Friday, 24 September 2021

ARSÈNE LUPIN - SEASON 1, EPISODE 2: VICTOR DE LA BRIGADE MONDAINE (ORTF, 1971)

In the Netflix series Lupin, Omar Sy follows the steps of Arsène Lupin, the literary gentleman thief created by Maurice Leblanc (1864-1941). Amongst the previous adaptations of the author's work, the best known is Arsène Lupin (1971-1974). Starring Georges Descrières in the title role, this version remains one the most popular series in the History of French television. 

Europe in the 1920s. Charming and elegant, Arsène Lupin steals without violence. He's a master of disguise who ridicules the authorities and the best sleuths, though himself enjoys to play the detective. Particularly if a beautiful woman is involved. 

« Voler oui! Et encore, à condition de ne voler que des nantis, que des injustes ou des exploiteurs. Et d'ailleurs Lupin ne vole pas. Il rétablit l'équilibre.  »

Maurice Leblanc's iconic character first appeared in 39 short stories and 17 novels between 1905 and 1939. Several actors portrayed Arsène Lupin for the cinema, including Robert Lamoureux in 1957 and 1959. In 1960, Jean Gascon played Lupin in a 13 x 25-minute adaptation of the novel L'Aiguille creuse for Canadian TV (1). During the decade, writer and director Jacques Nahum tried to convince French state television about an Arsène Lupin series. Nahum, who adapted The Saint with the film Le Saint mène la danse (1960), actually had Simon Templar in mind but couldn't get the rights.

At the end of 1968, L'Office de Radiodiffusion-Télévision Française (ORTF) commissioned Jacques Nahum's Mars International Productions and Pathé to produce 13 one-hour episodes of Arsène Lupin with them. Theatre and movie actor Georges Descrières (of the Comédie-Française) was chosen for the role in 1969. Germany's WDR, Radio-Canada, Austria's ORF, Belgian TV, Dutch pubcaster NCRV, Italy's RAI and Swiss TV joined as co-producers. This international funding ensured classy production values and allowed Lupin to travel in Europe with his chauffeur Grognard (French Canadian actor Yvon Bouchard) (2).  

« Monsieur, dans la police on sait mourir.
- Dans la banque aussi, monsieur. Mais on est pas impatients. »

The ORTF 2nd channel aired Arsène Lupin from March to June 1971 and its reception prompted the commission of a second 13-episode season (1973-1974). The writers loosely based their scripts on Leblanc's stories to favour a lighter Arsène, like in Victor de la brigade mondaine. While Paris only has eyes for Josephine Baker, a man pretending to be Arsène Lupin robs a bank. Commissaire Guerchard, archenemy of the gentleman thief, is called on the scene but the new Préfet de police (« J'ai réfléchi, j'ai examiné, j'ai computé et j'ai la solution. ») thinks someone could get better results: Victor of the Brigade mondaine, an inspector working in Africa and whose face is unknown to everyone in Metropolitan France... even the préfet.

Except it's Arsène Lupin who arrives in Paris as Victor to expose a plan to the Préfet de police at the Eiffel Tower. He will impersonate Lupin disguised as a British burglar named Andrew Lorchester in order to catch himself! Not without making exorbitant demands to the gullible official. Later, Lorchester/Lupin meets Countess Natacha, the accomplice of a someone she believes to be Arsène Lupin. This is actually Bressacq, the man who robbed the bank. Helmed by Jean-Pierre Decourt, Victor de la brigade mondaine was penned by journalist, scriptwriter and playwright Claude Brulé (Angélique, marquise des anges, Les liaisons dangereuses).

Georges Descrières shines in a splendid tribute to les Années folles full of fabulous dialogues and numerous references (including a nod to Louis Feuillade). This second episode introduces Commissaire Guerchard (3), Arsène Lupin's nemesis, portrayed with brilliance by Roger Carel (1927-2020). His career spanned more than 60 years during which he became a reliable comedy actor for the stage, television and cinema. Most of all, Roger Carel earned a status of French national treasure in the art of dubbing. He lent his voice to Jack Lemmon, Peter Sellers, Astérix, Kermit the Frog, Benny Hill, David Suchet in Poirot, Jerry Lewis and so many others.

« Vous êtes vraiment sûr que vous êtes vous? C'est tellement incroyable»

Guerchard was for Carel an opportunity to display onscreen  the full extent of his talent in one of those serious roles he could get more easily with dubbing. Countess Natacha (« Je vous hais. ») is played by Swiss actress  Marthe Keller before La demoiselle d'Avignon (1972) made her an instant TV superstar. Then she did several Hollywood films like Marathon Man or Bobby Deerfield and pursued a long career. Bernard Lavalette, a familiar face from the théâtre de boulevard and television, is the unfortunate "Préfet of the week". Also with Pierre Massimi (Les secrets de la Mer rouge) as Bressacq, Jean Berger (4) (Ministre de l'intérieur), etc.

Repeats helped to establish Georges Descrières as the definitive Lupin for generations of viewers, although Leblanc's fans may disagree. His nonchalant charisma and his disguises make the series a special treat. Arsène Lupin's popularity also owes to the music composed by Jean-Pierre Bourtayre. The theme, arranged by José Bartel, is on a Bondian title sequence designed by Jean Fouchet for Eurocitel. L'Arsène, the sublime end title song, was composed by Bourtayre and Jacques Lanzmann for French hit singer Jacques Dutronc. Cinematography by Pierre Petit. Production designed by Lucien Aguettant with Charles Finelli.

Editing by Francine Grubert, Claude Pérol and Anne-France Marboeuf. André Deroual is the production manager. Costumes of Georges Descrières designed by Création Georges Bril. Cars provided by the Autorama museum. Last June, Nouveau Monde Éditions published in France the first 20 stories of Arsène Lupin by Maurice Leblanc in their original form (as published in the magazine Je sais tout) and with their original illustrations. A second volume with 16 more episodes followed this month. The first season of Arsène Lupin will be available in the United states and in Canada on October 5, thanks to SVOD service MHz Choice .

(1) From 1960 to 1961, stage, movie, TV and dubbing actor Michel Roux lent his distinctive voice to Arsène Lupin for the French state radio. 
(2) Yvon Bouchard is dubbed by Francis Lax in some episodes.
(3) The character was called Inspecteur Ganimard in Maurice Leblanc's work, except in the 1908 play Arsène Lupin, where he's called Guerchard
(4) Jean Berger was also a dubbing artist. He was the regular French voice of Patrick Macnee (amongst others).
 
 

Monday, 13 September 2021

FACE À FACE - EPISODE 1 (FRANCE 2)

One is a judge, the other a cop. They're half-sisters and can't stand each other. They work together and must live in the same house. 
 
An American sitcom of the 1980s? No, a 12 x 52 minute crime drama for France 2.
 
Face à face (formerly En quête de vérité) stars Claire Borotra (La vengeance aux yeux clairs, Le mystère du lac) as Judge Justine Rameau and Constance Gay (Unité 42) as Commander Vanessa Tancelin. Their co-stars are Pascal Demolon (Commissaire Alain Rameau), Marc Ruchmann (Plan Coeur, Le chalet) as Captain Grégory Kieffer and Clémentine Justine (Claire Sorel). The series was created by Anne-Charlotte Kassab (Léo Matteï, brigade des mineurs, Unité 42), Nassim Ben Allal (Les Chamois, Al Dorsey, détective privé) and Yann Le Gal (Léo Matteï, brigade des mineurs, Soupçons). 
 
Written by Anne-Charlotte Kassab and Nassim Ben Allal with Yann Le gal, Episode 1 is actually the first of two one-hour pilots directed by Julien Zidi (Le crime lui va si bien, Perfect Murders) (1). The character played by Marc Ruchmann is credited "Grégory Marchois" in this couple of episodes. A man finds the dead body of another man on an office floor. He puts the cadaver on a chair and pushes him through a window. Vanessa Tancelin, a maverick police officer freshly transferred to Strasbourg, arrives on the crime scene. The victim, who fell from the 5th floor of a business incubator, was an architect.
 
Tancelin notices the first man, who stayed around, and arrests him after a chase without her shoes. Then, an article of the Code de procédure pénale pops up on our screen because someone probably thought it was a good idea. Commander Tancelin meets Justine Rameau, the juge d'instruction on the case. It looks like the beginning of a beautiful friendship or a revival of TF1's long-running crime drama hit Femmes de loi (2) but there's a catch. Well, only for Justine who ignores that Vanessa is her half-sister. Édouard Koenig, their father who's a judge too, didn't tell her and now she's confronted with the truth as poor Édouard dies in front of them before a triple bypass surgery. 
 
Both women are shocked, though Justine Rameau's husband learns about this new member of the family rather gracefully. After all, Alain Rameau is Vanessa Tancelin's boss. On the contrary, Justine can't cope with the presence of her half-sister. She doesn't tell her the day of Édouard's funeral and Vanessa retaliates by moving in Justine Rameau's family house. The rigorous judge starts a personal and professional war against the instinctive cop. This first hour of Face à face painfully dilutes a generic police procedural, "sold" by a far-fetched concept (3), into a family melodrama. 
 
With the participation of Alain Doutey (Édouard Koenig) and Agnès Soral. Also with Éric Savin (Cédric Rouget), Charles Templon (Nicolas Gauvin), Slimane Yefsah (Alexandre Baranes), Emma Ninucci (Margaux Rameau), etc. Produced by Troisième Oeil Story and France Télévisions with RTL TVI and RTS (Radio Télévision Suisse). Exec produced by Thierry Langlois and Frédéric Bruneel. Produced by Sidonie Cohen de Lara and Sébastien Charbit. Ludovic Eyrolle is the production manager. Music by Flemming Nordkrog and Romain Trouillet. Cinematography by Dominique De Wever
 
Filmed with the support of Région Grand Est and Strasbourg Eurométropole. Face à face premiered last month on RTL TVI. Distributed by Mediawan Rights (Mismatch is the international title).
 
(1) Unfortunately, Julien Zidi died in a motorcycle accident in May.
(2) Femmes de loi (2000-2009) was a crime drama centered on a substitut du procureur and a police lieutenant.
(3) "Un crime. Deux visions. L'une veut trouver les coupables, l'autre qu'ils soient condamnés. Instinctive, Vanessa, la flic, s’affranchit des règles pour arrêter les assassins. Procédurière, Justine, la juge, s’assure que le coupable soit condamné. Un seul point commun : leur père. Demi-sœurs, elles sont condamnées à vivre et travailler ensemble." (Press release).
 
 
[Update - March 14, 2022]
 
Made for France 2, Face à face arrives tomorrow on France 3.

Wednesday, 1 September 2021

THIRD MAN OUT: A DONALD STRACHEY MYSTERY (2005, HERE TV)

Donald Strachey is the quintessential private eye, a worthy heir to Philip Marlowe, but with a difference... He's gay. Third Man Out (2005) is the first of four excellent TV movies based on a book series.

Donald Strachey was created by American journalist and author Richard Lipez, who's openly gay, under the pen name Richard Stevenson. Strachey lives in Albany, N.Y. with his longtime partner Timothy "Timmy" Callahan, the aide to a New York state senator, and often investigates cases which concern the local gay community. Sixteen Donald Strachey Mystery novels were published between 1981 and 2019. Oddly, only a quarter were adapted.

« I've heard about you. You're that little Nancy boy Drew running around town causing trouble. »

From 2005 to 2008, U.S. premium LGBT channel Here TV shown four films shot in Canada and starring Chad Allen (Dr Quinn, Medicine Woman) as Donald Strachey and Sebastian Spence (First Wave) as Timothy Callahan: Third Man Out (2005), Shock to the System (2006), On the Other Hand, Death (2008) and Ice Blues (2008).  were helmed by director Ron Oliver (Queer as Folk, Psi Factor), who brought a substantial dose of of his creativity to the TV versions of Richard Stevenson's books (1)

Based on the fourth novel, Third Man Out was written by Mark Saltzman. An unknown shooter tries to kill gay activist John Rutka in his own home. Eddie Santon, his boyfriend, asks private detective Donald Strachey for help. Donald reluctantly accepts the case as Rutka is famous for outing personalities whom he considers hypocritical. He saves his client from a fire in his house but soon thinks that John and Eddie staged the attacks and he decides to quit. When John Rutka is found dead, Strachey faces Santon's reproaches and resumes his investigation. 

For his next target, Rutka was about to choose between congressman Bruno Slinger, TV puppeteer Ronnie Linklater and an unidentified third personality. Third Man Out successfully combines mystery and a film noir atmosphere with romance. Chad Allen is convincing as a P.I. right from his first scene (Strachey's car is an old Toyota Tercel). The romantic aspect of the Donald Strachey films comes from the relationship between Donald and Timmy, influenced by the Thin Man movies (1934-1947) and their husband/wife detective duo Nick and Nora Charles (2).

The chemistry between gay actor Chad Allen outed by a tabloid in 1996 and Sebastian Spence, who's straight, is essential to the charm of these adaptations. Though their characters come from different worlds (Donald has a military past, Timmy's father is a Republican congressman), they are committed to each other and live happily in a house in perpetual renovation with their dog Dr. Watson. A place where the couple always enjoy a Martini at the end of the day.

« Timmy, I think maybe you'd better take Dr. Watson for a walk.
- I just did.
- I think he needs to go again.
- Okay. Excuse me while I out my dog for the good of us all. »

In Third Man Out, Strachey gets to know Albany Police Detective Bub Bailey (Daryl Shuttleworth). He also meets a hotel desk clerk named Kenny Kwon. The role was originally a bit part in the first film but actor Nelson Wong came back in the others, this time to be Donald's assistant. Since Ice Blues, the last Donald Strachey, Wong played characters named "Kenny Kwon" in several Hallmark TV movies directed by Ron Oliver. Fans of both Hallmark Channel and Wong call these participations "the Kennyverse". The latest is A Timeless Christmas (2020). 

John Rutka is played by Canadian stage and TV actor Jack Wetherall (Queer as Folk). Sean Young (Blade Runner) is Ann Rutka. The rest of the cast of Third Man Out includes Woody Jeffreys (Eddie Santon), Matthew Rush (Dik Steele), April Amber Telek (Alice Savage), John Moore (Bishop McFee), Alf Humphries (Father Morgan), P. Lynn Johnson (Senator Dianne Glassman), Kirsten Williamson (DaVinci's Inquest) as  Meredith, David Palffy (Stargate SG-1) as Bruno Slinger, Sean Carey (Ronnie Linklater),  Richard Ian Cox (Black Stallion) as Howie, etc.

Produced by Shavick Entertainment (The New Addams Family), Insight Film and Video Productions Ltd and Barry Krost. Exec produced by Paul Colichman and James Shavick. Randy Zalken is the co-executive producer.  Produced by Kirk Shaw. Stacey Belecos Shaw is the associate producer. Cinematography by C. Kim Miles. Music by Ronnie Way and Bill Cunningham. In Heat, In Love composed by Peter Allen (lyrics by Dave Hudgins) and performed by Sibel Thrasher, who appears in the film.

Martinis by Moonlight composed by Ronnie Way and Bill Cunningham and performed by Ronnie Way. Editing by Tony Dean Smith. Production designed by Rick Whitfield. Victoria Soderholm is the set decorator, assisted by Andrew Ried. Title design by Krista Lomax. A Here! Films/Regent Entertainment presentation. Chad Allen retired from acting (and production) in 2015 to become a psychologist.  Third Man Out and the other Donald Strachey Mysteries made for television are a celebration of detective fiction.

(1) (2) See Bonnie Jean Mah's excellent documentary Martinis & Murder: Inside the Donald Strachey Mysteries (2009).

https://bryandspellman.com/donald-strachey-mysteries
https://www.advocate.com/politics/commentary/2005/08/15/chads-case
https://mydevotionalthoughts.net/2019/11/interview-with-actor-nelson-wong-christmas-at-the-plaza.html