Coiffeur pour dames: A messy, charming bit of old-school French chaos

Is it worth your time?

If you have a thing for black-and-white comedies where everyone speaks at 100 miles per hour, sure. If you prefer movies that actually make sense by the time the credits roll, maybe look elsewhere. It's the kind of film that plays best on a rainy Sunday when you just want something light and slightly baffling.

Fernand Gravey is doing a lot of heavy lifting here. He has this frantic energy that keeps the whole thing from sinking, even when the plot starts to feel like it’s just making things up as it goes along. Honestly, I think he was exhausted by the third act.

The salon setting is mostly just an excuse for people to walk through doors and look surprised. At one point, there’s this side character who just hangs around the background looking confused for about ten minutes, and I’m pretty sure they just forgot to tell him where to stand. It’s hilarious in a 'did they really leave that in?' kind of way.

Cinematic perspective: Exploring the visual vocabulary of Coiffeur pour dames (1932) through its definitive frames.

It’s nowhere near as sharp as The Liar, which had a bit more bite to it. Here, everything is soft around the edges. Nobody is actually in danger, and nobody is actually learning a lesson. They’re just having a very, very busy day.

Random notes from my notebook:

• The hair styling tools look like medieval torture devices.
• I swear the same extra walks past the window like six times.
• The dialogue moves faster than the actual camera work.
• The music swells at the weirdest moments, usually when someone is just holding a pair of scissors.

I found myself thinking about Happiness a la Mode while watching this, mainly because they both share that specific, frantic 'everybody is lying about something' DNA. But this one feels a bit more claustrophobic. You get used to the smell of hairspray and panic after a while.

There is a scene toward the end that goes on for way too long. The characters are just sort of standing there, waiting for the other person to say their line. It’s awkward. I think the editor just fell asleep at the desk. 💇‍♂️

Anyway, don’t overthink it. It’s just people in fancy clothes shouting in rooms. What more do you want?