Someone coined the phrase “who-cares-who-dunnit” to describe Robert Altman’s Gosford Park last year. The term applies equally to François Ozon’s 8 Women, a murder-mystery of the Agatha Christie school where we are less concerned with who is guilty and why than who is our favorite character. It doesn’t hurt that the suspects vying for our affection are portrayed by three generations of the most beautiful and talented actresses in France’s cinematic history, and that they seem to be having a great time performing for us.
Marcel has been murdered in his bedroom, and we learn everyone has a reason to kill him. Gaby (Catherine Deneuve) stands to inherit his fortune. Her sister, the shrewish Augustine (Isabelle Huppert) unsuccessfully tried to seduce Marcel. Their mother (Danielle Darrieux) claims that Marcel tried repeatedly to steal her bonds. Marcel’s estranged sister, Pierrette (Fanny Ardant) has breezed back into his life to exploit him for money. Suzon (Virginie Ledoyen) and her father share a secret, and the help (the sultry Emmanuelle Béart as Louise, the maid) and Chanel (Firmine Richard) know more than they let on.
While we seem to be on familiar ground with the genre, Ozon subverts our expectations by introducing a musical element to the film. As the youngest member of the ensemble, Catherine (Ludivine Sagnier), breaks into the song “Daddy, You Ain’t With It,” we see that the songs function to reveal elements of the characters that can’t be told through traditional narration. The characters are both explaining themselves to the audience and to each other. Although not all the songs are chart-toppers, in each case they allow the actresses to showcase their ample talents.
Strong and glamorous women have always been part of the French cinema tradition. Here they are given the opportunity to strut their stuff, with each other, around each other and against each other. It’s a recipe for fun and success that is infectious. The result is not only a good idea on paper but also works well on film. Here, the cinematic planets and their stars have aligned just so to create an eminently enjoyable film.
