GIGOT

US, 1962, 104 minutes, Colour.
Jackie Gleason, Katherine Kath, Gabriele Dorziat.
Directed by Gene Kelly.

Gigot is a very attractive sentimental comedy drama highlighting the talents of Jackie Gleason. Gleason is very adept at portraying the rather simple Frenchman who meets all the passers-by in the city. He is an attractive simple and poor man. Gleason had just completed his successful role in The Hustler at this time. The film is directed by veteran actor and dancer Gene Kelly who in the fifties turned his hand to directing and was to continue to do this into the seventies.

1. How attractive and enjoyable a film?

2. The emphasis on presenting the little man? Some critics called the film indulgent for Jackie Gleason. They find the film repellent in its pathos, cuteness, sentimentality. Does the film deserve such negative comments?

3. How can the film be seen as a contemporary fairy story? A fable? How much of the film should be interpreted realistically? How much was moralizing by way of fable? Did the film blend realism and moralising well?

4. The background of Paris, the French, its atmosphere, the twenties? A time and place sufficiently distant from most audiences? An atmosphere delight in the poor areas of Paris? Pathos in these areas?

5. What were the emotional responses to Gigot? To his character? To Jackie Gleason's performance?

6. What were the main responses to the messages about life given through his character?

7. The film's structure and its effect: Gigot waking and starting his day? the complaints about him, his work, his happiness. his encounters with people, misunderstandings? The inter-weaving of people and events and their interpretation?

8. The attractiveness of Gigot: the meaning of his name, the fact that he was mute? What kind of man in himself? His happiness in himself? His capacity for communicating? His goodness? The religious atmosphere? The film's use of close-ups and concentration on his expressions and the detail of his behaviour? How successfully?

9. Gigot in his work, being paid and the money taken away for repairs, the dogs following him, his love of funerals, being taunted with the drinks, his mimicking of people?

10. His response to Collette and Nicole? Pity, their suspicion? The return of love? Collette's emphasis on money and the ugliness of life? Nicole responding to his tricks and finally laughing at the mouse? Her asking who Jesus Christ was and his inability to explain? Gigot delighting Nicole with the record, her being hurt? His saving Nicole when Collette returned to her boyfriend? The portrayal of Collette in detail? How realistic and credible? The sequence in the park and Gigot's fight for her, her night with Paul?

11. The presentation of Gigot and his moods? Happiness, sadness at funerals, rage at not being able to explain religion, his decision to steal the money, his happiness, the meal and champagne, his own funeral?

12. The importance of the minor characters and their contribution to the film? The style of taxes? The landlady, the complaining neighbour, the police, the men at the bar, the priest? Their interaction with Gigot, with one another, their decisions about his funeral after chasing him?

13. The chase, Gigot in the river, the funeral?

14. What were the main values the film stood for?