RIVIERA REVENGE/ N’AVOUE JAMAIS

France, 2024, 94 minutes, Colour.

Andre Dussollier, Sabebe Azema, Thierry Lhermitte, Josephine de Meaux, Sebastien Chassagne, Gael Giraudeau..

Directed by Ivan Calberac.

There is something tantalising about the English version of the title of this very French comedy with serious undertones. The French title leads us more into the serious themes of the film, Never Tell (highlighted in the lyrics in the song during the final credits).

One of the target audiences for this film is the older audience with three well-established veterans of French cinema, with Andre Dussollier as Frank, retired French Army veteran, principled, precise, demanding, with Sabine Azma as Anna,  his wife of 50 years, three children, a devoted companion over the decades, with Theirry Lhermitte as a charming man about town of the past, living comfortably in retirement.

It all opens very cheerily, a family celebration, children and grandchildren, for Annie’s birthday party, and their all having to sing Frank’s new lyrics to the melody of the Marseilles. It all offers a quick glimpse into the variety of characters, important for what is to follow.

In many ways this is the material of French farce, Frank discovering Annie’s infidelity of 40 years earlier, the stash of letters conveniently/inconveniently discovered in the attic. The story is the repercussions of this discovery on each of the characters. Frank is flabbergasted, highly offended, against all his principles, denouncing his wife, talking of divorce, and wanting some revenge on Boris, using his information links to discover Boris’s address.

And, off Frank and Annie go to Nice, staying with their daughter and discovering her secrets, in contact with the younger son whom Frank really disapproves of, unlike his older son, very military, with Adrian having a talent with puppets and entertainment.

While there are a lot of farcical confrontations and some mocking of the characters, there are serious themes underlying the surface, fidelity and infidelity, errors from the past, leaving them in the past or resurrecting them, understanding and forgiveness or refusal of understanding, mean-minded vengeance…

The actors are so skilful that they are quite persuasive even if times a touch of the caricature. And, there are implications for the children, the next generation and dealing with this upset of their parents. Meanwhile, Boris is absolutely charming and understanding.

There is a part pleasing resolution when both Frank and Annie watch a performance of a puppet play, some of the dialogue touching on Frank and his own experience of his strict parents. And there is an emotional sequence when Frank, accused of having a relationship with an attractive young woman, before he met Annie, finding out her address and discovering that she is in care, a surprise, the challenge, and some quietly moving moments.

The last minute or so is very French, French farce and comedy – and many will enjoy the implications of what is revealed but, for this reviewer, too frivolous an ending for what has gone before.

1. The tone of the French title, Never Tell? Lyrics during the final credits? The English title focusing on the action and motivations?
2. A French comedy, touches of French farce, bedroom farce, but with serious themes underlying?
3. The opening, the family gathered together, the military man and his memories, discipline and style? Annie, her birthday, the cake? The three children present, the grandchildren? The birthday cake, singing happy birthday to the Marseillaise? The reactions?
4. The situation, Frank and the attic, discovering the letters, the confrontation with Annie, the surprise of her reaction, the past, the secrets, 40 years passing? Her being more nonchalant? Frank, his upset, his principles, his dignity, deception, his reactions, as an old man, grudges? The interrogation of Annie? The talk of divorce? His identifying the lover, memories of the past, his determination to attack? His information contact, trying to find Boris’s address, the nonchalant communicator, the indication of polyamory? Giving the information?
5. Danny, her character, love for her husband, the three children, reactions to Frank, the divorce, her determination to go with him, to identify Boris, the journey?
6. Going to stay with Capucine? Her relationship with her parents, their never visiting? Her relationship, asking her partner to leave? The discussions with her parents, her mother telling her that it was a new honeymoon, the ambiguities in the response to her father and encouraging him? Her partner’s return, her father with a coffee, her ankle, his discovery of the partner, his shock at this relationship? Annie’s response?
7. Adrian, the youngest, not military-like compared with his brother, his relationship with his sister, his work as a puppeteer, with the children at the party, his profession, the discussions with his father?
8. Going to see Boris, Boris recognising them, his charm, life, memories of the past, his wealth at home, the pool and the swimming, the conversations, Frank with the spade and the attempt to hit him? The further meetings, the discussions, the attitudes towards the affair, the past? The effect on Frank? The effect on Annie, the difficulties with Frank, the arguments, her going to see Boris, the possibilities of the relationship beginning again, her leaving and going to the hotel?
9. Frank, the ups and downs of his emotions, his suspicions about the dates for Adrian’s birth, the visit to the beach, the nudist beach, plucking the hair, the blood, sending of the DNA for checking, Annie’s horrified response?
10. The talking with his daughter, the issue of Sophia, Boris explaining it, the relationship, the proposal, Annie shocked that there was another lie? Frank getting her adress, going to the address, discovering Sophie in the aged care home, dementia, the flowers, his leaving? The significance of this returning, acknowledging the past, feeding Sophie?
11. The change in Frank, his not wanting to go to see Adrian’s performance, waiting for Annie, going in, the performance of the puppets, the parallels to Frank’s life? His tear? Applause? Finding Annie? And her returning to the hotel?
12. Talking with his son, getting the gun, going to Boris’s house? The son and five daughters, thinking his father disappointed in him? His father’s apology?
13. The military decision, bringing out the big guns, hiring the band, serenading Annie, the reconciliation?
14. Home, the children, the attic, finding more letters – a farcical ending, ironic or, in terms of the realism of the issues, unnecessary?