Reviews (30)

Nobody Does It To You Like Roman Polanski!
Roman Polanski's THE TENANT, released in 1976 (two years after his blockbuster CHINATOWN), is my all-time favorite movie. It isn't Polanski's best film (MACBETH gets that honor in my opinion), but this story (taken from Roland Topor's equally strange but less inspired novel) really "does it to me". Polanski himself (who also co-wrote the screenplay with long-time friend and collaborator Gerard Brach) plays Trelkowski, a timid, lonely Polish immigrant trying to make ends meet as a file clerk in Paris. Polanski's performace is genuinely amazing. There are not many actors, let alone directors, who would feel so comfortable playing such a difficult and potentially career-shattering role. In the film, Trelkowski finds an apartment in a dingy old building run by the oddly sinister Monsieur Zy (Melvyn Douglas) and a rude Concierge (Shelley Winters). The previous tenant, Simone Choule, attempted suicide by jumping out of the window. Monsieur Zy tells Trelkowski that if she dies, he may have the apartment. Trelkowski hot-foots it to the hospital to see how long it'll be before he can move in. Simone lies, semi-comatose, swathed in bandages like a mummy from head to toe. When she screams upon seeing Trelkowski's face, the head nurse demands that he and Stella (Isabelle Adjani), Simone's best friend, leave immediately. Trelkowski tries to initiate a half-hearted love affair with the frumpy Stella that evening, but they are unable to connect for some reason and go their seperate ways. The next day, Trelkowski learns of Simone's death. When he moves in, he begins to notice strange things: neighbors complain of noise, usually without cause; people seem to spy on him from the communal bathroom across the way; he finds a human tooth stashed in a hole in the wall behind his wardrobe; there are knocks on the door when no one is there; he is constantly bothered by neighbors who are either obnoxious (such as Jo Van Fleet) or pitiable (like Lila Kedrova). Eventually, surrounded by artifacts from the dead girl's life, and torn apart piece by piece by his increasingly demanding neighbors, Trelkowski slips into insanity, dressing in Simone's clothes, pulling out his own tooth to match the one lodged in the wall, and even purchasing a wig and high heels, intoning things like "I think I'm pregnant" to himself in the mirror. He begins to hallucinate, and his persecution complex turns into a severe case of schizophrenia. I won't tell you the ending, but I will say that if you enjoyed REPULSION and ROSEMARY'S BABY, then you will find this to be a fitting third piece of the puzzle. Like Carole and Rosemary in those films, poor Trelkowski is a victim of urban living, a pathetic lost soul not unlike Travis Bickle of Scorcese's TAXI DRIVER (released the same year), except that Trelkowski is a danger mostly to himself. Like I said, this isn't a great film, but it's worth your time if you enjoy horror films Polanski-style. And as a vision of one man's private hell, it's indispensable. I love this movie, flaws and all. Obviously not for all tastes.

ANOTHER GREAT CINEMATIC WORK - wanna know why?
In CHINATOWN, Polanski gave us a great story of corruption. In ROSEMARY'S BABY, he studied the occult. In REPULSION, he gave us a portrait of a troubled mind. Here, in THE TENANT, Roman Polanski gives us a stunning new portrayal of absolute paranoia.

Polanski stars himself as the main character: a man who rents the apartment of a dead woman - who apparently jumped from her window.

Strangely enough, Polanski's character starts to identify with the dead woman little by little as he starts to live in the same environment... the same apartment, the same neighbours, the same window, the same talk... and - guess what! - maybe she did not commit suicide after all...

But this is just the beginning. To reveal more, it would be unthinkable.

Why is this a great film? A first rate screenplay (beautifully constructed), amazing actors (Shelley Winters and Melvyn Douglas are great!), and...

...The sets! The bulding (a parisian quartier) is absolutely fantastic. Like REAR WINDOW, it was entirely built in a sound stage - incredible!!! - allowing Mr.Polanski enough freedom to put the camera wherever he wanted.

But the great thing about this film is that (like in a state of paranoia) you never know what is truth or what is imagined. The main character starts to see, hear and discover things that may actually be true! - only at the end (with a finalle that makes perfect sense) you'll discover the truth behind it all.

After those beautiful sets, comes the cinematography by one of the top Directors of Photography: Sven Nykvist (PERSONA, CRIMES AND MISDEMEANORS, ANOTHER WOMAN, CRIES AND WHISPERS, AUTUMN SONATA, and many other works)... this film has one of the best studio cinematographies I have ever seen. The music is also beautiful and you will love it from the moment it begins. Also a great achevement is sound design.

This is one of those great films where mood and atmosphere set an exemple for what to do in a film - a work where everything is right.

Unfortunately, the DVD only comes with the trailer (which is also beautiful). No photos, no commentary (I was hoping this DVD would come with a commentary by Mr.Polanski), not even a small interview with anybody. Too bad if you consider the quality of the craftsmanship of this work.

But at this incredible low price... one cannot complaint.

One of Polanski's best -- but be prepared
When this film came out in 1976, critical reaction was strongly negative. Only one writer I can recall -- Penelope Gilliatt in the New Yorker magazine -- had the insight to see beyond the general weirdness, focusing on the title character's increasing paranoia and alienation.

The unnerving plot gets underway when Trelkovsky, played disarmingly by Polanski, moves into a creepy Parisian apartment building, into a flat in which the previous tenant committed suicide. Trelkovsky gradually grows suspicious that some of his disgruntled, crabby neighbors would like to see him do the same thing. The outstanding cast includes Melvyn Douglas, Jo Van Fleet, Shelley Winters and Isabelle Adjani, all seemingly having a great time with an utterly mesmerizing story.

The film has high production values, including gorgeous, moody photography by the great Sven Nykvist (who often photographed for Ingmar Bergman), and an appropriately eerie score by Philippe Sarde. The DVD transfer is beautifully clear.

Not everyone will warm up to the bizarre, shocking ending -- and I can't possibly give away any of the details -- but suffice to say that it shows Polanski in a way that few have seen him. For all the attention that "Chinatown" gave this director in 1974, this film, coming two years later, is just about as striking in a completely different vein.

I'd go crazy too if shelly winters was my landlord
polanski films should be watched chronologically. the tenant stars polanski and documents his ascent into madness. after taking the flat of a girl who committed suicide, polanski, due to his own isolation and psychosis, begins to question his own sanity and blames it on everone else. the beauty here is that the film never allows the audience know what is real and what is concocted until its climax that, at first, resembles a comedy of errors, but develops into an incredily eerie disposition.

i will have the galouises please, i don't care for marlboro either

Movin' On Up.........
Original. Witty. Ironic. Creepy. Thoughtful. Detailed. VERY KAFKAESQUE.......For anyone who has ever felt like they had to be quiet when coming or going from their apartment...... ... Read more

Reviews (15)

Some kind of politically-correct morality play?
OK, so the guy's a jerk, but in the end he accepts his wife's female lover as part of the family --- sounds like a new Disney movie to me!

Actually, Josiane Balasko did a decent job directing this film, but casting herself as the truck-driving lesbian was a bit too much! Yes, it was realistic --- but therein lies the problem! Visually, I'd have much rather seen a hot-looking, sexy, dark-haired woman seducing the beautiful Victoria Abril. I mean, to put it a different way: beautiful bodies a more enjoyable film do make!

An OK but not a Very Good Film
This is not a very good film. It is supposed to be a comedy. Unfortunately, Josiane Balasko, so wonderful as Gerard Depardieu's forbidden love interest in Bertrand Blier's "Too Beautiful for You" (1990), shows here that she can be a heavy-handed director, a comedy screenwriter without wit, and a comic actress who simply isn't funny.

This is a movie with no good lines, unforgivable in a comedy. There are, however, two bright lights in the film, the only actors who do manage to be funny: Ticky Holgado, a supporting actor who plays the business partner and best friend of the humorless male lead (Alain Chabat), and the ever delightful Victoria Abril, one of the two female stars of the love triangle (the other being the humorless Ms. Balasko), whose physical displays almost save the film.

Victoria Abril is a wonderful and underrated actress, still breathtakingly gorgeous at age 36 (recognizable to most viewers from Pedro Almodovar's "Tie Me Up! Tie Me Down!"), who displays her physical gifts with wit and abandon. For some people her presence will be enough to justify purchasing this DVD. This writer, in fact, despite his negativity toward the film, purchased the DVD while owning the VHS tape, but he confesses unashamedly to having been secretly in love with Ms. Abril for almost two decades, even with her clothes on.

This film enjoyed an enormous box-office success in France, and has pleased most American movie critics. It is not without entertainment value. But it could have been so much more.

Even a cinnamon twist is not this good!
I had no idea what I was getting into when I got this movie. As a huge foreign film buff there I was taking a gander at this movie and realizing the script was totally hilarious.

Basically it focuses on this married couple who have two children, a French family. And of course, the man, not wanting to offend all of the women he's ever met, sleeps with them all. (Side note, it is actually a compliment when men make passes in France, it is offensive to not do it, it means the female is not worth trying with; interesting huh?)

Anyway, hubby cheats, the devoted wife finds that a dyke passerby can fix things, be there for her, and even have dinner.

A steamy romance ensues with the wife and her new woman and the cheating hubby does not take it to well.

You will laugh your ass off in this movie! I don't want to spoil it, but suffice it to say, I bet the script writer has had a very interesting marriage!

A surprisingly good and funny film...
I've seen this film a few times now. Each time I see it, I show it to a friend who hasn't seen it. They all loved it. Makes me like it that much more when I see them enjoying it.

"French Twist" is about a cheating husband has to deal with the fact that his neglected wife has found another love interest... a woman. That he cheats on his wife on a regular basis is not the issue, to him. His ego and pride being stepped on by the whole situation is the problem and it makes for some very funny material.

The three main characters (Josiane Balasko, Victoria Abril and Alain Chabat) work extremely well together. Just bouncing lines off one another and interacting beautifully. Just when it looks like all will work out another element is added to stir the fire.

The film was written and directed by Balasko who also stars as the "other" woman who's looking for love and destroying a home. Or is she? Chabat is amazingly funny as the philandering husband and Abril is also very good and quite beautiful as the passionate, yet somewhat confused wife.

Check it out for yourself. Don't let the subtitles hold you back. It doesn't take away from the film at all. Get ready to laugh.

Ridiculous Lesbian Fantasy
Anyone who has ever read lesbian erotica will recognize some of the plot elements of this silly movie. The naive, ultrafemme, housewife, who slaves all day for a selfish, uncaring, philadering husband, meets a wonderful, butch lesbian and within a short while (a couple of hours?)is seduced by her charms. Rescuing "straight" women from unhappy marriages is a huge theme of lesbian erotica. It's a rather unbelievable premise, and this movie makes it seem even more implausible. I just did not believe that the homely, overweight, and repulsive Marijo could be irresistable to the gorgeous Loli. It wasn't until I discovered that the director had cast herself in the role of Marijo did I understand- if you were in the position to decide who gets to do love scenes with Victoria Abril would you take one for yourself? Obviously, Josiane Balasko is a smart woman. (It sort of reminded me of a "Seinfield" episode- you know the ones in which ugly, dorky Jerry and ugly, dorky George somehow always manage to get dates with impossibly beautiful women. It's that implausible!)

Overall, this move had some laughs, but its premise was absurd and by the end of the film I detested everyone of these characters. They were just so selfish! As Helen Lovejoy says: "Will someone please think of the children!" ... Read more

Description

This uproariously upbeat comedy stars actor/writer/director/Michel Blanc (MONSIEUR HIRE) as both a mischievous celebrity impersonator ... and a French movie star who's being impersonated! Blanc's the star whose life takes a hilarious turn when he's hauled in by the police for a series of crazy incidents he can't seem to recall. But when he learns that an impostor is out to ruin him, he enlists a sexy starlet friend (Carole Bouquet -- FOR YOUR EYES ONLY) to help him find his double and save his reputation! Also featuring Philippe Noiret (IL POSTINO -- THE POSTMAN) and Roman Polanski (Academy Award(R)-winning director of THE PIANIST, 2002), this brilliantly original comic delight received Best Screenplay at the prestigious Cannes Film Festival. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Dead Tired
This movie might be good if you speak french and/or are hip to the french cinema scene. I didn't find it very funny, though it had its moments. I saw it based on a recommendation from having liked the dinner game. Totally different type of film.

Hilarious!
Even though I didn't know who half these actors were, no matter. It's just as entertaining, witty and FULL of twists and turns. A very funny movie. ... Read more

Amazon.com

In the films of Bertrand Blier, love is a virus that sends its victims on a feverish fling of impulsive passion before leaving them abandoned and alone. The difference in Too Beautiful for You is an empathy and warmth rarely seen in Blier's often cynical work. Gérard Depardieu is the successful car dealer ambushed by Cupid when plain-looking secretary Josiane Balasko clumps into the office. It seems to defy all reason, how this frumpy, dumpy woman with eyes that caress lures Depardieu from elegant wife Carole Bouquet, a woman so poised and perfect she's more trophy than trophy wife, but love follows no reason. Neither does Blier's film, which dances through fantasies and flashbacks with the abandon of a daydream. It makes for a confusing story but a vivid experience, all passion and music and joy and pain: love, in all its obsessive, destructive ecstasy. --Sean Axmaker ... Read more

Reviews (2)

"Gorgeous women create chaos."
"Too Beautiful For You"--a Bertrand Blier film--is the story of an affair between a middle-aged businessman, Bernard (Gerard Depardieu) and his employee. All of Bernard's male friends envy the fact that he has a beautiful society wife, Florence (Carole Bouquet). One look at his wife, and they say "Bernard's a lucky stiff." One day, Colette (Josiane Balasko), the new office temp, arrives in Bernard's office. She's plump and "a bit of a slob," however, there's instant chemistry between her and Bernard. Within a matter of days, Bernard is embroiled in a passionate affair with Colette.

The film explores some interesting ideas about adultery and love triangles. For example, why is Bernard attracted to Colette? Florence appears, on the surface at least, to be the sort of woman every man would select--while Colette is rather average. When Florence suspects her husband is having an affair, she stomps down to the office to take a look at the new temp, and when she sets eyes on dumpy Colette, she is relieved. Of course, every woman thinks her adulterous husband is having an affair with a woman who is more attractive, but what happens when the "other woman" is much less attractive?

There's some clever photography--for example, one scene is shot of Bernard and his wife with the camera placed in Colette's office looking through the glass divider. Not only do we see the husband and wife interact as Colette is seeing them, but we also see Colette's reflection in the glass as she stares at the couple and tries to analyze the competition.

The film, however, is completely ruined by its ever-increasing reliance on surrealism. At first, the surreal scenes are quite acceptable--for example, there's a great surreal scene when Colette strolls through a train station and imagines she's the focus of ever man's desire. However, the surreal scenes then begin to eat the plot, and soon, it's unclear what is plot, and what is fantasy. The scene when Florence is the dowdy housefrau is particularly ludicrous. While raising some intriguing questions, the film fails to speculate about answers, and instead, we are subject to a surreal drift towards pretentious absurdity, and this is highly unfortunate--displacedhuman

Clever film on the meaning of love
In this clever take on love and relationships, the affairs of three people are enigmatically
portrayed. Everyone adores Bernard's wife Florence. His friends lust for her, her friends envy her. She is very beautiful, and for Bernard there is nothing more left to desire. And that is precisely what troubles him: she may just be too beautiful. His secretary, a temp named Colette, is completely the opposite to Florence. But in her physical unattractiveness Bernard finds a refuge to his peculiar dilemma. Despite of what may seem as a logical explanation, he is not plagued by an inferiority complex. What drives Bernard is the psychological force of the middle-age crisis. Some people wonder whether what they have is as good as it gets. Bernard actually knows that. The second he is near Florence he knows that that is true; gazes of his friends reassure him in that.

With Colette, however, he feels completely at ease. There is no need for self-assertion and he is free to choose. Naturally, there is much more to this film, which is full of surprises and unexpected events. The only country where such a complex and somewhat surrealistic plot could have been brought to life, where careful avoidance of turning the film into a soap opera, a pointless comedy, or a tedious drama meets with the bittersweet taste of love and desire is France, and the philosophy of love, the satire, and the superb acting -- Depardieu, Bouquet, and Balasko make a lovely team -- are also typically French here. Ironically enough, the question of the age is inverted to "what does a MAN want?" ... Read more