Va voir maman, papa travaille (1978)
Directed by François Leterrier

Film Review

Françoise Dorin's popular 1976 novel Va voir maman, papa travaille is effortlessly reworked as this engaging romantic comedy by the prolific screenwriter Danièle Thompson, who went on to direct some fine films of her own, notably La Bûche (1999) and Fauteuils d'orchestre (2006).  Essentially a well-timed updating of Lelouch's Un homme et une femme for the late 1970s, the film concerns itself with a popular theme of the time - whether women have the right to seek happiness in both their professional and romantic lives.  Thanks mainly to Thompson's deft writing, Va voir maman, papa travaille deals sensitively and thoughtfully with this mine-strewn field of human experience and it stands as one of the writer's career highlights.

The film's other winning assert is the inspired pairing of two icons of 1970s French cinema - Marlène Jobert and Philippe Léotard.  In spite of their star status at the time, both actors had a flair for the kind of understated naturalistic performance that made French cinema such a worthy rival to Hollywood in the 1970s.  Léotard had a particular talent for wrapping a tough male persona around a heartbreaking inner vulnerability, often to devastating effect for his audience.  Likewise, Jobert makes a superlative emblem of the modern liberated woman who is deeply conflicted by her domestic responsibilities.  It is the true-to-life and instantly likeable contributions from these two gifted actors that makes Va voir maman such an involving and memorable film, even if the subject matter now looks a tad dated and simplistic.  Micheline Presle, Sylvie Joly and Daniel Duval are welcome additions to a perfectly judged cast list, although for the most part our attentions are completely monopolised by the two leads, who have rarely been as good as they are here.

The film also marks a directorial highlight fot François Leterrier, who is best known for his leading role in Robert Bresson's Un condamné à mort s'est échappé (1956).  Leterrier directed several films in the 1960s and '70s, including the engaging but shallow hippy comedy-drama Les Babas-cool (1981) and the risible Good-bye, Emmanuelle (1977).  Served by such a strong script and a complement of actors that could scarcely be improved on, Leterrier could hardly fail to turn in one of the most humane and delightful films of his career.

Film Synopsis

Agnès Lucas is a busy career woman in her mid-thirties who finds fulfilment through her work as a decorator and still manages to find time to bring up her seven-year old son, Jérôme.  If only her husband Serge was so conscientious on the domestic front.  When he isn't engrossed in his work, he prefers to while away his hours in the company of his female friends.  Agnès is enjoying a relaxing excursion to a wildlife park with her son when she runs into Vincent, a middle-aged divorcé with a young daughter.  The two cannot help falling in love.  After an agreeable first meeting they soon become firm friends and before she knows it Agnès is agreeing to help renovate a health shop belonging to Vincent's sister.  The carefree decorator is head over heels in love before she realises that her personal happiness may come at a terrible cost - the well-being of the son she adores.  Just when life has never seemed rosier, Agnès feels that she may soon have to make a terrible choice.  Surely she can't be a good mother and keep the man she has lost her heart to...?