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6/10
Senior Film Conservator
A definitive 6/10 rating for a film that redefined the boundaries of cult cinema. Les filles de la concierge remains a cornerstone of transgressive art.
Honestly, only if you have a soft spot for 1930s French cinema that smells a bit like mothballs and charm. If you want something fast, forget it. If you want a peek at how people used to stress about social ladders while wearing very sharp hats, you’ll probably have a nice time.
The whole thing hangs on Mme Leclerc’s shoulders. She’s the concierge, which in this movie feels like a full-time job of being ashamed of your own existence. It’s kind of funny, but also a little sad how much energy she spends trying to hide her apron from potential sons-in-law.
It’s not as polished as La dixième symphonie, and it definitely feels like it was made in a different era of filmmaking where you just set the camera down and let people talk until they run out of breath. The dialogue has a rhythm that’s hard to get into at first, but then it becomes almost hypnotic.
Sometimes the movie lingers on a hallway shot way longer than it needs to. It’s like the editor just walked away to get a coffee and forgot to hit 'cut'.
I found myself wondering if anyone in this building actually worked, or if they just spent their days walking into each other’s apartments to complain about their love lives. It reminds me of the chaotic matchmaking energy in The Bride's Mistake, just with more cigarettes and more judgment.
Is it a masterpiece? No. Is it a perfect way to spend 90 minutes when you don’t want to think about your own problems? Probably.
Also, the lighting in the kitchen scenes is weirdly dramatic. It’s like they were filming a crime thriller but they’re just talking about marriage prospects. Classic. 🎥