Le Bonheur (aka Est Dans Le Pre) (Subtitled) (Wide Screen) (DVD)

Francis is having a bad day. In fact, things have been bad for a while now, and his stress is reaching dangerous levels. Imagine: the toilet accessories' factory he owns is besieged with troubles, among which a workers' strike and a tax audit and his wife and daughter are stuck-up madams, whose main activity at the moment is to spend huge amounts of money on said daughter's wedding to an insipid nerd.

It's no wonder then, that when ...
...cheer him up, Francis collapses face down on his plate. He eventually recovers, but the experience makes him realise he hates everything about his life. However, there seems to be little he can do about it.

One night, the family is assembled around the television, and the usual uneasy atmosphere reigns. The programme is one of these syrupy family reunion programmes and suddenly every one's attention is on the screen: two young women ... more

Francis is having a bad day. In fact, things have been bad for a while now, and his stress is reaching dangerous levels. Imagine: the toilet accessories' factory he owns is besieged with troubles, among which a workers' strike and a tax audit and his wife and daughter are stuck-up madams, whose main activity at the moment is to spend huge amounts of money on said daughter's wedding to an insipid nerd.

It's no wonder then, that when his best friend takes him out for a meal to cheer him up, Francis collapses face down on his plate. He eventually recovers, but the experience makes him realise he hates everything about his life. However, there seems to be little he can do about it.

One night, the family is assembled around the television, and the usual uneasy atmosphere reigns. The programme is one of these syrupy family reunion programmes and suddenly every one's attention is on the screen: two young women and their mother are looking for the latter's husband, gone missing 26 years ago. The extraordinary thing though, is that the picture they show of the man looks very much like Francis. So much so, that everyone believes it's him. He denies this at first, but eventually admits it, and swaps his hectic life and demanding family for new ones in the south of France, changing his name to Michel. But is Francis really Michel? Can things really be that simple and can he be happy ever after?

~The director~
*****************

In common with other films by Etienne Chatiliez, you never really know where the story is going, and there are plenty of surprises on the way. This French director previously made 'La vie est un long fleuve tranquille' (Life is a long quiet river) which has gained a bit of a cult following in France and elsewhere to a lesser extend. He is also the director behind Tanguy, a very funny film about a 28 years old who doesn't want to leave home, and his parents' struggle to get rid of him… I realise as I write this, that another thing these movies have in common is an unconventional look at families. 'La vie est un long fleuve tranquille' is about two families from very different backgrounds, who find out after 12 years that two of their children have been switched. All three of these movies are very funny, but in each case the humour also has a dark side, although in the movie we are interested in just now, this is balanced nicely by the lovely landscape of the South of France, bathed in soft, warm light and by the 'joie de vivre' that the main characters exhibit.

I have really enjoyed all three films I have seen so far by this director, mainly I think because he has a very individual style. And I also have a wee soft spot for him as he was born in the same town as me, Roubaix in the North of France.

~The cast~
*************

As ever, MICHEL SERRAULT is brilliant in this film. Although this actor has not really had much of an international career, 'La Cage aux Folles' his best known film outside France being quite a few years old already, his filmography makes impressive reading. Going back to 1954, he was involved in over 150 movies, whilst also doing a lot of work in the theatre. Despite looking (and often playing) very much the average Frenchman, he can also play exceptional characters, both in dramas and comedies. He won three Césars and was decorated with France's highest distinction, the Légion d'Honneur, in 1999.
In this film, his interpretation of Francis/Michel is flawless, to the point of appearing to be average. What I mean by that is that it's easy to forget he is acting and therefore overlook his performance.
The scene that sticks in my mind is near the beginning of the film, when he stands at a window waving a toilet brush while shouting insults at the striking workforce below.

EDDY MITCHELL's first career was as a singer in a rock and roll band in the 5Os. He has a vast knowledge of the cinema and in particular of the old western movies and even presented a TV programme called 'La Dernière Séance' (after one of his song) aimed at giving lesser known films an airing, often in English with subtitles, and giving the French public an appreciation of the genre. He ventured in front of the camera a few times, and if his performance in this film is anything to go by, he belongs there.
As Gérard, Michel's friend, he puts in a great performance as the larger-than-life Renault dealer Gérard. Crude, brash, vulgar, lover of good food, good wines and all round 'bon vivant', his friendship with Michel can be described as loving, caring, tender and intimate. I love the way he calls his friend 'lapin' (bunny). His language is often shall we say imaginative, which the subtitles fail to pick up on, using the 'f' word or some similar expletive where Gerard's language is far more interesting and funny. Eddy Mitchell received the César for best supporting actor in 1996 for his part in the film.

SABINE AZÉMA is very good in the part of Francis' wife Nicole, a snobbish and nagging pain in his neck. She may seem a bit of a caricature to some, but to me she is absolutely spot on. Her time is split between spending huge sums on her daughter's wedding and getting pampered at the spa. She was nominated for a César for this part.

CARMEN MAURA plays the part of Dolores, Michel's new wife. Her part is meant to be in complete contrast with that of the demanding Nicole and with her Michel finds happiness and warmth. Carmen Maura is perhaps best known for 'Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown' (Mujeres al borde de un ataque de nervios). She was nominated for a César for Best Supporting Actress in 1996.

Éric Cantona also has a small part in this film as one of the daughter's boyfriend and he does a surprisingly good job. His brother Joël, also a footballer, plays the other daughter's boyfriend.

~My opinion~
****************

To me, this film is a real joy. A story full of gentle humour and intelligent comedy, a witty script, sharp-witted dialogues and bit of mystery combine to give us 106 minutes of pure enjoyment. The friendship between the two main characters is as far away from the macho world of Hollywood as you could conceive. In fact, there is very much a French quality to this film, from the way food and wine is enjoyed (and prepared, do not watch this if you are one of the anti foie gras brigade), to the pace of life and the laissez-faire attitude of many of the characters.

Some might say that there is a sexist element to the film, as Michel's first wife is portrayed as a shrew, who only changes when his friend Gérard takes her in hand, and the woman he finds happiness with is a little too perfect. The (female) factory workers are not depicted in the best light either, with the strike's ring-leader eventually leaving her union-leader boyfriend for some guy on television.

I would say that, yes, there is an element of caricature in the film, but this touches as much on regional and social stereotype as it does on gender. I am as much a feminist as the next woman, but I wasn't offended by this film, even when Gérard explains to his friend that you have to slap women a bit to keep them in line. It's all done in the name of comedy, and let's face it, political correctness hasn't taken off nearly as much in France as it has here.

To me, this is very much a feel-good movie, with more than one layer beneath its apparent simplicity. I would like to give Gérard the last word in this review, since he had the last word in the film. As he and Michel are sitting at the end of Michel's garden, contemplating the beautiful landscape in front of them, he says the very words I would like to say to you: "Profite lapin, profite…" ("enjoy bunny, enjoy...").

________________________

This review is film only as I don't own the DVD but only the video. From what I could see, the only extra included was a theatrical trailer. The film is in French with English subtitles.

You can buy this DVD for £5.49 from play.com (plus cashback if you go through a cashback site).

The title? It comes from a French rhyme and means 'Happiness is in the field...' 

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