Madwoman of Chaillot

Let me be the first reviewer here to suggest that the curious use of three aged women to represent the forces of justice at work in this dual world is a deliberate hearkening to the Weird Sisters of "Macbeth", or the Furies of Greek tragedy, or even the Fates themselves. Similarly, the huddled poor of the Parisian streets and the menial laborers mostly have no names because they represent archetypes, perhaps -- a Greek chorus full of accusations for their tormentors. They contrast starkly with the smooth amorality of the movie's duplicitous villains -- an oil tycoon, a clergyman, a general, a politician, a business consultant, and others -- played to icy perfection and with just the right amount of absurd black humor by Pleasance, Brynner, Gavin, and their partners. Richard Chamberlain, playing an idealistic activist, adds a dose of romanticism when he leaves the world of the "faceless pimps" (in the damning words of Danny Kaye's relentless Ragpicker) and journeys for the love of Irma, a poor waitress, into the shadow world of the Countess of Chaillot -- although in doing so, he must destroy Hepburn's illusions forever, prompting her to take a terrible vengeance on the "greedy, stupid, lost" men who have caused the world to "not be happy."

The climactic "trial" sequence, where the Ragpicker must play the devil's advocate on behalf of the collective monied classes, placed in the docket for crimes against humanity, is a masterful performance by Kaye, playing a non-clown role for once (who ever suspected he had it in him?). With honeyed words, he first seduces his "judges" into falling for his deceits; then, when his lies are exposed for the pretense they are, he turns into a raging, bellowing monster of hatred, openly proclaiming his naked desire for money and power merely to make war and destroy what's left of the earth. Finally the mask has slipped; the court renders its verdict; and Hepburn's meting out of justice is as dreadful as any judgment of Nemesis.

Which is all very ponderous and heavy, but you can really take this film two ways -- whimsical fantasy entertainment or something much deeper and disturbing. The choice rests with the viewer, much as it lies with the characters in the movie to choose which path they wish to pursue. "The Madwoman of Chaillot" may have been made over 30 years ago but the issues it raises and the attitudes it depicts are still very much with us today, and only someone as asleep and dreaming as the Countess wouldn't realize it.


Worth seeing only for Hepburn and Danny Kaye   July 14, 2002
 5 out of 16 found this review helpful

My, what a curious and uncertain film. The writer and director try out all sorts of tones without ever deciding on one. Is it a joke? Is it serious? Can it be that Bryan Forbes unashamedly uses 1960's riots/protest footage as window dressing? Do the filmmakers share the cynicism of most of the male characters? Rarely have I witnessed a movie where amateurishness and pure gold collide and co-mingle as they do in this.

It is overlong, and the interminable scenes of Donald Pleasance, Yul Brynner and John Gavin (three of the most witless and inept performances you will ever encounter) drinking at the outdoor bistro with Charles Boyer should've been left on the chopping room floor.

It takes awhile for Miss Hepburn's monologues to begin, but when they do this sorry picture takes off into a completely new stratosphere: the movie becomes not only bearable but actually good for a few sequences. I loved her bit about mailing herself letters that she writes the day prior.

Kate is fantastic as the out-of-her-time Countess. Her acting here is on a par with the best work she's ever done. Gone is the regal stiffness of Lion in Winter made the year before; in its place, you find the qualities she displayed in her greatest roles: The Philadelphia Story, Long Day's Journey Into Night, Summertime. What a shame that Madwoman of Chaillot lets her down. Most of the rest of the movie is garbage.

The most sharply etched moment in the film comes about midway when the "Ragpicker" (none of the characters sport actual names) played by Danny Kaye bursts her bubble. "It's you who've been dreaming, Countess," he tells her. She echoes the words of the small group of disenchanted people they stand among. "The world is not beautiful???" she questions in utter amazement.

Kaye is also quite good in a non-comic role. He looks kind of sexy, too, especially in the mock trial sequence.

The other actors are set-up to appear foolish. Granted, some of them deserve it, but I was appalled that Giulietta Masina gets treated so callously. She's asked to be a brainless virgin here, quite a feat considering her age. If you loved her in Nights of Cabiria or the other Fellini films in which she starred, stand warned that Masina has absolutely _nothing_ to do in an insulting role. Having no feelings of affection for Margaret Leighton or Edith Evans, I didn't especially mind that they were thrown away as well.

Admittedly, the finale when Kate leads the bad guys to their doom left me with a rosy glow. If only she'd thought to take the writer and director of this movie down to the dungeon, too!


Hepburn at Her Finest   May 1, 2001
 12 out of 16 found this review helpful

O.K., I admit it. I'm the type who would watch Katherine Hepburn in literally ANY role and find something good about it. There are plenty of flawed or mediocre works I have sat through just for her. But the fact is that "Madwoman .." is a truly great film both as a comedy and a social critique. A consortium of evil conspirators representing most of the world's repressive idelogies (Communism, religious fundamentalism, corpoate greed, rigid middle class conformism and military war-mongering)try to destroy the "decadent" city of Paris (symbol of liberty, beauty and humanism). Kate, the city's defender, is a highly eccentric Countess who may or may not have some kind of semi-magical powers and who may or may not be immortal. To make a long story short, the bad guys make her mad and end up buried alive (when asked if they will be missed she replies "Do you miss a cold when it is gone?" Good answer!). Don't mess with Kate!


Not the usual Bryan Forbes   November 8, 2000
 6 out of 10 found this review helpful

This is not your usual narrative. The vestiges of Jean Giraudoux's trifling and engagingly whimsical play can still be noticed in Edward Anhalt's interesting modernization of his work. Bryan Forbes ("King Rat") directed this unusual movie. The cast includes Katharine Hepburn (an extremely sane madwoman), Margaret Leighton, Edith Evans, Giulietta Masina, Charles Boyer, Yul Brynner, Donald Pleasence, Danny Kaye, John Gavin, Nanette Newman, Oscar Homolka, Claude Dauphin, Richard Chamberlain, Paul Henreid, and Fernand Gravet. There is some nice photography along the way. Not for all tastes.