I suppose it's natural for non-French admirers of French cinema to define it by those titles that achieved international distribution such as Pepe Le Moko, Hotel du Nord, Les Enfants du Paradis, Le Jour se leve, etc but I would prefer to define it in terms of what in England we would describe as the 'second eleven', the largely domestic French films that seldom played outside France yet were consistently high quality, soundly constructed, directed and acted. Titles that spring to mind include La Belle equipe, La Bandera, Le Dernier des six, Boule de suif, Les Inconnus de la maison and this entry from the unsung writer-director Henri Decoin and starring his then wife, Danielle Darrieux. The plot is gossamer-thin; Darrieux lives in an orphanage and as a form of escape answers a 'personal' which results in a lengthy correspondence with a young (she thinks) man. On their first date (a literal translation of the title) he turns out to be a middle-aged Professor of Literature, Fernand Ledoux (who, incidentally, starred in yet another fine domestic film Goupi mains rouges). Technically, of course, she's AWOL from the orphanage and so she moves in, strictly platonic, natch, with the Professor and it isn't too long before his nephew shows up in the shape of Louis Jordan (yes, that same Jordan who went on to feature in several Hollywood movies such as Letter From An Unknown Woman and Gigi) and you can guess the rest. These bare bones are simply that, a skeleton outline and convey nothing of the charm and style of the thing; Darrieux virtually personifies joie de vivre and even throws in a charming rendition of the title song - which in its day (1941) was a big hit in France. This was produced in the interval between the German invasion in 1940 and their assuming control of the French film industry via Continental films in 1941 but there's little or no indication of the domestic crisis so one could argue that it really defines escapism. A minor gem.
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writers_reign22 August 2006
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'Premier rendez-vous' is a fabulously funny romantic comedy that has at its centre the hilariously witty, poised and uniquely idiosyncratic brilliance of Danielle Darrieux. Excelling in every genre from romance ('Mayerling') to comedy ('The Rage of Paris', 'Occupe-toi d'Amelie..!') and thriller ('La Verite sur Bebe Donge', '5 Fingers'), she again exhibits the civilised charm tinged with a hint of zany madness that so illuminates the screen and made her one of the most glittering treasures ever to have graced French cinema.
In essence, the story is relatively straightforward. Micheline Chevassu is a young and naïve girl living in an orphanage who hopes of romance with a handsome young man of her dreams. She corresponds with someone who replies to her ad and quickly falls in love with her imagined ideal of manly beauty. Escaping to meet him at a café, she finds the shy middle-aged Mr Rougemont (Fernand Ledoux) waiting instead. Embarrassed at his deception, he says that the real letter-writer couldn't come. She goes home with him to avoid scandal as he is a well-known professor and she hides there. Mr Rougemont's nephew, Pierre (Louis Jourdan), agrees to play the role of the letter-writing Prince Charming. Cue a most delightful romantic comedy. It all ends happily, of course, but what makes it work so well is the comedic ebullience of Darrieux.
The movie is proficient in every department. It is emblematic of the high quality productions of Continental-Films under the Nazi devotee of French cinema, Alfred Greven. Goebbels oversaw the establishment of Continental-Films in September 1940, with the aim of controlling the French film industry and producing top quality movies featuring the cream of French talent. It appears that Resistance ideology gradually permeated the company and that Goebbels was not content with the lack of restrictions placed on directors by Greven. Darrieux remained in France during the Occupation and was branded a collaborator by the Resistance for entertaining German forces, even receiving death threats.
Directed by her soon-to-be ex-husband Henri Decoin again, this movie is just as funny as the previous year's 'Battement de coeur'. The screenplay by Decoin and Max Kolpe is accomplished and reminiscent of the best screwball comedies of Hollywood. Darrieux is a veritable hoot in her role and her inimitable comedic talents are showcased in several timeless scenes. Watching her order a fancy cocktail in a cheap café and the ensuing consternation it causes is a beauty to behold. Even funnier is the scene where she bounces off the springy bed onto the floor, clad in a scanty nightdress as the professor knocks to bring her breakfast. As Darrieux looked up, peering sheepishly through her ruffled hair, I laughed out loud.
Movies such as this gem are an integral component of French cinema history. It is to the enduring credit of all those involved in production that such a light and disarmingly wonderful romantic comedy was made while the atmosphere was so thick with tumult outside the Billancourt studios. -
dbdumonteil7 July 2006"Premier Rendez-Vous" was made to show Danielle Darrieux to advantage :she was the star of the era and the director's then wife.But its screenplay is extremely well written ,full of humor ,and it's a comedy which compares favorably to the best contemporary American ones.A topflight supporting cast includes Fernand Ledoux,Louis Jourdan-later the par excellence Hollywood French lover-,Gabrielle Dorziat and ,uncredited ,Daniel Gélin and Georges Marchal among others.
Micheline is an orphan;to brighten her life,she has engaged a lengthy correspondence with a young man .She pretends she comes from a good family.One day she has a rendezvous with him and she escapes from the orphanage.She meets a man in a café :an old less-than-handsome man;he pretends he is not the one she's looking for.He is a Literature teacher in a high school for rich kids (male only).He takes Micheline to his home where she's got to hide cause he lives next to the school.
Good scenes: Micheline asking for a Manhattan (cocktail) in a lousy bistro cause that's what chic girls drink;an orphan,pretending to be fainting so as to allow Micheline to leave the rows;the heroine ,dressed up as a boy ,visiting the school (a scene that should have been more developed).
But behind the scenes,the other Henry Decoin appears.In France he's best remembered for his films noirs ("la Verite sur Bebe Donge" "non Coupable""les Inconnus dans la Maison" "La Fille du Diable"....)"Premier Rendez-vous" is admittedly a comedy ,but there are already elements of what will be developed later: Micheline's arrival in the teacher's house and the disturbing lighting effects;the teacher's humiliations.
Darrieux sings the title tune which was a big hit at a time when charts did not exist.Though old-fashioned,the song retains a certain freshness.