Frivolités Review: 1920s Paris and Too Many Mirrors

If you have an hour and you want to see what 1927 Paris thought was actually hot, then yeah, put this on. It's for people who like silent movies that feel a bit like people-watching at a cafe. If you hate slow movies where nothing 'happens' besides vanity, you'll probably turn it off in five minutes. 💄

It's called Frivolités, which basically means 'silly things' or 'nonsense'. Which is exactly what it is, honestly.

The movie is obsessed with mirrors. Like, really obsessed.

There is this one shot of Geneviève Cargese just staring at herself that goes on forever. You start wondering if she's looking for a blemish or just admiring the architecture of her own face.

It’s kind of funny how the 'handsome' men in this movie look. They have these very thin mustaches that look like they were drawn on with a pencil. ✏️

Manuel Raaby is in it, and he carries himself like he knows the camera is there. It’s that old-school acting where everything is a bit too much, you know?

Reminds me a little of The Girl of Today, but with way more French attitude. Or maybe The Single Standard if it was filmed in a basement in Montmartre.

The costumes are the real star here. The hats are huge—like, how did they walk through doors without hitting the frame? 👒

There’s a moment where a woman is putting on stockings and the camera just... stays there. It feels a bit invasive but also very much of its time.

The irony the director is going for doesn't always land. Sometimes it just feels like we're watching people be vain because the director liked watching them be vain.

It gets a bit repetitive after a while. You see one person fix their hair, you've basically seen 'em all.

But the street shots of Paris are stunning. You can see the old cars and the way the light hits the cobblestones.

It’s much better than something like The Wolf because it doesn't try to be a big drama. It just sits there and looks at you.

I think the film is actually making fun of us for watching it. It’s like, 'Look at these pretty people doing nothing, and look at you watching them.' 🤡

The ending is sort of abrupt. It just stops, like they ran out of film or got bored of the pretty faces.

I liked the grainy look of the film stock. It makes everything feel like a half-remembered dream about a party you weren't actually invited to.

If you're bored of modern faces and want to see some vintage pouting, give it a go. Just don't expect a big plot or anything.

Things I noticed:

• That one guy's mustache is definitely crooked in the cafe scene.
• The way they handle cigarettes like they are holy relics.
• Paris looked so much quieter back then, even with the cars.
• Esther Kiss has a look that could actually kill someone.