Sure looks and sounds like Tavernier took this trip with Tarantino as his constant companion, huh? In other words we spend way too much time in the crime/noir room of the Gallic movie mansion. I mean, I don't mind that certain of my favorite directors, like Malle and Truffaut, are given extremely short shrift. That's bound to happen whenever your personal list is put alongside someone else's. But not to balance Jean Gabin with, say, Simone Signoret or Danielle Darrieux or Jeanne Moreau but rather pairing him in the actor category with Eddie Friggin Constantine is to let one's love of one particular genre, to mention nothing of one's sexism, overwhelm one's good sense. And did you notice the lack of humor or whimsy in Tavernier's selections? Not a comedy or a musical to be seen anywhere in this guy's dark field of vision. Again, Tati and Demy are not my favorite French film makers but shouldn't they at least be mentioned somewhere along this particular excursion?
We now come to the "however" part of my review or: Why I Give It A 7 'Stead of a 6? First off, I learned a lot. Got a new appreciation of film makers like Becker and Sautet as well as a crash course in the superiority of French movie music scoring of the 1930s/40s versus that of Hollywood. Second, I enjoyed Tavernier's ability to admire a director without undue hagiography as in his affectionate but clear eyed portrait of Melville, in my opinion the best part of the documentary. And finally there is no denying that Tavernier is a most engaging guide, by turns relaxed, intense, self deprecating and always generous and warm in his assessments. Give it a B minus.
We now come to the "however" part of my review or: Why I Give It A 7 'Stead of a 6? First off, I learned a lot. Got a new appreciation of film makers like Becker and Sautet as well as a crash course in the superiority of French movie music scoring of the 1930s/40s versus that of Hollywood. Second, I enjoyed Tavernier's ability to admire a director without undue hagiography as in his affectionate but clear eyed portrait of Melville, in my opinion the best part of the documentary. And finally there is no denying that Tavernier is a most engaging guide, by turns relaxed, intense, self deprecating and always generous and warm in his assessments. Give it a B minus.