"Pot Bouille" comes just after "Voici Le Temps Des assassins", one of Duvivier's masterpiece, and it's quite the opposite, rather a light comedy of seduction (some breast nudities, Gérard Philippe seducing every girl around him) with good rhythm and very fine settings (from Versailles I guess). And sometimes tough direction by Duvivier, but "Pot Bouille" is a minor movie.
Plot summary
Young, handsome, dashing but cynical, Octave Mouret arrives in Paris, determined to conquer the belles of the capital. His first attempts are not too successful though as he is rebuffed by Valérie Vabre, the neurotic wife of the landlord of the block of flats he is accommodated in. As for the affair he starts with Caroline Hédouin, the married owner of "Au Bonheur des Dames", the shop where he works, the least we can say is that it lacks passion. But he does seduce Berthe, a girl he refused to marry when her mother tried to force her on him, now that she is married with another. He will finally achieve his end when Caroline, now widowed and needing a man to help her manage her business, asks him... to marry her!
Uploaded by: FREEMAN
Director
Top cast
Anouk Aimée as Marie Pichon
Movie Reviews
Reviewed by
a minor Duvivier
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"An angel is neither near nor approachable."
After watching her in auteur film maker Julien Duvivier's classy Marie-Octobre,I decided to search around for trivia about lead actress Danielle Darrieux time during production,and I stumbled on a credit which revealed that Darrieux had played a small role in an earlier Duvivier title,which led to me getting ready to break open the pot of Bouille.
The plot:
Moving to Paris, Octave Mouret catches the eyes of Madame Josserand,who thinks that he would be the perfect man to get married to her daughter Berthe.Before she can get him,Mouret has already caught the attention of Madame Hédouin,owner of the popular clothing store "Happiness of Women." Learning that Mouret has been hired to work in the store, Madame Josserand pushes Bertha to get married to poor store owner Auguste Vabre.Going behind everyone's back as the wedding vows ring out,Mouret and Bertha start to have a steamy affair,which will lead to Bertha discovering the happiness of woman.
View on the film:
Opening with rain falling down the screen as Jean Wiener's riveting score chimes in the background,co-writer/(along with Léo Joannon and Henri Jeanson) director Julien Duvivier & cinematographer Michel Kelber glaze the movie with a quality touch of class,with beaming close-ups showing the cast at their most beautiful and giving Duvivier's "Women's Picture" an angelic atmosphere." Keeping his major Film Noir theme beating, Duvivier gives his ladies some dark curves,with stylishly held corner shots eavesdropping on all the gossip being spun about Mouret's encounters.
Based on the 10th book in the series (!) by Émile Zola,the screenplay by Joannon/ Jeanson struggles to cover the tough censorship which the screenplay faced,that leads to the plot feeling rather loose at times,and in search of something to truly complete it.Despite there being weaknesses,the writers thankfully shine with crisp dialogue being rolled out by the bourgeoisie towards dream boy Mouret,who wonderfully uses all his charms to wrap the women round his fingers. Taking place behind the scenes,the writers give a striking sensuality to Berthe and Mouret's affair,with Bertha trying to go against the Noir shadows to keep their romance lit.
Joined by an elegant Danielle Darrieux as Caroline Hédouin, Gérard Philipe gives a dashing performance as Octave Mouret,whose charms Philipe splashes across the screen which makes any women who comes into contact with Mouret melt.Pushed by her family to do what they want,the gorgeous Dany Carrel (who also appears topless) gives an excellent performance as Berthe,thanks to Carrel delicately uncovering Berthe innocent passion for Mouret,and giving Berthe a gravitas awareness that despite him working there,Mouret is not the happiness of women.
Reviewed by
Its all in the Genes.
Inspired by Balzac's series of novels entitled 'The Human Comedy' Emile Zola set about writing a 'natural and social history of a family under the Second Empire', the name of which is Rougon-Macquart. The fundamental purpose of this series is to show the profound and inescapable influence of heredity and environment in making us what we are. This impeccable adaptation of the tenth novel takes place in a Parisian apartment building. Into this 'melting pot' of the title comes Gustave Mouret who, like his uncle Eugene Rougan in an earlier novel, is obsessed with power. In Gustave's case it is the power that his good looks and charm exert over women. His conquests are many and very few of the females seem to offer much resistance! He is played by Gerard Philippe so need one say more?! Not only is he perfectly cast physically but his effortless artistry is a joy to behold. One of his conquests is Berthe played by the exquisite Danny Carrel, an actress whose exotic looks came from her Vietnamese mother. Gustave ends up marrying Madame Hedouin whose husband has conveniently kicked the bucket. She is played by the superlative Danielle Darrieux whose scenes with Philippe are by far the best in the film. Mention must be made of the marvellous Jeanne Marken as Madame Josserand whose efforts to get her daughters married off make her little more than a procuress. As with all adaptations compromises have had to be made. Certain characters are diminished and many events excluded but this still a hugely enjoyable piece with never a dull moment. Splendid production values of course and the art direction by Leon Barsacq is superb. Naturally the subject matter is right up director Julien Duvivier's street dealing as it does with hypocrisy, cynicism and wafer-thin morality. The next volume in Balzac's series is 'Au Bonheur des Dames' but ironically Duvivier put the cart before the horse by directing this in 1930. It is his last silent film and is highly recommended.