VIVEMENT DIMANCHE (CONFIDENTIALLY YOURS)

France, 1982, 111 minutes, Black and white.
Fanny Ardant, Jean- Louis Trintignant.
Directed by Francois Truffaut.

Vivement Dimanche is a film by Francois Truffaut. Its reception in the English-speaking world was decidedly cool, quite unusual for a film by Truffaut, who had become an ideal for so many film-makers in his leading role in the new wave of French directors from the late 50s (with such films as The 400 Blows, The Mississippi Mermaid, The Bride Wore Black, Shoot the Pianist, Jules and Jim).

This is a parody of a murder mystery and murder investigation, set in a small town. One of the suspects is the town's estate agent. Truffaut is paying tribute to Hitchcock films as well as the many screwball comedies of the 30s. Fanny Ardant and Jean- Louis Trintignant are the central characters who are the screwball couple, French style. The film is based on the novel The Long Saturday night by Charles Williams (whose stories formed the basis of such films as Dead Calm).

1. The significance of the title? The French title - Will Sunday Come Quickly? The title of the original American novel, The Long Saturday Night?

2. The work of Francois Truffaut? His love of films? His delight in homage to old styles? The Gallic and light touch? Sophisticated treatment? This film within his canon of films - and the light touch compared with serious portrayals of human nature?

3. The tradition of the American film noir? Of screwball heroines with their wisecracks and intrepid adventures in the '30s? The type of Nancy Drew, Detective? Hitchcock's influence on Truffaut? In suspense, touches. homage sequences? Truffaut's choice of Kubrick's Paths of Glory to be the film screening at the cinema?

4. Black and white photography. mood. effect? Focusing on the plot and moral issues? Light and darkness, shadow? Mood and the musical score?

5. The opening and the hunting sequences. stalking in suspicion, killing? Was the audience meant to assume that Vercell had done the murders? The transition to his wife's death. the information given, the visual impression of her death?

6. Vercell and his relationship with Barbara? Their work together? Tension? The fire? (And the ad and the blonde Christine?) Christine's phone call? Atmosphere?

7. The focus on Vercell, his arrest, questioning, suspicion? Attitude of the audience? His returning to his office, hiding, coping? Directing the detection from behind? His puzzle, the mystery in the situation? His reliance on his lawyer? Going out - fight the priest? Barbara and the bond with her, setting up the situation with the police, tricking the lawyer? The happy ending? The portrait of a harassed man?

8. Fanny Ardant as Barbara? Her presence? A credible secretary? The brunette (the contrast with the Hitchcock blonde)? Fire, coping, the play and the photographer, her costume - Robin Hood style and the humour of her having to wear it throughout the film? Her detective's overcoat? A woman of action - in comparison with the boss cooped up in his office? Her turning into an action matinee heroine? Her ingenuity, her derring-do? Taking the car, going to the hotel, searching rooms? The bed and the private eye? Tearing her sleeve, the agency and the build-up? Her returning to the office? The priest's visit? The priest at the flat and the fight with him? The irony of his relationship? The visit to Paula and the theatre? To the Red Angel? The interrogation of Louison? Her impersonating the prostitute? Her going into danger? The deaths? Sex. betrayal? The visit to the lawyer? The secret panel in the wall? A truly intrepid heroine - with humour?

9. The lawyer and his suave manner, advice to Vercell, his being tricked, the telephone booth situation with its melodrama -and his shooting himself? Relationship with Christine, hold over Paula, betrayed by her, Louison and the murder?

10. Paula and Louison - sleazy atmosphere, the cinema, the nightclub, the phones? Their violent deaths?

11. The explanation of the set-up - blackmail, money, murder? Christine in this context? A portrait of social corruption?

12. A Truffaut entertainment - images of the world, crime, detection?