This film, which seems to drag on forever, is a major disappointment. Not what you'd expect when the fine but under-rated Henri Decoin directs two of France's greatest stars in a Simenon adaptation. Perhaps the blame should be shared between Maurice Auberge's ponderous, excessively talky script, and the unattractiveness of the character Gabin plays. The main interest is in wondering to what extent that character is a Simenon self-portrait.
Francois Donge is a cynical, stolid, well-off, middle-aged businessman who owns a smelly tannery. Having been nagged by a matchmaker that he should be married he marries his brother's future sister-in-law, the much younger Elizabeth, nicknamed Baby. The two are mutually incompatible, the marriage is a disaster and (hell having no fury like a woman scorned) Baby ends up poisoning him. I've never seen a better argument for living together before taking the plunge: it's the only way to really get to know one another, and can save long years of misery. Darrieux was 35 when this was made, but so enchanting that she convinces as a foolishly romantic young woman, even girl. Gabin was thirteen years older but the age gap seems much wider. It's hard to believe in him as the object of Bebe's romanticism, especially as Francois makes it clear he doesn't believe there's such a thing as love. He's focused on his work and sex with his mistresses, though Gabin doesn't look as if he has the energy for all that. Money and power are great aphrodisiacs for gold-diggers, but Baby isn't that sort of girl, so her initial enthusiasm makes no sense.
I've seen four of Decoin's other films ("Les Intrigantes", "Bonnes a Tuer", "Tous peuvent me tuer' and 'La Chatte.") All more interesting and involving than this.
Francois Donge is a cynical, stolid, well-off, middle-aged businessman who owns a smelly tannery. Having been nagged by a matchmaker that he should be married he marries his brother's future sister-in-law, the much younger Elizabeth, nicknamed Baby. The two are mutually incompatible, the marriage is a disaster and (hell having no fury like a woman scorned) Baby ends up poisoning him. I've never seen a better argument for living together before taking the plunge: it's the only way to really get to know one another, and can save long years of misery. Darrieux was 35 when this was made, but so enchanting that she convinces as a foolishly romantic young woman, even girl. Gabin was thirteen years older but the age gap seems much wider. It's hard to believe in him as the object of Bebe's romanticism, especially as Francois makes it clear he doesn't believe there's such a thing as love. He's focused on his work and sex with his mistresses, though Gabin doesn't look as if he has the energy for all that. Money and power are great aphrodisiacs for gold-diggers, but Baby isn't that sort of girl, so her initial enthusiasm makes no sense.
I've seen four of Decoin's other films ("Les Intrigantes", "Bonnes a Tuer", "Tous peuvent me tuer' and 'La Chatte.") All more interesting and involving than this.