Anyone familiar with French cinema doesn’t need another good reason to see “8 Women”- there are already eight of them.
The cast itself is an assemblage of several generations’ worth of iconic Gallic actresses: Fanny Ardant, Emmanuelle BCB)art, Danielle Darrieux, Catherine Deneuve, Isabelle Huppert, Virginie Ledoyen, Firmine Richard and Ludivine Sagnier.
The man who had the audacity to bring this crowd of gems together is Francois Ozon. Most likely unknown to American audiences, Ozen has made his mark with such films as “Under the Sand” (2000) and “See the Sea” (1997).
In “8 Women,” Ozen combines the traditions of the English country house murder mystery and the 1960s musical creating a fabulous who-done-it full of mystery, suspicion and laughs.
The story takes place in a manor in the French countryside during the 1950s where eight women find themselves trapped by a snowstorm. Marcel, the man of the house, is found murdered in his bed and the plot ensues.
As the plot thickens, each of the eight women finds herself a suspect. More and more secrets are revealed and the audience becomes aware this is just one big dysfunctional family.
This film will have you guessing until the end which of the eight women did it; Gaby (Deneuve), the deceased’s spoiled, high-strung wife; her spinster sister Augustine (Huppert); the dead man’s seemingly harmless wheelchair-bound mother-in law Mamy (Darrieux); Marcel’s sexually charged sister Pierrette (Ardant); the recently hired sensual maid, Louise (BCB)art); the secretive cook, Chanel (Richard); Suzon (Ledoyen), the seemingly perfect daughter who just arrived from London for the holidays; or Catherine (Sagnier), the sassy younger daughter.
The musical numbers often come from nowhere – the first is especially a surprise. Each woman sings a song reflecting her inner turmoil. The songs range in style from the serious ballad to the youngest daughter’s ditty that appropriately translates to “Daddy, Daddy, You Ain’t With It” and offer smiling diversions between the accusations and catfights.
This film is a feast for the senses, with its remarkable cinematography and a palette of bright primary colors. Ozon also explores the sexual politics and repression women had to battle during the 1950s. The views presented range from the optimistic Catherine to the cynical Pierrette. “8 Women” is a bizarre, colorful and surprisingly hilarious film that will keep you guessing who-done-it until the very end (and I guarantee you won’t be right).
