Sometimes it seems especially true for pictures from the 30s and 40s, more than elsewhere in cinema at large, that passing diversion is sometimes clearly prioritized for a feature more than concrete narrative or judicious storytelling. In that timeframe this is understandable in light of World War II, and the long build-up to it, but some films nonetheless age better than others. It's not that 'Fausse alerte,' more widely known as 'The French way,' isn't enjoyable, but decades later it's less remarkable and memorable than many of its contemporaries, predecessors, and successors. There is a specific story being told, but it's loosely threaded, and the scene writing comes across as more robust with its flavors of light humor, variable levels of drama, and/or romance. Even as Josephine Baker stars in the role of a cabaret starlet, all instances of song or dance feel like pleasant little nothings to blithely add to the overall entertainment value, and pad out the length, rather than meaningful inclusions. Charming as the cast is, contributing earnestly to the movie, whether by their acting particularly or perhaps Jacques de Baroncelli's direction some instances come off as a tad forced and contrived. One way or another, what this all amounts to is that this 1940 release doesn't really stand out by any point of comparison.
In fairness, the picture gathers some strength as the abbreviated length draws on. And despite the weaknesses that hold it down, 'The French way' is still a good time as it tells the tale of a young couple whose single parents are at odds, and the cabaret singer who kindly offers to help them resolve the quandary. This serves its purpose and offers a bit of amusement for a while. The crew are to be commended for fine work, certainly, including swell sets, costume design, and hair and makeup. Mind you, I'd have preferred if Michel Duran's screenplay, or possibly Baroncelli's realization of it, were tightened and more attentive to the plot; as it progresses the plot does the cinematic equivalent of a bicyclist lackadaisically weaving back and forth across the width of a path while moving forward. I suppose one could argue, as I've seen noted elsewhere recently, that modern audiences are too obsessed with Plot and have forgotten how to just appreciate a feature for what it is. Yet, emphasizing my point, frankly Baker's character isn't even important to the story, and it would have taken as little effort to write "Zazu" out of the film as it took to write her in, thereby significantly reducing further what is already a brisk runtime. Call me a cynic, but that strikes me as pointedly indicative of weak film-making.
Still, like I said - this serves its purpose. It's light, frivolous fun, made and released at a time when frivolity could scarcely have been more lacking or needed. It's nothing to get excited about, or to go out of one's way to see, but it's not bad. There are countless other titles one could be watching instead, but if you're looking for a small fluff piece to pass the time, then this pretty well fits the bill. 'The French way' isn't distinctly special in a way that would earn it recognition as a time-honored classic, but it's good enough to provide a distraction, and sometimes that's all cinema needs to be.
