Prête-moi ta femme: A chaotic French comedy relic

Is it worth your time?

Honestly? Probably not, unless you’re deep into 1930s French cinema or you have a weird itch for slapstick that feels like it’s being performed at double speed. If you like quiet, thoughtful movies, this will drive you up the wall. If you enjoy total chaos and people running in and out of doors for 80 minutes, you might find a charm here.

The whole premise is just a headache of lies. Someone wants something, someone else pretends to be someone else, and suddenly everyone is shouting. It’s not exactly Tout s'arrange in terms of elegance, that’s for sure.

Pierre Brasseur is in this, which is the only reason I bothered to finish it. He has this look on his face like he knows the script is a disaster but he’s going to commit to it anyway. It’s a very specific kind of exhausted charisma.

The "Wait, what?" moments

There is a scene near the middle where a character trips over a rug that clearly isn't even in their way. It happens, the camera doesn't even cut, and the actor just keeps going like nothing happened. It’s bizarre. I rewatched it three times. It’s the best part of the movie.

• The pacing is frantic, like the editor was trying to finish the cut before dinner.
• The dialogue is mostly just people talking over each other at high volume.
• The costumes are surprisingly nice, even if the plot is paper-thin.

It lacks the sharp wit of better comedies. It feels more like a stage play that got lost on its way to the theater. It reminds me of the manic energy in Tugboat Annie, but without the heart or the harbor. Just a lot of noise and slamming doors.

I wouldn't say it's a total failure, but it’s definitely one of those films that exists mostly to fill a gap in a library. It’s loud, it’s messy, and it’s mostly forgotten for a reason. But hey, at least nobody tries to save the world from robots like in some of those other films. Just small, silly people making big, silly mistakes.

Maybe skip it. Or watch it if you're bored on a rainy Tuesday. It’s fine. Just... fine. 🎞️