Whether farce or satire, this film is unmistakably French in sensibility. For American viewers, it might help to remember that the French sense of humor is often difficult to comprehend. Other reviewers have recapped the political plot line--which is also difficult to follow--so I will not. Like other reviewers I was eager to see this performance by Ingrid Bergman, and I found her as mesmerizing as ever. The camera adores her smile and laughter and beauty; yet, she is really not a comedienne (not even in "Cactus Flower"}. What drew me to this film was the Polish connection. Bergman plays penniless "princess" Elena Sokorowska from Poland who sees herself as something of a guardian angel to promising men everywhere. The references to the relationship between France and Poland are many, and some of the lines I love best result from the French characters' lack of knowledge about their devoted ally. Asked what vodka tastes like, Elena replies, "Like nothing. I prefer wine." One of Elena's men quips, "Polish women can be hard to understand." So can French films, even those directed by the great Jean Renoir.
Review of Elena and Her Men
