Un drôle de dimanche (1958) User Reviews

Sunday ENCOUNTER (Marc Allegret, 1958) **1/2

[Bunuel1976 · 6/10 · 24 January 2010]

Yet another slight French film from a director past his prime; presciently, at the same time, it signaled the debut of one of the major icons of the "Nouvelle Vague" – actor Jean Paul Belmondo, who somewhat inconsequentially here plays the second romantic lead. Two of the three stars involved, in fact, had been leading ladies since the late 1930s (Danielle Darrieux and Arletty) and whose careers had understandably started dwindling by now; the third is comic Bourvil whose career would peak during the next decade. The film is a bittersweet romance with Bourvil still pining for the woman (Darrieux) whom he had met during WWII and who had left him 5 years previously: unbeknownst to him, she is currently in a relationship with one of his war buddies and, by chance, he notices her aboard a bus and catches up with her but they part ways soon after; however, he follows her and storms the office she had entered – where he comes face to face with his ex-colleague, but then leaves in dismay. So, Bourvil concocts a plan – with the help of his landlady (Arletty), her daughter and the latter's unruly trumpeter boyfriend (Belmondo) – by which he gives appointment to Darrieux, ostensibly to discuss their divorce settlement, at his office (where he purports to impress his ex-wife by letting her believe he is top man) and, later, at a country villa actually owned by Arletty (having also borrowed his real boss' swanky car for the occasion)! Incidentally, Bourvil has to act quickly if he wants to regain the woman he loves back – since Darrieux (who even gets to sing here) is to emigrate to Canada on that same day; the titular outing, then, is fraught with incident (having taken a gun and toyed with the idea of killing her if she insists on leaving, Arletty & Co. embark on a race-against-time to stop him) but also reminiscences of their life together. Of course, this being an old-fashioned French film, our couple gets back together in the end – with Darrieux even happy that Bourvil still owns his rickety ancient car. A pleasant enough effort, then, if strictly minor (and, ultimately, pretty forgettable) fare.

A Sunday Kind Of Love

[writers_reign · 7/10 · 21 February 2017]

Alas there are only three reviews for this movie, two French and one Maltese. Were someone to organise a Poll - though I can't think why anyone would bother - for non-French film buffs who love French cinema there's a better than even chance that I would be First, Second, and Third so it isn't surprising that I rate this movie quite highly. For one thing it features two iconic actresses who both found fame in the thirties yet somehow never shared a screen until now and Arletty and Danielle Darrieux are worth the price of admission multiplied by ten. Andre Bourvil would drop his first name and star in a well-received series of comedies throughout the 60s but here his serious acting chops are on display - as they would be towards the end of his life in Melville's Le Circle Rouge - and he acquits himself well as a man carrying a torch for Darrieux who left him five years before we pick up the action. There's a fourth prominent name, Jean-Paul Belmondo, who was able to shake of the taint of the New wavelet which brought him to prominence. Arletty and Darrieux have only a couple of scenes together in the closing stages but for magic like that I'd happily wait twice as long.

Marc Allégret's last works....

[dbdumonteil · 21 February 2007]

.... were derivative stuff .But they did have wonderful casts: this is the only film where you can see Danielle Darrieux and Arletty together:two legends of the French cinema .Plus Bourvil and Jean-Paul Belmondo who would team up again ten years later for "le Cerveau" (1969).

After "Blanche Fury" ,Allégret did not make a single truly interesting movie."Un drôle de dimanche" hesitates between comedy and drama.There are some funny moments (notably when Bourvil pretends to be the boss to regain his ex-wife's love; the commercial with all the women crying ) but as a drama it does not really work.The three flashbacks are a waste of film ,the Bourvil/Darrieux encounter is laborious,the final chase is repetitive.

The reason why you would watch this is,I say it again,the cast.Arletty as a dramatic art teacher,what a good idea!The sequence is unfortunately too short.

A super casting!

[ple-paulette · 10/10 · 2 February 2007]

Summary express: Jean Brevent still did not understand the departure of his wife, Danielle Darieux, here five years, during which, it could not forget it. In spite of a work of writer originator in a newspaper, in which it tried to be invested completely, time did not make its work. One day, by chance, he meets her in the bus...

To try to reconquer her, he wants to dazzle her by replacing his owner, the President of Publi-Paris, a company of publicity.

In the same time, to meet again his ex-wife, Danielle Darieux, he proposes the divorce to her!

A super french casting of the fifties! With Bourvil (Jean Brevent), his ex-wife, Danielle Darieux and Roger Hannin (his rival), Jean-Paul Belmondo (his gender) and Jean-Paul Lefebvre as his chauffeur.