NELLY & MONSIEUR ARNAUD
(NELLY ET M. ARNAUD)
A film review by Steve Rhodes
Copyright 1996 Steve Rhodes
RATING (0 TO ****): ***
NELLY AND MONSIEUR ARNAUD (NELLY ET M. ARNAUD) is a French film that garnered numerous awards there. For me the film is a fascinating character study of Nelly and Monsieur Arnaud, but others will probably characterize the picture as a romance to which I would not argue. This is one of those rare films that appears to have no actors. These characters are so realistically drawn that I did not for a minute think I was observing actors, rather I was eavesdropping on real life.
First, a warning. If you must have sex or nudity or if you need dramatic events and fast pacing to enjoy a movie, do not waste your time with NELLY AND MONSIEUR ARNAUD as you will be quite disappointed. This is a film that takes its own sweet time and one with a satisfying but slightly surprising ending of the sort you hardly ever see in American films. Don't try to guess the ending you will be wrong, and anyway, the fruits to be savored of this film are getting to know the characters.
As the story unfolds, Nelly played by Emmanuelle Beart (Manon from MANON OF THE SPRING and Claire Phelps from MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE among many films) is at a Parisian cafe confiding her marriage problems with her friend Jacqueline (Claire Nadeau). Nelly tells Jacqueline that her husband, Jerome (Charles Berling), is a couch potato who lost his job and who is not serious looking for another one. Nelly lost hers too, but is doing odd jobs in a futile attempt to attack their mounting debt.
Into the cafe comes Monsieur Arnaud played by Michel Serrault (Mr. Raymond in LES DIABOLIQUES (1954) and 53 other films after that). It seems that years ago Monsieur Arnaud had an affair with married and now 43 year old Jacqueline and is still a good friend of hers.
Whereas Nelly is 25 with the looks of a fashion model, Monsieur Arnaud is 40 years her senior, but strikingly handsome and distinguished. He has gorgeous, straight, silver gray hair, and wears impeccable suits (costumes by Catherine Bouchard). Both have excellent bodies and the camera loves them.
For good looking characters, their talent has nothing to do with their physical attractiveness. Both turn out to be compassionate people who are good listeners. Moreover the performances by Beart and Serrault are compelling and worthy of Academy Award consideration. Once Monsieur Arnaud hears Nelly's tale of woe, he loans her enough money to get her out of debt, and he gives her a job transcribing and editing his memoirs of his time in French Polynesia after the war when he was a young judge. Although the job is to be performed in his apartment, there are no strings attached.
There is a slight mystery about Monsieur Arnaud since he stopped being a judge in mid-career and became a wealth businessman. As he explains it, "We struck it rich in real estate, making Paris ugly." He is in the process of selling his vast collect of rare and not so rare books telling Nelly, "You reach an age when you read the same few books over and over." The reason to see the film is the evolving relationship between the two of them and their rich conversations together. At one point, in jest, he confides in her, "Marry an old man like me and you'll have liberty, security, and austerity."
Nelly quickly and amicably divorces her husband and eventually strikes up a relationship with Monsieur Arnaud's publisher Vincent (Jean-Hugues Anglade). Most of the show for me remains a beautiful character study of two people. The script by Jacques Fieschi, Claude Sautet, and Yves Ulmann is exquisite. Director Claude Sautet takes a story and slowly wraps his audience into it. A mesmerizing tale.
NELLY AND MONSIEUR ARNAUD runs 1:46 with carefully and almost dreamy editing by Jacqueline Thiedot. The picture is in French with easy to follow English subtitles. The film is not rated, but would be PG or PG-13. There is no sex, nudity, or violence. I remember only a single mild cuss word. Given the subject matter, my guess is that it would not interest kids under 10, but I don't see how it could harm anyone. I recommend this delightful talkfest of a film to you and give it ***.
**** = One of the top few films of this or any year. A must see film. *** = Excellent show. Look for it. ** = Average movie. Kind of enjoyable. * = Poor show. Don't waste your money. 0 = One of the worst films of this or any year. Totally unbearable.
REVIEW WRITTEN ON: May 31, 1996
Opinions expressed are mine and not meant to reflect my employer's.
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