Die schrecklichen Eltern (1948)

Die schrecklichen Eltern: Directed by Jean Cocteau. With Jean Marais, Josette Day, Yvonne de Bray, Marcel André. When Michel, who’s 22, tells his parents he is in love, his mother Yvonne is distraught, believing she will lose his love (which is the center of her life), and his father Georges is distressed because it is Georges’ mistress, Madeleine, who his son loves. Yvonne and Georges financially and emotionally depend on Michel’s maiden aunt, Léo, who was once engaged to Georges but gave him up to her sister. Léo resolves to help them separate Michel and Madeleine, choreographs an elaborate meeting at Madeleine’s flat where Georges concocts a lie that Madeleine feels she must embrace, and the lovers part. Aunt Léo then has a change of heart and tries to put everything right.

“The parents have rarely been more selfish and nastier than in this Cocteau play.Only Tennessee Williamsu0026#39;s Mrs Venable in u0026quot;suddenly last summeru0026quot; can compete with Yvonne.Over-possessive to the power of 100,under her bourgeois mask,she is absolutely terrifying.And what about the father?He has an affair with Madeleine,who -coincidence- is in love with his son Michel.And when thereu0026#39;s somebody who must sacrifice himself..it wonu0026#39;t be him.u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003eThe play was ideal for cinema because the atmosphere is stifling,a constant huis clos where the characters are often filmed in close-ups:the parents u0026#39;faces exudes meanness,fear of getting old and ugly.Their apartment is deservedly called u0026quot;la roulotteu0026quot;(the trailer)as it seems as tiny as their occupantsu0026#39; heart.The only generous person is aunt Leo (Gabrielle Dorziat,dazzling as ever) who tries to save the young couple,because she knows what an unfulfilled life means;when she was young,she used to love her brother-in-law,Yvonneu0026#39;s now husband and she sacrified herself for her ungrateful sister.u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003eMichel (Jean Marais ,a bit too old for the part but his gusto and his dynamism easily makes up for it) and Madeleine (Josette Day,who had already teamed up with Marais in classic u0026quot;la belle et la bêteu0026quot;) are unfortunate victims of the boyu0026#39;s old folks .u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003eIt u0026#39;s untrue to say,as a precedent user mentions,that the nouvelle vague was rebelling against Jean Cocteau.He was never a target for them as was for instance,Jean Delannoy(who teamed up with Cocteau several times :u0026quot;lu0026#39;éternel retouru0026quot;(1943) and u0026quot;la princesse de Clèvesu0026quot; (1961).)u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003eCocteau is a monstre sacré.His works will outlive most of Godardu0026#39;s farces.I do hope they will.”