Eve Cherche Un Père is a weirdly charming mess from 1933

Is it worth the watch?

If you like those old movies where everyone talks at a hundred miles an hour and the plot makes zero sense if you think about it for more than five seconds, then yes. You will probably have a good time. If you need things to be logical or 'grounded,' you are going to hate this movie with a passion. 🙄

It’s a 1933 French farce called Ève cherche un père. The title literally means 'Eve seeks a father,' which is exactly what she does.

The whole thing starts because of this General who is just a massive jerk. He is the father of Jacques, Eve's fiancé, and he’s got this weird hang-up about Eve not having a dad. It’s not enough that she’s smart and clearly loves his son; no, she needs a pedigree. 🐕‍🦺

Assia Noris plays Eve, and she is just a ball of energy. She doesn't just walk into a room; she sort of explodes into it. She decides she isn't going to let some stuffy old military guy ruin her life, so she goes out to find a 'father' to play the part.

She finds this guy who is about 45 years old. His name is Claude (played by Charles Dechamps), and he’s actually pretty charming in a sort of tired, 'I’ve seen it all' kind of way.

The middle part of the movie is just pure chaos. They have to train this guy to act like a respectable gentleman, which is harder than it looks because he keeps slipping up. It reminded me a bit of the frantic energy in A Scrambled Romance where nobody is who they say they are.

I noticed this one scene where they are sitting at dinner. The General is blathering on about some battle, and the fake father is just staring at a piece of chicken like it’s the most interesting thing in the world. It goes on a bit too long, but it made me laugh because it felt so real. 🍗

The lighting in these old films is always so dramatic. Even in a comedy, the shadows are huge. It makes the General look way more intimidating than he actually is. He’s basically just a loud guy with a very stiff mustache.

There is a lot of door slamming. If you don't like door slamming, stay away. This movie is about 40% people walking through doors and 60% people talking about who just walked through the door.

Jean-Pierre Aumont plays Jacques, the fiancé. He’s fine, I guess? He’s very handsome, but he doesn't really have much to do except look worried. He spends most of the film looking like he’s about to have a minor headache. 🤕

The weirdest part—and I mean really weird—is that Eve and her 'fake' dad start to get a little bit too close. At one point, they are basically about to get engaged to each other to keep the ruse going. It’s uncomfortable! I was sitting there thinking, 'Girl, this is going off the rails.'

It has that same 'marriage is a disaster' vibe you see in Is Marriage the Bunk?. Just a lot of people making terrible decisions for the sake of a plot point.

Then comes the twist. I won't totally spoil the feel of it, but the guy she hired? He suddenly remembers he actually is her father. Like, for real. 😲

The way it’s revealed is so fast. He just sort of looks at a photo or remembers a date and goes, 'Oh, wait, that’s me!' It’s so convenient that it’s almost funny. The movie doesn't even try to explain the odds of this happening.

It reminded me of the bizarre coincidences in The White Mouse. Sometimes you just have to accept that movie logic is different from real-life logic.

I did notice the sound quality was a bit rough in my copy. There’s this constant hissing in the background, like someone is frying bacon in the next room. You get used to it after ten minutes, though.

The set design is actually pretty nice. The General’s house feels very heavy and expensive. It contrasts well with Eve’s more modern, frantic lifestyle. 🏠

Is it a masterpiece? No way. It’s a bit messy and the ending feels like they just wanted to go home for lunch. But it’s got a lot of heart.

I liked it better than The Girl Hater, mostly because Eve is such a fun character to watch. She’s not a victim; she’s a hustler. We need more of that in old movies.

One thing that bothered me was the music. It’s so loud during the transition scenes. It literally blares at you for five seconds and then cuts off abruptly. It’s like the editor was mad at the audience. 🎵

Still, for a movie from 1933, it feels surprisingly fresh. The jokes about social status and 'fitting in' with the upper class still land today. People are still obsessed with who their parents are, after all.

If you have an hour and a bit to spare, give it a go. Just don't expect it to change your life or anything. It’s just a silly, fast-paced romp through pre-war France.

Random Notes:

• The General’s uniform looks like it weighs 50 pounds.
• Assia Noris has the best 1930s eyebrows I have ever seen.
• There’s a dog in one scene that looks very confused to be there. 🐶
• The 'dad' wears a hat that is slightly too small for his head. It’s distracting.
• I wish Jacques had more of a backbone. He’s such a pushover!

Anyway, it’s a weird one. Not as dark as The Criminal Code, obviously, but it has its own kind of madness. 🥂