Paris 36 (or by its more geographically specific original title, Faubourg 36) is a syrupy French confection, likely to charm fans of Amelie or Cinema Paradiso. Set in 1936 in a Parisian suburb, it follows the troubles of a grand little vaudevillian theater, the Chansonia, and a group of out of work and aspiring performers who struggle to keep it alive. It’s a classic example of French and Italian pre-war nostalgia, shot in warm colors and reveling in the deceptively peaceful coexistence of communism and fascism throughout Europe of the 1930’s. By now the formula is well-worn, but there’s room enough for breezy charm and strong ensemble work, so it’s still a pleasant diversion nonetheless.

36 is very much an ensemble piece, affectionate to all its characters, even the villainous mobster (Bernard-Pierre Donnadieu) who runs the neighborhood and owns the Chansonia. We meet Monsieur Pigoil (Gérard Jugnot), the stage technician who leads the theater’s reopening, his uneasy ally Milou (Clovis Cornillac), a unionizer and womanizer, and Jacky (Kad Merad), a nominal impressionist eager for an audience (and whose story I found especially poignant). Like much of the lighter French fare of the last decade, this film excels in pushing its story a little beyond what’s expected. It’s not particularly epic (it runs just under 2 hours), but there are certainly places in the middle of this film where a comparably saccharine American film might have been content to wrap things up in a neat bow. I’ve found this French insistence on following stories and characters past the clichés (which are still very much present) refreshing, particularly in some of the very fine farcical rom-coms of the past few years. And if you can throw in a dazzling musical set piece to rival many of MGM’s classic numbers, so much the better. – [DVD]

Drama

Rated PG-13

DVD Release Date: 8/11/09

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