8 Women

One of the most renowned and celebrated filmmakers in France today, Francois Ozon is a filmmaker that loves to tell dark stories filled with ambiguity and psychological textures that often compared him to Alfred Hitchcock. With acclaimed films like See the Sea, Under the Sand, and most recently his American breakthrough hit Swimming Pool, Ozon not only freshened the psychological thrillers and mysteries but also made accessible enough regardless of languages barriers. In 2002, Ozon decided to sway away from his dark, provocative thrillers for something funnier in a film that bended all sorts of genres in his Douglas Sirk-meets Agatha Christie mystery meets campy French musical in the ensemble film 8 Women (8 Femmes).

8 Women is what film critic Roger Ebert calls "an Agatha Christie musical" with the colorful, subtle look of Douglas Sirk's 1950s films. Set in the late 1950s, the film is about a man murdered as a wife, her two daughters, her sister, mother, sister-in-law, and two maids investigate the murder while being stranded in their mansion by snow without the help of cops. Along the way, secrets between the individuals are revealed as well as ambiguities and lies in a classic whodunit with campy songs ranging from 50s pop, classical pop, and jazz.

Based on the play Robert Thomas that was adapted into a script by Marina de Van and director Francois Ozon, it's a hilarious film that has elements of suspense, comedy, drama, mystery, intrigue, and camp. In the roles of the 8 women, Ozon gathered up an elite group of French actresses ranging from legends like Catherine Denevue and Danielle Darrieux to veterans like Isabelle Huppert, Fanny Ardant, and Firmine Richard, modern-day ingenues like Virginie Ledoyen and Emmanuelle Beart and newcomer/Swimming Poolstar Ludivine Sagnier. Overall, 8 Women is a film filled with ambiguities and swift plot twists that keeps on guessing till the end.

The film begins as a young woman in her 20s named Suzon (Virginie Ledoyen) has come home for the holidays in the French country home of her mother Gaby (Catherine Denevue). Suzon is anxious to see her father Marcel (Dominique Lamure) as she meets up with her wheelchair-bound grandmother Mamy (Danielle Darrieux) and the new chambermaid Louise (Emmanuelle Beart). After meeting her longtime black maid Madame Chanel (Firmine Richard), she gets a surprise from high-strung, teenage little sister Catherine (Ludivine Sagnier) and criticism from her uptight, strict aunt Augustine (Isabelle Huppert). They all have breakfast as Catherine wants to wake up her father but Mamy insists she doesn't as Catherine sings the first of 8 songs in the film.

Louise goes to bring some tea to Marcel's room where she discovered Marcel dead with a knife in his back as Catherine looked in shock and grabbed the key so the cops wouldn't look. Gaby wants to see and is in shock as the women try to call the cops but Augustine found the phone lines cut. Things get drastic as the women wonder who killed Marcel as they want to know who the murderer is and who saw him last. Louise admits she only brought tea to the master while Mamy only talked to him about money where she learned her bonds were stolen. Augustine is upset over the stolen bonds as she blames everything on her older sister Gaby as the two fight like animals. Gaby and Louise check outside for the car as Suzon suggests that they should reach Marcel's sister Pierette (Fanny Ardant) to the disgust of Gaby, who joins Louise. Chanel says that Pierette is here in the lodge cabin she and Louise stay as Gaby learns the car's engine doesn't work.

Pierette arrives as she is suspected to be the one who murdered Marcel, since she was here last night. Pierette admits she was here last night only to talk to Marcel but was shocked to learn that he was murdered. The mystery continues as secrets between the women are revealed, as Gaby is a prime suspect since she is the wife and if he dies, she gets his money. Gaby suspects Louise, since she was the one who brought the tea last night and had this seductive look towards Marcel. Louise goes to check the gates only to learn that everyone is stranded at the house because of the snow.

Stranded at the house, the ladies begin to talk about Marcel as well as dark secrets each women has been carrying like Chanel revealing to be a lesbian and Pierette was her lover to the disgust of Gaby and Mamy. Chanel then discovers something as she looked outside and as she was about to reveal, a gun was fired leaving her passed out and in shock. The tension between the women comes as Augustine and Gaby come to blows for sibling rivalry while learning dark secrets about their mother while Catherine and Suzon also comes to blows with their own secrets. The uptight Augustine also learns about her repressed sexuality with help from Louise in song as Gaby and Pierette comes to blows. Finally, with class tensions emerge and the mystery continues, the murderer is revealed but with a strange twist that is extremely shocking and in song.

What makes 8 Women appealing is in the way Francois Ozon plays up to the film's suspense and underlying tension of class, sexuality, and family rivalry. The film's suspense at times is hard to catch up to but with every moment of suspicion like the game Clue, it just keeps on getting fun. Ozon definitely bring in elements of Sirk's 1950s melodrama but in a campy, stylized approach with the feel and tone of modern-day French cinema that would've been radical if Sirk had done the film along with Todd Haynes's 2002 masterpiece Far from Heaven. The film's script feels like a stage play with its minimal setting and limited locations as each actress just acts in a disciplined, stage-like style while having the chance to play their characters in a loose way. Even to the point of parody for comedy is well served as Ozon just gives everyone a chance to have fun and sing while do some fine acting moments.

The film's look is also exquisite in the style of Douglas Sirk with large part to cinematographer Jeanne Lapoirie, who manages to bring a colorful, stylized look to the film's set and winter look of the French country. Also noted is the film's production design by Arnaud de Moleron and set decoration by Marie-Claire Quin for its detailed, posh look of late 1950s upper-class style of the house from its grand living room to the wallpapers and everything else. Costume designer Pascaline Chavanne definitely plays the part perfectly with the look of the costumes from glamorous dresses of Catherine Denevue, Fanny Ardant, and later on, Isabelle Huppert to the younger clothes of Virginie Ledoyen and Ludivine Sagnier.

It's not just Lapoirie, Chavanne, and the rest of the makeup/hair crew that are just making the actresses look great but give life to them in a way that isn't seen very often in American films. Something Mike Newell, Julia Roberts, and company should've paid more attention to for their disappointing 2003 film Mona Lisa Smile.

Another amazing aspect of the film is the music. With a lovely original score from Krishna Levy, the score features elements of subtlety in the film's more dramatic moments while playing up to the suspense with that familiar chord of mystery as the plot begins to thicken. The musical elements Ozon added to the film might annoy some including those who hates musicals but the interludes not only gives the characters a chance to shine in their singing abilities but plays up for its sheer camp style. The original songs are done in grand styles ranging from 50s French pop songs sung by Virginie Ledoyen, Emmanuelle Beart, and Ludivine Sagnier (who had the best of all with Papa, You're Behind The Time).

To the more classical ballads from Firmine Richard, Isabelle Huppert, and Danielle Darrieux and smooth jazz numbers from Catherine Denevue and Fanny Ardant. Even the film's campy choreography by Sebastien Charles is played up to a hilt from its robotic style for Ledoyen's number or Fanny Ardant's smooth jazzy tone. The dancing showed the actresses in their grand, stage discipline with elements of fun.

The film's cast of course, couldn't be any more perfect with all of them grabbing great chemistry and fine individual moments. In its group moments, the performances are spectacular whether it's the tension between Catherine Denevue's rich madam wife versus the luscious, sexy maid of Emmanuelle Beart or the sibling rivalries between Devenue and Isabelle Huppert that also draws parallel to the rivalry of Virginie Ledoyen and Ludivine Sagnier. Each actress doesn't try to out act each other or see who will win in an acting contest. Instead, whatever status the older or younger cast had is thrown out of the window in favor of the craft they put into their performances.

Ludivine Sagnier, the youngest actress in the cast as Catherine delivers a tour-de-force performance as the high-strung young woman who is desperate to live her own life with the approval of her father. Her energetic performance must've made Ozon use her for her international breakthrough role in Swimming Pool. Virginie Ledoyen is spectacular as the icy Suzon by leading the investigation while trying to hide her secrets from her family and the rest of the women. Known to Americans as Leonardo DiCaprio's love interest in The Beach, Ledoyen is given more to do while displaying some fine dramatic chops that she didn't have in Danny Boyle's disappointing flick. Emmanuelle Beart is shimmering and seductive as the chambermaid Louise by displaying a sensual, glowing performance while having a great song of her own that definitely outshines her previous roles, including her most well-known role in Mission: Impossible as Tom Cruise's object of affection.

While Firmine Richard's role is a stereotype of 1950s films of black maids, like Viola Davis' role in Far from Heaven, she outplays the stereotype with her off-kilter performance. Even as her character reveals to be a lesbian, Richard doesn't succumb to any cliches by just playing the strong, moral conscious of the film as she tries to reveal the mystery. Fanny Ardant is vivacious as the sleazy Pierrette with a past that seems radical for the 1950s but Ardant brings a slithering, cool performance that keeps on getting interesting without trying to out act her cast. Veteran Isabelle Huppert is hilarious as the more uptight Augustine in a role that some say is against type (for those who've seen her films) by playing the character in a restrained tone. Even as she dukes it out with Devenue, Huppert is tough and powerful while she shows her beauty later on in the film.

For film legend Catherine Denevue, this is one of her greatest performances as she continues to play a strong, enigmatic French woman with her classy sexiness. For a woman of her age, she still looks amazing while having the chance to display her comedic talents and dramatic chops in a performance that is spellbinding. For French film veteran Danielle Darrieux, her amazing performance as the elder Mamy is filled with ambiguities and secrets as she plays a woman who has secrets that upsets her daughters while she brings laugh as the drunken old lady who comforts everyone in the end.

While 8 Women isn't a film the casual moviegoer will go out and see; it's still one of the most entertaining films of 2002 without succumbing to Hollywood flash. Francois Ozon bends all sorts of genres that will likely confuse some filmgoers while others will forego whatever genre and know they'll have a good time, even with the musical interludes that will make you sing and dance. Fans of French films of course, will enjoy this especially with its amazing cast. Even fans of old-school Douglas Sirk 1950s film will love the look although they might be warped by the film's eccentric tone. For anyone who likes the French, campy musical numbers, ambiguous storylines, sheer melodrama, and offbeat comedy gags, 8 Women is the film to see.

Related Reviews:

Trois Couleurs-Bleu (1993):

http://www.epinions.com/content_128764710532

Far from Heaven (2002):

http://www.epinions.com/content_125104918148

8 Women Soundtrack (2002):

http://www.epinions.com/content_152092577412

Francois Ozon Reviews:

See the Sea (1997):

http://www.epinions.com/content_140494409348

A Summer Dress (1997):

(Coming Soon)

Sitcom (1998):

(Coming Soon)

Criminal Lovers (1999):

http://www.epinions.com/content_140499586692

Water Drops on Burning Rocks (2000):

http://www.epinions.com/content_137746419332

Under the Sand (2000):

http://www.epinions.com/content_140736499332

Swimming Pool (2003):

http://www.epinions.com/content_135739575940

5x2 (2004):

http://www.epinions.com/content_234372238980

A Time to Leave (2005):

http://www.epinions.com/content_287590551172

A Curtain Raiser (2006):

(Coming Soon)

Angel (2007):

(Coming in 2007)