Poupoupidou (2011)

Directed by: Gérald Hustache-Mathieu | 102 minutes | comedy, crime | Actors: Jean-Paul Rouve, Sophie Quinton, Guillaume Gouix, Olivier Rabourdin, Clara Ponsot, Arsinée Khanjian, Eric Ruf, Lyès Salem, Joséphine de Meaux, Ken Samuels, Antoine Chappey, Frédéric Quiring, Nicolas Robin, Milo Hustache-Mathieu, Anne Le Ny, Finnegan Oldfield, Gérard Bôle du Chaumont, Marjorie Heirich, Jérôme Rousselet, Thomas Fisseau, Jenny Bellay, Dominique Foure, Arnaud Duléry

Fifty years after her mysterious death, Marilyn Monroe is still an important source of inspiration for artists, writers and filmmakers. In his genre-transcending thriller ‘Poupoupidou’ (2011), the Frenchman Gérald Hustache-Mathieu gives a very firm nod to the platinum blonde sex symbol. With countless references, which are more obvious than subtle, he pays tribute to La Monroe in his own unique way. The story is set in the Jura, a mountainous region in eastern France. David Rousseau (Jean-Paul Rouve), a Parisian crime novelist, has driven through the snow to the village of Mouthe to collect the inheritance his uncle left him. That legacy may be quite disappointing, but Rousseau does not appear to have traveled to the Jura for nothing. The thriller author, who is struggling with a writer’s block, is in fact on the trail of inspiration for a new story.

A local celebrity, the lascivious weather woman or. Cheese lady Candice Lecoeur (Sophie Quinton) is found dead in the no man’s land on the border with Switzerland. Suicide is suspected, so there is no reason to investigate. However, Rousseau becomes fascinated by the mystery surrounding this young woman, who believed to be the reincarnation of Marilyn Monroe. And indeed: her life appears to show remarkable similarities with that of the legendary American film star. Her discovery, the nude photos and the relationships with successively a possessive Italian, an eloquent author and a prominent (in this case local) politician, but also her insecurity, her late arrival and her dependence on soul doctors. Through flashbacks and diary fragments we look back on the short but fascinating life of Candice and the mystery surrounding her unfortunate death is unraveled.

‘Poupoupidou’ is a colorful pastiche of genres, most reminiscent of ‘Fargo’ (1994) by the Coen Brothers (and not only because of its setting in a snowy, secluded landscape). The thriller element is the main part, but unfortunately the film never really gets exciting. The drama surrounding the tragic Candice Lecoeur also fails to strike the right chord, because her character remains too superficial. Like Marilyn Monroe, it stings that she is appreciated purely for her provocative beauty, but this is hardly apparent from the diary fragments. The element that comes out the best is the black humor. This is thanks to protagonist Rouve, who, although he does not get any space to deepen his character, responds in the right way to the colorful collection of strange birds around him. From all sides, the villagers try to woo this attractive Parisian, from the brash receptionist at his hotel to the bungling but very helpful gay police officer. But they can’t get a grip on the elusive, stoic Rousseau.

Although ‘Poupoupidou’ is not a real thriller, not a real drama and not a real comedy, and the story hardly goes into depth, the film works very nicely as a cocktail of these elements. Whether it’s due to the fine acting of the flat yet sympathetic protagonist, the atmospheric camera work and the beautiful snow-covered landscape or the infectious fascination for the mysterious Monroe lookalike – it is probably a combination of all those aspects. Hustache-Mathieu has tried to mix French and American cinema in a stylish way. ‘Poupoupidou’ is the entertaining result. Hustache-Mathieu’s conclusion also sheds interesting light on the still unexplained death of Marilyn Monroe.