Tout feu, tout flamme

The École polytechnique alumni Pauline Valance works as an assistant to the Minister of the Economy, Finances and Industry and single-handily supports her family. Everything goes on as usual, until sudden comeback of Victor – the ne'er-do-well dad. Pauline treats him with a cynical suspicion. Her suspicions are realized when Victor makes grandmother to sign a power of attorney certificate and sells the family flat. Driven by animalistic rage, Pauline, along with gangsters, chases her father to the French-Swiss border.

It is not widely known, that Isabelle Adjani has started her career as a comedy actress. Into the troupe of the Comedie-Francaise The Actress has played in classical French comedies. Despite the fact, that Isabelle Adjani has earned her place in the Pantheon after «The Story of Adelie H.». After that, The Actress has been always admired and worshipped for her dramatic roles; nevertheless, she had also sometimes played in cute comedies.

In «Tout feu, tout flamme» Isabelle Adjani shows us a variety of persons: the Princess of Darkness, secretly ruling the French and European economy; the sweet girl, who got to take care of her family; the raging monster, who is ready cut anybody’s throat and so on.

Yves Montand looks good as a ne'er-do-well dad, whose business schemes are always goes belly-up. Actor uses his natural charm and brings comedy relief to the film; the most hilarious scene was the Chinese scene.

Jean-Paul Rappeneau, the director of Von Voyage, mixes genres: comedy; father-daughter drama; gangster film and melodrama. The main theme of this film is the father-daughter conflict, spiced by a comedy sauce.

«Tout feu, tout flamme» is a very cute comedy with a good Isabelle Adjani-Yves Montand acting duo. All those who love French cinema, and especially Isabelle Adjani fans, should immediately watch this film.

7,5/10