February 26, 2010: Faubourg 36
First off, why, for english-language countries, does this film need to be retitled Paris 36? It seems like a pretty blunt statement that we couldn’t possibly understand, even with some explanation, what the term Faubourg means in relation to Paris neighbourhoods in the 1930s.
Second, I’ve struggled in the weeks since I saw this film, to reconcile what I felt was a pleasant viewing experience with the nagging feeling that I didn’t much like it and can’t really recommend it. Sure, it took me a while to warm to the movie, but it turned out to be enjoyable enough.
This is about a theatre in 1936 Paris, which puts on a nightly live variety/comedy/musical show. With a local gangster taking over ownership of the theatre, and the show being a failure except for a young girl who proves to be a breakout star singer, all involved struggle along day to day. If there’s a focus in the ensemble cast, it’s a middle-aged man who has just lost custody of his son due to his inconsistent income and housing. Why was I watching this film? Because of an Oscar nomination for Best Original Song, which I couldn’t actually identify on the first run through.
The directing/acting team here is the same as that which brought us Les Choristes (2004), in which the middle aged man (the father here) played a teacher who came to a boarding school for delinquent boys and brought them together through the magic of singing. I can see the whimsical and rule-breaking parallels between the two, which helps me to respect what Faubourg 36 is trying to accomplish.
I’m not sure that I was paying full attention to this movie, and I think it was confusing at times even with that factored in. I didn’t realize the extent of my trouble until a funeral scene near the end, during which I believed that I saw the dead man among the mourners. Well, it turns out that they were two different characters! Oops. I think I need to take the blame for that misunderstanding. Anyway, count this as one that I can’t really recommend, but also can’t really recommend against for any good reason. Take your chances.
Fatigue may be taking me over.
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