Du mouron pour les petits oiseaux (1962)
Directed by Marcel Carné

Film Review

After his golden era (1936-1946) filmmaker Marcel Carné directed some high quality films between 1950 and 1965 (Thérèse Raquin, Les Tricheurs, Trois chambres à Manhattan).  But when this director of high repute tried to move with the times and invade territory occupied by his detractors of the French New Wave - Terrain vague and Les Assassins de l'ordre - he was less successful.  The same goes for Du mouron pour les petits oiseaux, a Franco-Italian comedy of manners released on the 15th February 1963.  The film is based on a novel by Albert Simonin (who disagreed with the director's burlesque adaptation).  The story takes place in the house of a former gangster where an unforeseen event will expose the dark side of the owner and his tenants.

Carné's first screenplay was written in collaboration with Jacques Sigurd and was intended for the director's muse, Arletty.  After an accident which caused permanent damage to her eyes, Arletty was forced to give up acting (a major loss for French cinema).  In the second version of the screenplay, the part was reduced to a lesser role for another actress and the other characters had to be reworked.  Carné and Sigurd appear to have been influenced by director Julien Duvivier -  their film can be seen as a kind of gentle Hôtel du nord of the 1960s. 

Whilst it is undoubtedly one of Carné's lesser films, Du mouron pour les petits oiseaux is a pleasant enough comedy with a colourful cast of characters and a memorable score by Charles Aznavour.  The entertaining ensemble includes such likeable stars as Paul Meurisse, Dany Saval, Jean Richard and a marvellous Suzy Delair, with supporting contributions from Suzanne Gabriello (taking over Arletty's part), Roland Lesaffre (Carne's faithful protégé), Jeanne Fusier-Gir, Jean Paredès and Robert Dalban.  For the first time, Carné did not direct his actors but left them to their own devices (sometimes for the better, sometimes for the worst).  Du mouron pour les petits oiseaux was severely attacked by the critics on its first release but it still managed to draw an audience of 970,000.  It is due to be released on DVD in December 2012.

Film Synopsis

Monsieur Armand appears to be a respectable man and is the owner of a large house in Paris.  He is in fact a gangster who bought the house with money from a hold-up a few years back.  He keeps the rest of the money hidden in a room full of birds and rents out the other rooms to various tenants. Mademoiselle Lucie works in a cabaret.  She loves money, which she obtains by playing the part of mistress to Louis the butcher.  The money that Louis gives her soon finds its way to her other lover, an Italian who is too lazy to work.  Meanwhile, Louis's wife Antoinette has her eye on his money, which she needs to buy a guitar for Jojo, the young man who works for Louis and to whom she is obviously attracted.  Finally, there is is Mademoiselle Pain, an old woman in a wheelchair who pretends she cannot walk and makes up stories about money she has hidden somewhere in the house.  When Mlle Pain dies, the police are suspicious and pay more than one visit to M. Armand...