dream to watch with such fabulous sophisticats on show. The entire cast is just 8 women and it reminds of watching a stage show murder mystery, the sets are very Douglas Sirk/Ross Taylor and the costumes scream Imitation of Life.

Call me British or dumb but I've never really been too bothered with World Cinema at HMV but this movie had been recommended to me by an old work mate - I think it was his way of coming out to me - When I saw it on a cheap sale the other week, I snapped it up and finished it the other night. It's ridiculously camp and outrageous with plenty of black comedy moments and French farce. Catherine Deneuve looks every inch the 50s wife with perfectly coiffued hair and killer wardrobe. She's the eye of the storm although all 8 women are at one point or another suspected of the murder. Family secrets come out, people collapse, go through breakdowns and the fact that all characters burst into song inexplicably throughout the movie makes it all the more interesting although some of the singing leaves a lot to be desired. I felt I was sitting through a part of an Agatha Christie omnibus at times which is no bad thing. Like any modern whodunnit, there are plenty of unexpected twists and turns to keep me amused, and to see Catherine smasha bottle of wine over her mother's head and throw her in the cupboard in her wheelchair is just cinema gold. Naturally after noticing in last week's visit to Paris, Catherine finds the easiest thing to do after disposing of her knocked out mother is to light up a cigarette - if all else fails there's Marlboro Lights (that seems to be the French way) I've decided that my next venture into World Cinema won't be Bel Ami porn (too twinky, give me some rough London lads any day) but another Catherine Deneuve movie from the 60s, The Umbrellas of Cherbourg. She sings amazingly well and it's apparently fabulous although seeing her kissing Fanny Ardant in 8 Women was a little unexpected but fabulous none the less. The trailer for the movie is excellent aswell, especially the end which is of all the cast doing their very best Susan Sullivan in Falcon Crest opening credits impression as they all turn round and give a knowing smile - Tres magnifique!