Édouard et Caroline

This lovely comedy deserves lots more reviews!

The plot is utterly simple: young married couple in a little apartment without much money quarrel furiously over an evening party in the ornate apartment of her rich, pretentious and foolish uncle but by dawn have made up. What counts is the way it's related and acted,

As Édouard, Daniel Gélin conveys the insecurities of a young man with his way to make in both the world and with his new wife. As Caroline, Anne Vernon was completely winning, beautiful and tempestuous yet revealing underneath her youth and vulnerability. Though her family are comically awful, some of their guests are interesting, in particular Élina Labourdette as the theatrical Florence Borch and William Tubbs as her stolid good-hearted husband Spencer.

Shot on just two sets, the black-and-white photography is brilliant. The mobile camera catches what is going on between the couple, giving you their thoughts and emotions. At times it even hides behind a mirror to catch characters revealing themselves in it. The script helps, saying the things that quarreling couples do without sounding trite and saying the things people at parties do in all their triteness. Full of music, classical and Latin, plus lovely evening dresses by Carven for the women.

If you are not entranced, you are probably lacking something.