Gérard Depardieu is one of my favourite actors and I always thought it was because he was so attractive. Well, he is but there is a lot more of him than there was in say 'Cyrano de Bergerac', and still he shines. For one thing, he allows his ample person to be put into overalls which for a large man is a bit of a sretch. Another thing...he fills the screen. He is on for the entire movie and he never fails.
With him is fabulous prime age star Gisèle Casadesus who is charm itself. Delicate and restrained she tiptoes into his life with the precision of a cat. Talking of which this film has the best cat acting I have ever seen. Depardieu has a two hander with this feline and they work well together. Its' tail is suspiciously whipping about with annoyance but it does what is needed. Merde, is nothing impossible for french filmmakers?
I must say that Camus' prose left me unimpressed when it is received with such
rapture by Depardieu. Later when they pass on to 'Howling at your mother's grave' I am right with them.
This is a film for families, baby boomers and men who don't have time for older women. If you would like to see how beautiful french women, I mean typical french women can be, give this a go. Depardieu's mother, lover and old friend are all gorgeous including the barmaid. The men less so but of course the animal acting is superb. Especially the rats. And if you have a man you wish you had treated more harshly, comfort yourself with the mothers' reaction when her light'o love slaps Gérard. Then put down that pitchfork and say OMMMMMMM to yourself.
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I agree that the "Howling at your mother's grave" quote was the critical point of the film. Although I thought something was missing from the ending, and the whole film was not dramatic in a gripping sense, I am satisfied with it and glad I took the time to watch it. You know, I watched "Alvin Purple" when I was a boy (!) and the defining, turning point for me has always been when he boasted he was cured (the scene with you). At the time I thought "he's crazy", LOL, because I could not imagine him not wanting to sweep you into his arms. And I watched it a few times later, hoping that a "director's cut" or something would change the story at that point. And often in later years, watching films that had an unsatisfactory event that ruined the film, the Alvin cure would leap into my mind. It made a lasting impression on me. And all because I thought he was nuts to resist a woman like you. :)
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