MARGUERITE

France, 2016, 129 minutes, Colour.
Catherine Frot, Andre Marcon, Michel Fau, Christa Theret, Denis Mpunga, Sylvain Dieuaide, Theo Cholbi, Sophia Leboutte.
Directed by Xavier Giannoli.

The opening of this film says that it is based on a true story. In fact, it is a French variation and interpretation of the singing career of the American Florence Foster Jenkins (subject of her own film in Stephen Frears film of the same name, Meryl Streep appearing as the singer). Her story has been transferred to France, to the 1920s, and some imaginative interpretation about Marguerite’s delusions about her singing.

Audiences will enjoy the 1920s settings very much, elaborate costumes and award-winning decor, the picture of wealthy French society, the mores of the time.

However, it is Marguerite and her singing that audiences have come to see and hear. In the opening society concert, we are treated to beautiful renditions of the duet from Lakme and other singing performances. In the meantime, Marguerite is dressing, preparing, with her peacock feather (there are peacocks in her husband’s estate and their raucous cry mimics the sounds that Marguerite will utter). She is introduced, welcomed with applause, and then the audience, and we the audience, have never heard Mozart’s song of the Queen of the Night from The Magic Flute rendered in such a loud and confidently off-key manner. Marguerite screeches. And later she will sing the Marseilleise as well as La Habenera from Carmen with the same extraordinary rendition.

Marguerite is deluded but no one has the confidence or courage to let her know, not even her husband who is urged to do this by his mistress, almost does it, but fails. The extensive staff of the mansion applaud their mistress – and she is supported by the Butler of the house, who serves as something as her protector and guard, Mandelbos, who takes a number of photos of her, groups, Marguerite dressed in opera costumes, drives a car, arranges the floral tributes, wards of unwelcome guests.

The trouble is that her performance goes well, according to Marguerite, and she gets the idea that she should give a public recital. She cannot be persuaded otherwise. She is encouraged by a young man, a newspaper writer who is in love with the genuine young singer whom Marguerite had encouraged. He takes her to a performance of Pagliacci, quite a powerfully rendered, which delights Marguerite and the suggestion is that the singer, actually down on his luck and a frequenter of a gay bar, should be her teacher.

Marguerite undergoes extensive training, breathing exercises, movement, loosening up, all the while singing off key, her teacher shuddering, but forced to continue with his work by Mandelbos’s hold over him because of his relationship with his young assistant, and with a medium, a bearded lady in tow.

What will happen at the recital? While this is the climax of the film, the narrative goes on after the event, Marguerite’s illness, her friends recording her voice and intending to play it so that she can really hear how she sounds. And that is the climax that the film audience will have to wait for.

Catherine Frot is completely persuasive as Marguerite, full of life, enjoying life, longing for the love of her husband, wealthy and able to offer others patronage, yet absolutely tone deaf while music is her lifelong passion, and believing that she has the qualities of a star.

And the question, with the pathos behind it: can no one tell her the truth?

1. The title, the focus on Marguerite, her singing?

2. Or based on the story of Florence Foster Jenkins, comparisons with the film of Florence, this film and extended imagination?

3. The 1920s, costumes and decor, the mansion, interiors and exteriors, the baroque rooms, the grounds? The countryside, roads, the city and streets? Cars? Opera, the gay club, the hospital? Atmosphere?

4. The music, the singing, the arias from Lakme, Pagliacci, the orchestra and chorale?

5. The rendition, off-key, of the Queen of the Night from the Magic Flute, La Marseilleise, La Habanera from Carmen, the Marriage of Figaro, the rehearsal material – and the final performance? The peacocks, her feather, the sound of the peacock echoing Marguerite?

6. The character of Marguerite, age, marriage, her husband and his mistress, no children, her wanting to please him, genteel and aristocratic? Her reliance on Mandelbos? The rest of the staff? Society, friends? Her ambition, unreal, noone telling her the truth or breaking her delusions?

7. The opening concert, Hazel and the young singer, her performance, appreciated, taken to meet Marguerite? Kyril and his mockery? Lucien, ambivalent, his love for Hazel, work for the paper, fawning on Marguerite, financial support?

8. The members of society, the organisation for singing, the wealthy, the introduction to Marguerite, dressing and getting ready, her singing and the reaction? The cinema audience reaction? Everybody praising her, the elaborate photos, the reviews, her being protected from the truth by her husband – and his later failure while he tried to tell her the truth?

9. Her husband, his deliberately being late, stories, the photos of her on his desk, his mistress, her supporting marguerite and wanting her to know the truth, his attempts, Marguerite finding the scarf, seeing it on his mistress, a blow to her and her pride?

10. The idea of a recital, Lucien and his supporting this? The visit to the opera, Pagliacci, her enthusiasm, meeting the singer?

11. The visit to the singer, his presence in singing the role, disputes about the applause, the interview, the proposition that he coach Marguerite, the effect of the interview, the visit to the gay club, the boy, the bearded lady, the tarot cards? His going to the house, hearing Marguerite sing, his reaction? Wanting out?

12. Mandelbos, his omnipresence, his role with Marguerite, serving her, the photo collection, the flowers – and all the flattery with flowers – driving, his devotion, his aim in finishing the album? His blackmailing the opera singer, the compromising photos?

13. Lucien, fickle, love for Hazel, wanting to go to write his novel?

14. The scenes of the rehearsal, the detail, the singer and his crew, the boyfriend and his concern about money, the food, Mandelbos and the relationship with the bearded lady? The singer almost telling Marguerite the truth but unable to?

15. Marguerite and the discovery of the scarf, the hurt when she saw the mistress wearing it? Her husband’s excuses?

16. The visit to the doctor, her throat?

17. The buildup to the performance, in the dressing room, introduced, the angel’s wings, singing, the whole audience collapsing and laughter, the embarrassment for Hazel and Lucien, for her husband?

18. The collapse, the blood, in hospital, the doctor and the treatment? Her being cheery, the recording of her voice?

19. The buildup to the playing of the record, hoping that she would realise the truth? The husband wanting to call it off? Mandelbos, wanting the final photo, his letting it go ahead? The car actually breaking down? Marguerite on the platform, Lucien and Hazel and those
present? Her reaction to hearing her voice, her collapse, her death?

20. Mandelbos and the final photo for the end of the film?