PERFUMES/ PARFUMS

France, 2019, 100 minutes, Colour.

Emmanuelle Devos, Gregory Montel, Zelie Rixhon, Sergi Lopez, Gustave Kervern, Pauline Moulene

Directed by Gregory Magne.

An alternate title might have been Driving Madamoiselle Walberg. Madamoiselle Walberg is a demanding woman (rather an imperious lady) and Guillaume is her chauffeur. And, yes, there are plenty of perfumes throughout the film – unfortunately a film able to give only verbal descriptions rather than the audience smelling the real scents (which are often quite exotic)!

Veteran actress, Emmanuelle Devos, is a compelling Madamioselle. Gregory Montel is believable as her chauffeur.

It can be said that this is a film which you could take anyone to see – not something that you can say about a lot of films these days. But, Perfumes is interesting, entertaining, often moving.

We actually meet Guillaume first, suspicious of him, a touch abrasive, separated from his wife, going to meetings with a judge to discuss week by week custody of his daughter, living in a small apartment (which the judge tells him is too small for his daughter’s privacy), scouting out better accommodation, and depending, especially for income, on his job as a chauffeur.

It is through Guillaume that we are introduced to Madamoiselle Walberg - eventually revealing herself as Anne. She is older. She is haughty. She is not a please and thank you person. And, if there is a word beyond fastidious, it would apply to her. She is highly sensitive to scents and perfumes. With such treatment, Guillaume is not an enthusiastic chauffeur – but she keeps asking for him.

The action of the film consists of ups and downs.

Ups include Guillaume discovering that Anne is a Nose (not on the nose but rather, an ability to differentiate an enormous range of scents and perfumes and to remember their origins). We see her in action, advising a company of handbag makers whose leather has something of an offputting odour, surveying a factory which emits smoke and rotten smells. Anne has solutions – get Guillaume to take notes, ask his opinion. He, in the meantime, urges her to become more sociable, even polite.

Downs include Anne losing her abilities, time in hospital, greater awareness of her loneliness. Guillaume’s downs include losing points with his employer and therefore losing his license, explaining to his daughter on her 10^th birthday that they will have to wait for the new apartment.

The film is upbeat at the end, Anne insisting that Guillaume work with her – and, delightfully, Guillaume going to one of those classes where the child gets a parent to explain their job. We leave Guillaume explaining to the rapt class, scents, combinations for perfumes.

While the film has strong-minded sentiment but never cloying, it can be described pleasingly as “nice”.

1. The title? The focus? Gifted creators, the talent of smell, sent, Noses?
2. French sensibility? Characters, behaviour, relationships?
3. The title, And and her career, her reputation, her history, the achievement, her talent, sensitivities, memories, her catalogue of perfume is?
4. The introduction to Guillaume, with his daughter, the candy bar, the deception, Finance? Separated, the outing with his daughter? The sequence with the lawyers, the documents, the opinion of the judge, his wanting alternate week custody, the intention of buying a flat, the need for his job? Driver, his years, friendship with A scene? The visit to the apartment, plans for a bigger room for his daughter?
5. The commission to drive miss well Burke? The first encounter, her haughty manner, commands, no please or thank you, carrying the cases, putting them in the car, continually giving him orders, the cigarettes and throwing them away, his retrieving them? Going to the interviews, ordering him to take notes? Hotels, getting him to change the sheets? Her allergies and discomfort? His reaction?
6. Her continued asking for him, his reluctance, the various jobs, his own opinions, sense of smell, her asking him questions? The handbags, the discussion about the scent, seven days, his doubling the price? The later visit to the factory, out in the air?
7. And, her lonely life, her past career with the Americans, loss of the sense of smell, being fired, bad reputation? Gene is her friend, agent, getting her the job is, the arguments? The invitation to the party, her taking Guillaume, his being comfortable at the party?
8. And, reinforced in her loneliness, at the restaurants, the not noticing the waitress, Guillaume rebuking her, forcing her to make comment? The sound of the bar, going down, drinking, the next morning and the hangover?
9. Guillaume, the outing with his daughter, taking her to the beach, raining, the play on the beach, her memories? Her 10^th birthday, the gift? Her wanting to have the weeks with her father? The final hearing before the judge, the documents? No marital reconciliation – but amicable arrangement, for the benefit of the daughter?
10. And, losing his sense of smell again, her visit to A scene, asking for Guillaume? Guillaume losing his license, the points against him, his speeding when and had the attack, the pills, not conscious, hospital?
11. And, losing her sense of smell, the visit of the professor, the past and her not consulting him? His being happy to see her? Guillaume alerting him?
12. Guillaume, going to the airport, driving the 70s small wagon?
13. His going back to and, his advice, his talent, suggestions? A future?
14. In the finale with his explaining his job with perfume is to his daughter’s class?
15. A nice film in the best sense?