THREE MEN AND A CRADLE
France, 1985, 100 minutes, Colour.
Roland Giraud, Michel Boujenah, Andre Dussollier.
Directed by Coline Serreau.
Three Men and a Cradle was a very popular French film, at home and abroad, about three bachelors who found themselves having to care for a little baby girl. The film shows the life of the bachelors and has farcical sequences of their mismanaging the care of the baby. The film was written and directed by Coline Serreau, who made a number of comedies in the '80s including Romuald and Juliette.
Coline Serreau was employed by Hollywood to write an American version of her story. However, she did not direct the finished product. This was done by Leonard Nimoy and it became the very popular Three Men and a Baby. It had a sequel, Three Men and a Little Lady. It is very interesting to compare those very popular films with the French original.
1. Entertaining comedy? The blend of humour and sentiment? Bachelors and babies?
2. The French style, the French setting, Gallic humour, appeal?
3. The plausibility of the plot: the facts about the baby, the sentiment, the psychological behaviour of the men in their care for the baby? Themes of life and love?
4. The portrait of the three men and their style: their valuing their freedom, sexual relationships, drugs, their jobs? The farce consequences?
5. Audience response to the baby, to her care, shopping and lessons, food, changing the baby, jobs and routines having to be changed, tied down to the baby, love, protests? Jacques and the news from Thailand and the possibility of an improved job?
6. The packet, drugs, the mistake? The police and the questions, ransacking the apartment? Each of the characters and the drugs? The police and their search, following the men - and later being freed?
7. The baby growing, presented as attractive, being photographed, life, sweet? The mother, smile, growing up? The happy ending - credible?
8. Pierre and Michelle, their difference in personality and styles, their attitude towards the baby, their jobs, having to cope, the dinner, angers? The second mother? At a loss how to cope, at work, the girls? The change to tenderness - the care and the song, the notice about feeding - and their becoming fathers?
9. Jacques and his irresponsibility, the return home, coping, the mother? Sylvia? The girls, the dinner, his being at a loss, the visit and the babysitter? His finally getting a job - and being grounded?
10. Sylvia and the relationship, her spite, return, the baby? Getting tired and giving up?
11. A popular blend of farce and sentiment?
