Henri Decoin, a great unsung French director, was never better than when directing Danielle Darrieux and the proof lies in the nine top-class movies they made together both during and after their six-year marriage (six during, three after); indeed if one were seeking a new definition of 'civilized' you could do a lot worse than cite this working relationship. With a nice touch of irony Francois Donge (Jean Gabin) lying in a hospital bed after wife Elizabeth 'Bebe'(Danielle Darrieux) has slipped a little mercury where it will do the most good and forgiven her, instructs her to continue planning their tenth wedding anniversary, whereas in real life Decoin and Darrieux were celebrating the tenth anniversary of their divorce. At 34 Darrieux was at the height of her powers and as radiant as any actress on any screen in any world. The script requires her to progress from wide-eyed idealist to bruised maturity and she takes it in her stride. They could have saved a mint on the budget because Darrieux wears Balmain throughout and this is rank extravagance on an actress who can make a Woolworth's dress look like Balmain. In the cold war aspects of the relationship Gabin turns in a prototype of the relationship he would enjoy with Simone Signoret in Le Chat although that relationship lacked light relief. Everyone is on top of their game here, Decoin, Gabin, Darrieux and Gabrielle Dorziat who punctuates the action like a good fairy who's been nobbled. I can't praise this one too highly. A gem.
Review of The Truth About Bebe Donge
