Thursday 22 September 2022

Alternate Best Actor 1981: Michel Serrault & Lino Ventura in Garde à Vue

Michel Serrault nor did Lino Ventura receive an Oscar nominations for portraying Jérôme Martinaud and Inspector Antoine Gallien respectively in Garde à Vue.

Garde à Vue is an effective psychological thriller about one night of interrogating the prime suspect in a child murderer investigation. 

Michel Serrault plays the suspect and Lino Ventura plays the investigator in this game of cat and mouse, although part of the mystery you might say is what type of film this actually is and the development of it. Is it a character study of this kind of man and just trying to achieve the confession, or is this a genuine attempt to discover the truth of the matter? Each performer crafts a possible narrative through their performances and much of the compelling drama is through their interactions with one another. Ventura is obviously the more straightforward performance as the investigator who takes in this wealthy attorney on New Year's to ask him a few questions after the man had discovered one of the victims. Serrault on the other hand must be the enigma as the possible suspect, and the question isn't just whether or not he's guilty, but also if the film is about him confessing or about him being guilty or not. The game then is afoot for both actors to ply their trade with engaging conversation as the investigator goes through his evidence and leaves Serrault to attempt to tell his story. 

Ventura and Serrault are an effective duo in this game by projecting very different manners of the person. The old pro Ventura presents a man of convictions with his slightly haggard but penetrating stare. Ventura suggests a man who has been through similar matters before, and while it is another day in his life, it is the day in the life of a true professional. Conversely, Serrault is anything but at ease. There is such a prominent tension in his physicality in the role, as a man who is clearly filled with some kind of anxiety, although the exact anxiety is the key. When Ventura as the inspector asks his first questions in a calm yet assertive manner, the suspect initially disparages the inspector back by questioning his virtues as an inspector. Serrault's delivery contrasts strongly with sharp intensity. Serrault makes the words filled with a fit of almost unspecific anger, he is angry at the questions but it goes beyond that in the sense of frustration in him. Serrault's whole face is filled with a whole lot as he stares at the cop, and while this doesn't necessarily immediately denote guilt, it does suggest a man who is hiding something. 

The first obstacle in the attorney's story is the whereabouts of a dog he claimed to be walking and his whereabouts during the time the children went missing. Ventura prodding through this rather strict and cold efficiency in his words. Ventura plays the detective well by showing a man who knows the evidence, even if circumstantial, is more than enough to stumble the man he is interrogating. He doesn't accentuate the idea he just supports it. Serrault though is quite effectively frustrating as the man in that you can fully get the read on his frustrations fully other than he has them. Serrault is properly obtuse though as he speaks with such bile in stating his position in the community as seen as someone who must be taken down or lashes out at the detectives who will not accept any of his claims as the truth. Ventura and Serrault work well together by really just playing the two sides of the musical piece with Ventura being the steady bass against Serrault's far more manic tenor. In each duet, though you see some bits of sanity seemingly stripping from Serrault's performance as he reveals a man who is seemingly more and less than he is claiming he is. 

Serrault's work is purposefully unlikable I'd say right down to his typical grimace and perhaps most obvious when one of the other cops presses him about the crime. The reaction of the man though is not one of ardent denial but rather this bitter insistence on correctly describing the order of the crime which Serrault plays as this fixation of a pedantic nature. Serrault plays it well by being horrible, however horrible in a somewhat ambiguous way. Serrault makes it clear that the man's mind is probably not fixated correctly however he suggests potentially the man is stuck within his frustrations of the false accusations or the possibility of being caught. It doesn't help that the deeper we dive the more vicious the man is. Serrault though is key in that when the man seems to try to come up with an excuse, for example by noting his wife's sexual refusals of him and his visiting of a whore, he shows some very deep seeded anguish in the man. Anguish perhaps as a man trying to avoid his punishment, or a man just living a very difficult emotionally fraught life. Again this is particularly effective against Ventura's calmly penetrating stare as he pesters the man, before going to his wife (Romy Schneider) for more information on the man. 

Where we, spoilers, get to seemingly the truth as the wife implicates the husband leaving the inspector to introduce this to the man. Serrault is excellent in the scene in just expressing such a quiet state of defeat as he admits to all the crimes with this sort of passive indifference of a man who sees that he is seemingly meaningless to his wife. Although the scene is excellent because it actually makes one immediately suspect for the first time that the attorney isn't guilty because his admittance is without that anger or bitterness, it is just sadness for life itself. This is quickly discovered to be the truth as by chance the real killer is discovered instead. This reworks the thoughts behind Serrault's performance throughout, which reveals that his anger was just like a man in an unhappy life, with the secrets of that unhappy life being pulled out in an unpleasant way. Serrault's work naturally reveals itself as working both as the possible killer and also just an innocent man going through hell. With he and Ventura just doing striking work in articulate this unique dance that does get to the truth of the man, but just not the truth that was expected. The very final moment then is exceptional work by both actors as you could say it is the most real moment, as neither man is playing a game, that is the now are just human. The moment is after the death of the attorney's wife, where Serrault is heartbreaking by the man's emotion being wholly uncompromised in just his disbelieving yells of heartbreak, and Ventura is also quite moving by showing now his reaction to no longer being the calculating detective, instead being just the empathetic human feeling for the man wronged by circumstance. 

28 comments:

Mitchell Murray said...

I'll have to make a note about checking this out, as it would be one of the oldest french language films I've watched.

Also, I thought I'd let y'all know that I'm in the process of writing a double performance review, covering Florence Pugh's two leading turns from 2019.

So, given the choice between rewatching "Fighting with my Family" or "Midsommar" today, I choose the later....and it's both better and worse then I remembered. More than anything, I honestly just have to ask myself - did people really think it was the most unsettling film of the year? I know "Parasite" didn't come out until the fall, but still...

Luke Higham said...

Louis: Ratings and thoughts on the rest of the cast.

Robert MacFarlane said...

I got out of Don’t Worry Darling. Honestly not THAT bad until the reveal. Pugh is predictably great. Styles is… uh, I hope his music career keeps going strong.

Mitchell Murray said...

Robert: I'm on the fence about seeing it as I of course like Pugh, but am rather torn with how people have described/responded to it.

Although, I'll be honest....as far as Hollywood scandals go, the news surrounding that film is one of the biggest nothing burgers I've heard in a while. Maybe there's details I'm not aware of, but why has the internet chosen that movie/Wilde/Styles for its specific ire?

Matthew Montada said...

Mitchell: ratings on the cast of Don’t Worry Darling (if you do ratings)?

Mitchell Murray said...

Matthew: Robert's seen the film, while I haven't yet. I can comment on the news surrounding it's production and press, but not on the movie itself.

Matthew Montada said...

Mitchell: oh. Didn’t catch that. My apologies haha.

Marcus said...

Mitchell: Wilde got a lot of flak for leaving Ted Lasso for Styles, and then for apparently 'lying' about why Shia Labeouf was fired. It's a total shitshow.

Calvin Law said...

Pretty much agree on this one. Will be interested to see how the ranking pans out - knew Heard would be taking this lineup in a landslide.

Shaggy Rogers said...

Hey guys
Update on my Top 10 prediction of Louis' lead actor in 1981:
1. Hoskins
2. Heard
3. Gibson
4. Prochnow
5. Caan
6. Ford
7. Serrault
8. Brandauer
9. Moore
10. Irons

Shaggy Rogers said...

Tell what the winners of the 1981 Louis will be.

Picture: Raiders of the Lost Ark
Director: Steven Spielberg - Raiders of the Lost Ark
Actor: Bob Hoskins - The Long Good Friday
Actress: Isabelle Adjani - Possession
Supporting Actor: Robert Prosky - Thief (Williamson will take the place later)
Supporting Actress: Helen Mirren - Excalibur
Ensemble: Das Boot
Production Design: Raiders of the Lost Ark
Sound Editing: Blow Out
Sound Mixing: Das Boot
Score: Chariots of Fire
Editing: Raiders of the Lost Ark
Visual Effects: Raiders of the Lost Ark
Costume Design: Excalibur
Cinematography: Gallipoli
Makeup and Hairstyling: An American Werewolf in London
Original Screenplay: The Long Good Friday
Adapted Screenplay: Das Boot
Song: "For Your Eyes Only" - For Your Eyes Only

Calvin Law said...

So today I watched one of the worst of the year (Don't Worry Darling) and one of the best of the year (Athena). Balances out I guess.

Matthew Montada said...

Calvin: ratings for the casts of Athena and Don’t Worry Darling?

Matt Mustin said...

Watched Henry V(1989). Excellent. Branagh directs it extremely well, and it's mostly very well-performed. AMAZING score, Patrick Doyle not getting nominated is honestly an all-time snub, I think.

Branagh-4.5(He's got some shaky moments but he's so strong in most scenes that he makes up for it.)

Jacobi-4.5

Holm-4

Scofield-3.5

Thompson-3.5(Not much to do, but she's wonderful as always, and her chemistry with Branagh in the final scene is dynamite.)

Blessed-3(He's fine, but why wasn't he Falstaff?)

Bale-3(Adds more the character than their probably would be otherwise.)

Coltrane-2.5(Doesn't really make the impact Falstaff should. Honestly, him and Blessed probably should have switched roles.)

Dench-3.5

Maloney-1.5(One note angry jerk.)

Matt Mustin said...

Oh you know what, 3.5 for Richard Briers, thought he made a tremendous impact.

Tim said...

Matt: It's been some years since i saw that one, but as i remember it i would consider the cinematography an equally big snub

Tony Kim said...

Louis and to anyone else - What are your thoughts on the comparisons that have been made between Jesse Plemons and Philip Seymour Hoffman? I've read 2 separate interviews with Plemons that mention the similarities, and have even seen a few people online suggest he's this generation's PSH.

Personally, I've always felt the similarities are rather overstated, and based mainly on a physcal resemblance (similar to how Oscar Isaac was called the next Pacino by some based on A Most Violent Year). Plemons is a very good actor, don't get me wrong, but he doesn't yet have the gravitas or charisma that Hoffman often had. And while Plemons has range, it's nowhere near the close-to-chameleonic versatility of PSH. Personally, Plemons reminds me more of John C. Reilly.

Anonymous said...

Louis what are your thoughts on the actor Hugh Griffith? since I noticed his Wikipedia page is surprisingly small on an actor who won an Oscar, was in 3 best picture winners and was apparently a larger than life figure.

Louis Morgan said...

Luke:

Schneider - 4(A good performance albeit quite brief. She's effective though in also playing on the ambiguity while also playing it with a certain specific vibe and style. There is a callousness but also a conviction in her work in the assured manner she has towards her disregard for her husband, even while still portraying the likely allure she once had that brought him to her originally. She plays the shades well while still not quite giving anything fully away, but still so strongly suggesting the nature of the relationship.)

Tony:

Well no actors are going to be exactly the same, but I understand the comparison. Both have played leading and supporting roles, working with notable filmmakers (many of the same filmmakers even), with less than typical leading man features. Also just as a lazy comparison they do look somewhat similar, in at least Plemons was convincing as Hoffman's son in The Master. I will agree as of this point though Plemons hasn't achieved anywhere near the heights of Hoffman, but still has delivered some impressive work that is nothing to sniff at with a similar off-beat energy, though not as innately powerful. And to be fair if you go by their work at the age Plemons currently is, Hoffman would've had Hard Eight, Boogie Nights, Happiness, The Talented Mr. Ripley, Almost Famous and Magnolia, where Plemons has had Other People, I'm Thinking of Ending Things, Breaking Bad, Fargo Season 2 and USS Callister, I'd probably still give the edge to Hoffman in these comparisons, but I wouldn't say there is a gigantic gap between their best of's when comparing those specific slates. Plemons is only 34 so he can certainly only keep going forward in terms of delivering compelling work.

Anonymous:

Well refer to my reviews of his Oscar nominated turns, which I both like, and his cameo role in Oliver that is also a lot of fun. I'd describe him as having an endearing energy more than anything, with a go for broke attitude when the role gave him a bit more to do, acting like a drunk with nothing to lose, which apparently he was very much the former part. He's one though I haven't seen a great deal of beyond his best known works, but still a reliable character from what I've seen.

8000S said...

Louis: Your thoughts on the sound design of Blow Out.

Bryan L. said...

Louis: How do you think Jason Statham would fare in the role of Butch Coolidge.

8000S said...

Bryan L: Not gonna lie, I love that idea.

Tahmeed Chowdhury said...

RIP Louise Fletcher.

Maciej said...

RIP Louise Fletcher and Franciszek Pieczka

Matthew Montada said...

RIP Louise Fletcher

Calvin Law said...

RIP Louise Fletcher

Matt:

DWD

Pugh - 3.5
Styles - 1
Wilde - 2
Chan - 2
Layne - 2
Kroll - 2
Pine - 3

Athena

Benssalah - 4.5
Slimane - 4.5 (could go up)
Bajon - 4
Embarek - 4
Manenti - 3.5

Also watched Bodies Bodies Bodies which outside of a rough start, I kind of loved.

Aidan Pittman said...

R.I.P. Louise Fletcher

Matthew Montada said...

Calvin: glad to hear you liked Bodies Bodies Bodies. Looking forward to watching it pretty soon. What would be your cast ratings for that movie?

My Cast Ratings for Athena:
Dali Benssalah - 4/4.5
Sami Slimane - 4.5
Anthony Bajon - 3.5
Ousianni Embarek - 3.5/4
Alexis Manenti - 2.5