Although I wasn't around it is, I suppose, reasonable to speculate that back in the nineteen thirties keen filmgoers looked forward to a new film from Marcel Pagnol one, more than likely featuring one of his regular players, Raimu, Fernandel, Charpin and set in the Midi. True or not I have learned to look forward to a new film from Robert Guidguian, who also has something of a repertory company in the shape of his wife, Ariane Ariscaride and leading men Jean-Pierre Darrousin and Gerard Meylan and likely as not set in and/or around Marseilles,, the hometown of both director and actress. He was back in 2017 with The House By The Sea which has just opened here and it is well up to snuff with a definite Chekovian feel in the melancholic tale of three siblings caring for a widowed father who can no longer take care of himself. As with Chekov there are supplementary characters, the elderly neighbors, their attentive son, the much younger girlfriend of one of the two brothers. All excel. As he often does Guideguian injects a Left-wing philosophy which makes him a sort of Ken Loach but with talent instead of attitude. In sum another fine film from a gifted film maker.
Review of The House by the Sea
