Tatie Danielle (1990)
Directed by Étienne Chatiliez

Film Review

Tatie Danielle was director Étienne Chatiliez's impressive follow-up to his smash hit debut feature La Vie est un long fleuve tranquille (1988), a similar kind of off-the-wall black comedy with a razor-sharp satirical edge.  The film proved to be another critical and popular success, attracting an audience of 2.1 million in France and picking up nominations at the 1991 Césars for three of its lead actresses - Tsilla Chelton, Catherine Jacob and Isabelle Nanty.   Whereas Chatiliez occupied himself by poking fun at the class divide in modern day France in his first film, for his second he turns his attention to an even starker social gulf, the one separating the pre- and post-war generations.  In this he is ably assisted by a formidable doyenne of the French stage, Tsilla Chelton, whose film appearances up until this time had been pretty scant, consisting of minor roles in films such as Yves Robert's Alexandre le bienheureux (1967) and Diane Kurys's Diabolo menthe (1977). 

Chelton's compelling portrayal of the aged relative-from-Hell, Auntie Danielle, provides the heart and soul of Chatiliez's film, as well as the bulk of the exceedingly dark humour.  In spite of the monstrous cruelty she inflicts on all around her, the character never fails to win our sympathy.  Whilst the situation may be exaggerated for the purposes of entertainment, the film does touch on some real life concerns about how our present society treats its older citizens, and how growing old is regarded by a society that is increasingly obsessed with youth and beauty.  In earlier centuries, solitary old women would tend to be burnt as witches.  These days, we are far more civilised.  We just close our eyes and pretend they don't exist.

The pairing of Isabelle Nanty (Sandrine) with Tsilla Chelton (Danielle) is the film's most inspired touch, the two actresses sparking off each other in a way that lends humour and poignancy in abundance to a bleak satire that could so easily have gone awry.  The evident chemistry between Chelton and Nanty allows a genuine rapport to develop between their two ill-matched characters, and this is how the film manages to drive home one of its central messages, that sugary sentimentality is no substitute for true human feeling.

Aunt Danielle is, we soon realise, a tragic character who is more sad than bad; her actions being mostly a reaction to the rejection and isolation she has experienced since the death of her husband.  Sandrine is her exact counterpart, but from a different generation.   They recognise in each other their own malaise and soon find that they have what it takes to salve each other's wounds.  Of course, for anyone looking on at a distance, all this appears highly comical, so we can't help laughing.  But it is laughter tinged with sadness, for it soon dawns on us that Tatie Danielle may be the future that awaits each one of us.

Film Synopsis

Danielle Billard is an 82-year-old who isn't quite what she seems.  Anyone seeing her for the first time would think she is such a nice old lady, kind and considerate, the sort that wouldn't hurt a fly.  But this isn't what she's really like.  Oh, no.  Danielle Billard is the most vicious and despicable person you can imagine, a thieving, lying, deceitful, vindictive and thoroughly nasty harridan of the worst kind.  She delights in tormenting her housekeeper Odile, making her life Hell with her endless mischief-making.  When Odile dies suddenly, Danielle is at a loss.  Whose life can she make miserable now, she wonders.  As luck would have it, she has a kind-hearted grandnephew Jean-Pierre who, knowing nothing for her true temperament, invites her to live with him and his family at their nice home in Paris.

Since he and his wife Catherine are both orphans, Jean-Pierre couldn't be happier to have the old relative in his life as a substitute grandmother, but it isn't long before he realises his mistake.  Madame Billard has barely settled into her new abode before she starts making the lives of her benefactors a living Hell.  Jean-Pierre and Catherine soon realise they need to get away and are soon heading off to Greece for a badly needed holiday.  Needless-to-say, Tatie Danielle is outraged at being abandoned in this way.  Fortunately, her relatives have taken the initiative to provide her with an au pair, Sandrine, to look after her and keep her out of mischief.  Prompted by Sandrine's well-meaning attempts to befriend the old woman, Danielle's demonic side is about to unleash itself far more spectacularly than even she could have imagined...