Coralie et Cie: A messy, charming relic from the past

Is it worth your time?

Honestly, it depends on how much patience you have for old comedies that rely heavily on people slamming doors and looking confused. If you enjoy Panurge or just like watching 1930s sets that look like they were built with glue and cardboard, you’ll probably find something to love here. But if you hate watching characters make the exact same mistake five times in a row, stay far away.

The whole thing feels remarkably small. It’s like the actors are trapped in a room and told to talk as fast as they possibly can. Josette Day is doing a lot of the heavy lifting, and she’s charming enough, but the script gives her so little room to breathe. Everything feels a bit cramped.

There’s this one sequence in the middle involving a misplaced hat that goes on for, I swear, ten minutes. It’s meant to be a hilarious farce, but it just feels like the director, Alberto Cavalcanti, was trying to hit a quota for 'accidental misunderstandings.' It’s the kind of scene where you find yourself checking the time just to see if the hats will ever stop being a problem.

The lighting is weirdly flat, too. Sometimes the characters look like they’ve been pasted onto a background that doesn't belong to them. It’s not necessarily a bad thing, it just gives the whole movie this ghostly, stage-bound feeling. It reminds me a bit of the frantic energy in Upstage, but without the same kind of visual punch.

Odd observations:

• The fashion house looks more like a dusty library than a place where people would actually buy clothes.
• Every time someone walks through a door, the timing feels just a half-second off. It’s hypnotic.
• The background music really loves to emphasize every single joke, even the ones that don't land.
• Is it just me, or does everyone in this film have an extremely specific way of holding a telephone?

I don't think this is a lost masterpiece or anything. It’s just a weird little artifact. If you’ve seen The Doctor's Secret, you know that era of filmmaking had a very specific way of treating 'comedy.' It’s not subtle. It’s not meant to be.

Sometimes you can tell the actors are exhausted. There’s a moment where a lead character pauses just a little too long before saying their line, and you can practically see them remembering where they’re supposed to stand next. It’s kind of endearing.

Overall, it’s a perfectly fine way to spend an afternoon if you’re into the history of French cinema. Just don't go in expecting something ground-breaking. It’s just people, hats, doors, and a whole lot of talking. 🤷‍♂️