When getting a large number of French titles in January 2018,I picked up Julien Duvivier's 1932 take on Poil de carotte. Whilst getting this version,I found out about a 70's adaptation. Taking part in a French and 70's cinema challenge on ICM,I decided it was time to meet this version of Poil.
View on the film:
Set deep in rural France,writer/ director Henri Graziani & cinematographer Henri Graziani pull the carrot-top with an ill-fitting cosy atmosphere,that wipes clean the scars of Poil's humiliations with glowing chocolate wrapping reds. Adapting Jules Renard's classic 1894 autobiographical short story, the screenplay by Graziani misses the chance to unearth the collective dark mindset of the family,with only the final scenes between Poil and his dad handling the earthy drama which should have featured in the rest of the film. While his real life wife Monique Chaumette lays on the melodrama a bit too much as Rose,Philippe Noiret's take on dad François Lepic carries a gravitas which gives weight to François's fatherly discussions with "Carrot Top."
View on the film:
Set deep in rural France,writer/ director Henri Graziani & cinematographer Henri Graziani pull the carrot-top with an ill-fitting cosy atmosphere,that wipes clean the scars of Poil's humiliations with glowing chocolate wrapping reds. Adapting Jules Renard's classic 1894 autobiographical short story, the screenplay by Graziani misses the chance to unearth the collective dark mindset of the family,with only the final scenes between Poil and his dad handling the earthy drama which should have featured in the rest of the film. While his real life wife Monique Chaumette lays on the melodrama a bit too much as Rose,Philippe Noiret's take on dad François Lepic carries a gravitas which gives weight to François's fatherly discussions with "Carrot Top."
