Une poule sur un mur: Old School Chaos

Is this for you?

If you have a soft spot for 1940s French cinema and don’t mind movies that feel like they’re shouting at you from a theater balcony, you might enjoy Une poule sur un mur. It’s got that specific, slightly frantic energy that makes you feel like the walls are closing in on the characters. If you prefer your pacing slow and meditative, or if you get annoyed by characters who seem to exist only to argue with each other, you should probably skip it. It’s not exactly a quiet, moody piece like The Story Without a Name.

The whole thing feels oddly claustrophobic. It’s as if the camera is trying to keep up with people who have absolutely nowhere to be, but are desperate to get there first. Jules Berry is doing his usual thing, which is fun if you like watching someone act like they’re the only person in the room who knows a secret. He has this way of blinking that makes you wonder if he’s actually reading lines or just making them up as he goes.

Oddly specific observations

• There is a moment near the middle where a character just stands by a wall for way too long. It’s not even a dramatic pause; it’s just... standing.
• The lighting in the interior shots is occasionally harsh, giving everyone these deep, weird shadows under their eyes that make them look tired, even when they're supposed to be excited.
• I noticed someone in the background of a café scene looking directly at the camera for three full seconds. They probably realized they weren't the focus and just froze.
• The dialogue is so fast that if you look away for a second, you’ve missed an entire subplot about a lost item that ends up not mattering anyway.

There’s no grand message here. It’s just people being mildly terrible to each other in a series of rooms. Sometimes, movies like this remind me of Black Sheep, where the plot feels secondary to the actors just having a go at each other. It doesn't always work, and the pacing is definitely all over the place, but there’s a charm to it.

It’s not a masterpiece, and honestly, parts of it feel like they could have been cut without anyone noticing. But there’s a certain imperfect, messy heart to it. It’s the kind of film that isn't trying to be an intellectual heavyweight. It just wants to exist, make a bit of noise, and get to the credits. 🐔