Mrs. Harris Goes to Paris

 

Based on the novel Mrs. ‘Arris Goes to Paris by Paul Gallico, Mrs. Harris Goes to Paris is the story of a London cleaning maid who discovers a haute couture dress by Christian Dior prompting her to travel to Paris to buy a Dior dress to the amazement of the people working for Dior. Directed by Anthony Fabian and screenplay by Fabian, Carroll Cartwright, Keith Thompson, and Olivia Hetreed, the film is comedy-drama that has a woman who falls in love with the fashion in Paris in the hopes she can be accepted to the world despite being working class as the titular character is played by Lesley Manville. Also starring Lambert Wilson, Alba Baptista, Lucas Bravo, Ellen Thomas, Rose Williams, Jason Isaacs, and Isabelle Huppert. Mrs. Harris Goes to Paris is a delightful and enchanting film from Anthony Fabian.

Set in 1957, the film follows a widowed cleaning lady from London who cleans the home of a client where she discovered a Christian Dior gown as she falls in love with and wants to get one herself where she travels to Paris to purchase a gown to the surprise of the people working at Dior. It is a film that follows this woman in Ada Harris who had lost her husband 13 years ago in World War II as this encounter with this Dior gown while cleaning a client’s apartment has her wanting a dress herself. The film’s screenplay is largely straightforward as it plays into Mrs. Harris’ life cleaning homes for some posh clients including a young struggling actress in Pamela Penrose (Rose Williams) yet is the discovery of this dress that has her aiming for a new dream where she would raise enough money from work but also some overdue war-widow pension and luck gives her enough money to not only travel to Paris but to also buy a gown.

While the house of Dior where its designer (Philippe Bertin) makes the dresses with his employees is exclusive, Mrs. Harris manages to come in with money to buy one to the surprise of many including its director Claudine Colbert (Isabelle Huppert) to reluctantly let Mrs. Harris see the dresses with other rich and exclusive clientele including Marquis de Chassagne (Lambert Wilson) who is friendly to Mrs. Harris. Colbert is unsure about Mrs. Harris buying something expensive from Dior yet the fashion house is going through financial issues due to the exclusive rich clientele that hasn’t paid for the service that Dior and his employees have done. Mrs. Harris would also befriend the accountant Andre` Fauvel (Lucas Bravo) and a young model in Natasha (Alba Baptista) who are both going through their own issues individually as well as their own feelings for each other. Marquis de Chassagne’s friendship towards Mrs. Harris has him reflecting on his childhood but also realizing that Mrs. Harris is a woman that has a lot more to offer as the people at Dior would make a dress that doesn’t just live up to their standards but also something that a common woman could afford.

Anthony Fabian’s direction is vibrant in not just its settings but also in telling this story of a woman who is a dreamer that wants to have some of the best things in life. Shot on various locations in Paris and London as well as Budapest serving as additional locations for Paris and London. Fabian maintains something that is straightforward in terms of the compositions in the wide and medium shots yet does create some stylistic moments whenever Mrs. Harris is gazing over something as there is this great close-up where she is in awe while everything else in the background is moving around her. Fabian’s close-ups add to the drama but also in some of the comedic moments as it relates to some of the culture shock Mrs. Harris goes to as Paris is surrounded by trash due to a strike that is happening at that time. Especially as a woman that Mrs. Harris meet at the fashion show would buy the dress that Mrs. Harris wants as she is connected to a government official who is creating trouble for this strike.

Fabian also plays into some of the social tension and expectations for Dior and its house with Fauvel having some ideas of how to help the house save itself financially as well as not layoff any of its workers and models. It is a key moment late in the film’s second act as it would also play into Colbert’s development as someone who is really protective of Dior and the brand where Mrs. Harris would make a discovery of Colbert’s life outside of Dior that would be a key moment into their tense relationship. Then there’s the dress that people in Dior made for Mrs. Harris as it showcases the amount of work, effort, and craftsmanship that is put into a dress as it is something Mrs. Harris is aware of as it play into what Dior needed to do for their future. It also plays into a dream that Mrs. Harris is trying to fulfill given the fact that she lost her husband and was directionless for years. Especially as reality would set in but it is through her good heart and determination is where the film shows what it needed to be to show the kindness of people no matter where they’re from or what social class they’re in as long as they appreciate the little things that makes life meaningful. Overall, Fabian crafts an evocative and heartfelt film about a widowed cleaning maid traveling to Paris to buy a Christian Dior gown.

Cinematographer Felix Wiedemann does amazing work with the film’s cinematography from the greyish look of London to a more colorful tone for the scenes in Paris in its interior/exterior scenes. Editor Barney Pilling does excellent work with the editing with its stylish approach to dissolves and other stylish cuts to play into the world of haute couture fashion. Production designer Luciana Arrighi, with set decorators Fotini Dimou and Nora Talmaier plus supervising art director Andrew Munro, does brilliant work with the look of the Dior fashion house as well as the more modest homes of Fauvel and Mrs. Harris with the latter being a small apartment in London. Costume designer Jenny Beaven does phenomenal work with the costume design from the ragged yet plain clothing that Mrs. Harris and her British friends wear to the more stylish clothes of the people in Paris as well as the gorgeous design of the Dior dresses that has so much attention to detail as it is a highlight of the film.

Hair/makeup designer Csilla Blake-Horvath does nice work with the look of the characters as well as some of the hairstyle of the times in Paris that the younger women have as well as the different looks that Colbert would have. Special effects supervisors Neal Champion and Robert Horvath, along with visual effects supervisors Nikolas d’Andrade and Sander Jansen, do terrific work with the visual effects as it mainly serves as set dressing for some of the locations as well as a key scene at a London bridge. Sound designers Emiliyan Arnaudov and Marc Lawes do superb work with the sound in the way things sound from afar inside an apartment as well as other natural sounds that appear in the film. The film’s music by Rael Jones is wonderful for its lush and sumptuous orchestral score that is full of rich string arrangements and melodic elements while music supervisor Dushiyan Piruthivirajah provides a soundtrack with some can-can music as well as pop/rock n’ roll music from Chuck Berry and Juliette Greco.

The casting by Katalin Baranyi, Andy Pryor, and Mathilde Snodgrass is marvelous as it feature some notable small roles from Freddie Fox as a RAF officer who delivers Mrs. Harris her widow’s pension, Guilaine Londez as a posh woman in Mathilde Avallon who buys the dress that Mrs. Harris wants, Dorottya Ilosvai as Avallon’s daughter, Delroy Atkinson as a bus ticket handler in Chandler, Christian McKay as a client of Mrs. Harris in Giles Newcombe, Bertrand Poncet as a Dior designer in Monsieur Carre`, Philippe Bertan as the famed designer Christian Dior during his final year in his life, Roxane Duran as a secretary in Marguerite, and Anna Chancellor as a posh client of Mrs. Harris in Lady Dant who would have the Dior dress that Mrs. Harris discovers. Jason Isaacs is superb as Archie as a friend of Mrs. Harris who is always fond of her as he also helps out with money since he works at the dog races. Rose Williams is fantastic as a young struggling actress in Pamela Penrose whom Mrs. Harris cleans for as she always looks at Mrs. Harris as a godmother of sorts despite the fact that she’s not very smart.

Ellen Thomas is excellent as Mrs. Harris’ friend Vi Butterfield who is also a cleaning maid that is a bit more of a realist yet often brings a lot of laughs and support as a woman who does what she can to help Mrs. Harris as well as be a source of joy. Lucas Bravo is brilliant as the young accountant Andre` Fauvel who befriends Mrs. Harris while expressing his ideas to her in how to help Dior get out of its financial troubles. Alba Baptista is amazing as Natasha as a Dior model who shares Fauvel’s love for existential philosophy as she copes with the pressures in being a model as she also finds support in Mrs. Harris. Lambert Wilson is incredible as Marquis de Chassagne as a wealthy man who is fascinated by Mrs. Harris as she reminds him of a woman who cared for him in boarding school while also realizing that she has a lot more to offer than the people in his social circle.

Isabelle Huppert is phenomenal as Claudine Colbert as the director of Dior who is also Christian Dior’s greatest protector as she is a woman trying to run things while being skeptical towards Mrs. Harris only to realize her value as well as her own similarities with Mrs. Harris in the way they run things. Finally, there’s Lesley Manville in a spectacular performance as Mrs. Ada Harris as this widowed cleaning maid whose encounter with a Dior gown has her reaching for a new dream where Manville brings this exuberance and charisma to a character that is a dreamer but also is willing to fight for those who are feeling defeated as it is a performance for the ages for Manville.

Mrs. Harris Goes to Paris is a sensational film from Anthony Fabian that features a tremendous leading performance from Lesley Manville. Along with its supporting ensemble cast, gorgeous visuals, its exploration of fashion and what it does for people, Jenny Beaven’s incredible costume design, and a sumptuous music score. It is a film that explores a woman who just wants to buy an expensive gown while bringing some joy to a fashion house that needed to be appreciated for their hard work and dedication to fashion. In the end, Mrs. Harris Goes to Paris is a phenomenal film from Anthony Fabian.

Anthony Fabian Films: (Skin (2008 film)) – (Louder Than Words)

© thevoid99 2023

5 to 7

Written and directed by Victor Levin, 5 to 7 is the story of a young writer who meets a married woman as he would have an affair with her unaware that it’s part of an arrangement she has with her husband. The film is an exploration of love as well as young man finding out that the woman he’s with is having an open marriage with her husband. Starring Anton Yelchin, Berenice Marlohe, Olivia Thirlby, Lambert Wilson, Frank Langella, and Glenn Close. 5 to 7 is a majestic and fascinating film from Victor Levin.

Set entirely in New York City, the film revolves around a young writer whose encounter with a married French woman lead to an arranged affair between five to seven PM. It’s a film with a simple concept as it is largely told by this young man in his 20s who is trying to find himself as a writer but also find ideas to become a great one. Upon meeting this beautiful Frenchwoman in her 30s, he would have this affair but would have to meet between five and seven PM as he would learn that she is married to another man who is also in an open relationship with another woman. Victor Levin’s screenplay is largely told from the perspective of its protagonist Brian Bloom (Anton Yelchin) who is quite young as he hasn’t experienced enough with his life to create anything of worth in his desire to be a writer. When he meets Arielle Pierpont (Berenice Marlohe), he would gain some experience in this affair yet he becomes enamored by Arielle and her life. Though the script does follow scenarios that is typical of romantic-comedies, there are more complexities as it play into this arrangement as well as what it could for Brian’s future.

Levin’s direction is quite simple as it is shot on location in New York City and its various locations where it play into Brian living in a city where it’s known for giving birth to many writers as the city itself is a character in the film. Many of the compositions are simple with its usage of close-ups and medium shots to play into the intimacy of the scenes as well as in some of the parties. There are a few wide shots in the film yet Levin is more about Brian being part of Arielle’s life as she has two kids while introducing her to his parents who are baffled by this arrangement. The direction is also very playful as it owe a lot to elements of the French New Wave for much of the film’s first half that would include a lot of tracking shots yet the style would become more controlled and less stylized for the third act. Notably as it would play into Brian’s own view of the world and his own idea of love where things become complicated but there are things he would have to accept in his development as a man. Overall, Levin creates an engaging yet charming film about a young man’s affair with a married woman.

Cinematographer Arnaud Potier does excellent work with the cinematography in the way many of the rooms are lit from inside as well as the naturalistic exterior shots in the daytime. Editor Matt Maddox does nice work with the editing as it is mostly straightforward with a few jump cuts and montages in some sequences. Production designer Jeannine Oppewall and set decorator Susan Perlman do fantastic work with the look of the hotel suite Brian and Arielle would often meet at as well as Brian‘s quaint apartment and the lavish one Arielle lives in with her husband.

Costume designer Heidi Bivens does wonderful work with the costumes from the suits that Brian wears to the stylish clothes that Arielle wears. Sound designers J.M. Davey and Zach Seivers do terrific work with the sound as it is mostly low-key to play into the locations as well as in some of the parties that the characters go to. The film’s music by Danny Bensi and Saunder Jurriaans do superb work with the music as it‘s mostly a mixture of classical and waltz-based music with bits of jazz while music supervisor Laura Katz create a soundtrack filled with jazz, classical, and some French pop music.

The casting by Billy Hopkins, Ashley Ingram, and Heidi Levitt is great as it features appearances from real-life figures Julian Bond, Daniel Bouloud, Alan Gilbert, and David Remnick as themselves along with Milo Mungier Jacob and Brune de Drueille Senecterre in their respective roles as Arielle’s children Marc and Elodie and Eric Stoltz in a one-scene performance as the renowned editor Galassi. Glenn Close and Frank Langella are fantastic as Brian’s parents respectively in Arlene and Sam Bloom with Close as the more quirkier of the two while Langella is the more uptight who isn’t that fond of the relationship. Lambert Wilson is excellent as Arielle’s husband Valery as a man who loves his wife but also has a mistress as he tries to create a situation where everyone is happy as he also sees promise in Brian’s writing talents.

Olivia Thirlby is amazing as Valery’s mistress Jane as an editor who is able to help Brian sort out the arrangements of these affairs but also get him the chance to get his work published as she would be a friend to him. Berenice Marlohe is brilliant as Arielle Pierpont as a woman who meets Brian as she embarks on an affair with him as she learns about some of the aspects of American culture while becoming unsure if she can have a real relationship with him. Finally, there’s Anton Yelchin in a remarkable performance as Brian Bloom as a young writer trying to find experience in life as he meets and falls for Arielle while pondering if he can have a future with her despite their arrangements in Arielle’s open marriage.

5 to 7 is a marvelous film from Victor Levin that features incredible performances from Anton Yelchin, Berenice Marlohe, and Olivia Thirlby. It’s a romantic comedy that is very low-key yet is filled with some charm as well as some compelling ideas on open marriages and experiences for the young. In the end, 5 to 7 is an excellent film from Victor Levin.

© thevoid99 2017

2012 Cannes Marathon: Of Gods and Men

(Winner of the Grand Prix at the 2010 Cannes Film Festival)

Directed by Xavier Beauvois and written by Beauvois and Etienne Comar, Des hommes et des dieux (Of Gods and Men) is the story of eight Trappist monks whose peaceful life is threatened by fundamental terrorists as they’re trying to decide whether or not to leave their home in Algeria. The film is exploration of faith as a lot of is based on an incident in 1996 during the Algerian Civil War. Starring Lambert Wilson, Michael Lonsdale, Olivier Rabourdin, and Philippe Laudenbach. Des hommes et des dieux is an extraordinary and compelling drama from Xavier Beauvois.

Living above a small village in Algeria are a group of Trappist monks who are seen as men people can count on. Led by their elected leader Christian (Lambert Wilson), the eight men live a life of solitude where they grow crops, do their usual service, and help out the village where Luc (Michael Lonsdale) is the monks’ beloved doctor. When news of a civil war breaking out where they learn that a Croatian man was killed, the Algerian government wants to offer protection to the monks. Christian refuses in order to maintain their routine despite a tense visit from the opposing group of fundamental terrorists led by Ali Fayattia (Farid Larbi) who demands some supplies only for Christian to refuse since it’s Christmas.

Though Christian was able to get Ali and his men away for a while, the rest remain unsure if they can hold off these men as Christian still has to deal with the government and its army as the monks try to do whatever they can for the village. Still, frustration starts to ensue as a few want to leave for safety but Christian wants to stay for the village as they’re counting on these men to protect them. Months go by as a few experience doubt while Luc becomes overwhelmed by his work as Christian gives him a break. With the war intensifying as a visit from the Algerian army only made things uncomfortable prompting the men to band together. When an old friend in Bruno (Olivier Perrier) decides to return to the monastery, the men await for what would probably as the war starts to reach its peak.

The film is a true story about a group of monks who are trying to live their life of solitude during a tense war where they’re dealing with two opposing sides in this civil war where innocent people are being killed. It is told in a style where it’s more about men just trying to do what is right and maintain their routine as there’s not of dialogue present. Instead, it’s more about the routine these men do in service of the people they care for. The screenplay that Xavier Beauvois and Etienne Comar create is an exploration of men trying to hold on to their faith in the threat of war. Leading all of this is a man named Christian who is just trying to do what is right for his community and his monks though he would admit that he’s unsure if he is doing the right thing. A lot of the men in the monastery are middle-aged while two of them in Luc and Amedee (Jacques Herlin) are old men. Yet, they’re all playing a role for God as they’re also men who are willing to talk to the people in the village without wearing their robes and just talk as men.

Beauvois’ direction is very mesmerizing for the way he creates the film that relies more on what these men are trying to day-by-day rather than go into a lot of conventional ideas to move the drama forward. The film starts with a quote from the Book of Psalms that reveals who these men are as they’re just trying to be equal to those they help and those they’re trying to deal with. Shot on location in Morocco, Beauvois’ direction is truly engaging for the wide depth of field shots he creates for many exterior settings while maintaining an intimacy in the meetings that these men are having. There’s some amazing scenes such as a helicopter flying above the monastery where the men try to counter the noise with their chanting to establish their defiance against the forces that want them to leave.

Since this is a film that relies more on what these characters are dealing with, the lack of plot does allow the audience to get to know these individuals as who they are. There is no music score heard in the film except for a climatic dinner where Tchaikovsky’s Swan Lake overture is played where the camera focuses on these men and their reaction to the music. It’s all about this moment where it could be the last time they all eat in peace. The overall work that Beauvois creates is a gripping yet intoxicating drama that explores a group of men who are trying to hold on to their faith in the face of war.

Cinematographer Caroline Champetier does brilliant work with the film‘s gorgeous cinematography from the way the Moroccan mountains and hills are shot in the evening through some of the daytime exteriors for its sunny and rainy days to play out the peaceful work the characters live in. Editor Marie-Julie Maille does superb work with the editing to maintain a very straightforward approach to its cutting while maintaining a leisured pace for the film. Production designer Michel Barthelemy and art director Yann Megard do excellent work with the art direction for the look of the villages as well as the monastery that plays to the world these men live in. Sound editor Loic Prian does incredible work with the sound from the intimacy of the chants in the room to the raucous clash of sounds in the helicopter vs. chants scene.

The casting by Brigitte Moidon is phenomenal for the ensemble that is created as it includes notable small performances from Farid Larbi as the terrorist leader, Olivier Perrier as a returning monk named Bruno late in the film, and the trio of Abdelhafid Metalsi, Sabrina Ouazani, and Abdallah Moundy as local villagers who are close with the monks. For the roles of the eight monks, there are amazing performances from Jacques Herlin as the elderly Amedee, Olivier Rabourdin as the very confused Christophe, Philippe Laudenbach as the anxious Celestin, Loic Pinoch as the determined but scared Jean-Pierre, Xavier Maly as the calm Michel, and Jean-Marie Frin as the low-key but loyal Paul. Michael Lonsdale is great as the asthmatic but determined Luc who is the monks’ head doctor as he’s concerned with doing his job and help the people. Finally, there’s Lambert Wilson in a marvelous performance as the monks’ leader Christian who is trying to do everything he can to help everyone while trying to see what he feels is right for his monastery in this tense time.

Des hommes et des dieux is a powerful yet captivating drama from Xavier Beauvois. Featuring a great ensemble cast led by Lambert Wilson and Michael Lonsdale, it’s a film that serves as a great testament of how faith can defy such awful forces like war without trying to give out some message. It’s also a film that is very human for the way it humanizes the monks as just men who are just doing a deed for God. In the end, Des hommes et des dieux is a mesmerizing film from Xavier Beauvois.

© thevoid99 2012