Un mauvais garçon (1936)
Directed by Jean Boyer

Film Review

Having begun his career by directing French-language versions of popular German films, Jean Boyer was finally able to find his own voice with this popular musical comedy, one of many that would brighten his long and generally lacklustre career.  The film features two of the biggest names in French cinema at that time - Danielle Darrieux and Henri Garat.  Darrieux was only 18 when she made the film but she was already an established actress with several important films to her name, including Anatole Litvak's Mayerling (1936), in which she played opposite Charles Boyer.  Garat was an even bigger star, as often as not paired with Lilian Harvey in such films as Le Congrès s'amuse (1931) and Un rêve blond (1932).  Unlike Darrieux, Garat's fame was to be extremely short-lived.  Relegated to working on mediocre films in the 1940s, his career floundered and he was a virtual unknown by the time he died in 1959.  It's astonishing to think that an actor who was once more famous than Jean Gabin and Arletty should now be completely forgotten.

Un mauvais garçon may not be Danielle Darrieux's greatest film but the actress turns in a spellbinding performance, showing a natural flair for both comedy and singing - she lends her vocal talents to two of the film's jaunty musical numbers, composed by Georges Van Parys.  If the film is remembered at all it is probably on account of its main number, C'est un mauvais garçon (sung by Garat and Darrieux), which became a massive hit record in France after the film's release in 1936.  Both the film and its famous song evoke the spirit of the Front Populaire, perhaps more intensely than any other French film of this time, both playfully mocking the habits and attitudes of the bourgeoisie whilst celebrating the carefree freedom of the proletariat.  With its portrayal of a young woman determined to make her own way in the world, the film first appears to be quite progressive for its time; unfortunately, this pro-feminist impression is shot to pieces in the final scene, in which the aspiring career woman is made to realise the error of her ways and meekly swaps her barrister's gown for a housewife's apron.   It's tempting to think the film's author was being ironic, but the sad truth is he probably just didn't have enough backbone to do otherwise.

Today, Un mauvais garçon feels horribly dated, both in its lack of plot sophistication and reliance on old-fashioned archetypes, but it is not without its charms.  Marguerite Templey is a constant delight as the meddling mother who seems ready to do anything to prevent her daughter from ending up in her own predicament (i.e. being married to a pompous prig), and the chemistry between Darrieux and Garat is surprisingly effective, particularly in the scenes where the former tries to make an honest man of the latter by getting him to undertake no end of menial household chores, with disastrous results.  The comedy is generally hit and miss, but the musical numbers all hit the right note.  Not a classic but an entertaining little divertissement from that all-too-brief period in the 1930s when most people in France had something to sing about.

Film Synopsis

When she passes her law exams, Jacqueline Serval anticipates a brilliant career for herself as a barrister.  Unfortunately, her father has made up his mind that she will get married and start a family.  Having failed to win his daughter around, Monsieur Serval makes an agreement with her.  He will supply her with an office and an income for eighteen months.  If, at the end of that time, she has failed to find a client and successfully defended him in court, she will renounce her career ambitions and get married.  Seventeen months later, Jacqueline is still waiting for her first client.  She is about to give up hope when she is invited to take up the case of a young hoodlum, Pierre Meynard.  Having won Pierre an out-of-court acquittal, Jacqueline takes it upon herself to prevent him from returning to his former life of crime, by offering him a job as a housekeeper and chauffeur.  Within no time, Jacqueline realises that she has fallen in love with Pierre, but it is too late.  Her eighteen months is over and her father has won their wager.  Jacqueline must now marry a man she has never seen before - or so she thinks...