If you like everything French, and want to have a laugh at academia, this film will delight you. Set on the provincial town of ... (which looks superb), nevertheless twice at least it's mentioned their desire and at the same time irony towards big town Paris. Literary Academia fares no better: the "Molieristes" are shown like a bunch of hooligans who only care to listen to whatever pleases them, are dead set against any usage of technology and, this is peculiarly french: "anti American/ English"! No wonder Sokal & Bricmont made "Intellectual impostures" based on French auteurs :).
Gabrielle Valensi, better known for her many appearances in "Les bleus" here has her big chance at a main role. She acts naturally here, which proves that series had a trite script. Her character's name: "Séverine Liotard" is too close to J. F. Lyotard, the left wing postmodernist. Yvon Black (Delorme & Moliere) is the real discovery here. He's a bit stiff and distant in a very French way (notice he never shows any emotion even for his son, let alone his wife). When he overacts, it's part of the "play within the play" story, even the "opera buffa" is there for us to understand "it's all a farce". The other roles are fine, like the hateable TV presenter *Patrick Mille (Laruelle / Molière), the dean/ recteur Desmarais, Souria Adele *Berland (Souria Adele) , the old timer Moliere man, Delorme's son, his stunningly beautiful but neglected wife *Sophie Broustal , and their maid, who's the only showing "horse sense", like in all good popular soaps. Music is more than fine. Well chosen, accompanies the plot without intruding, and the mix of some modern jazzy pieces is not jarring, like we'd expect. The XVII century ambiance, the "France we all like" is there just like we'd expect: splendorous, naturally charming and... a bit rough, just to remind us it was a real life they had there.
All in all, sympa to say the least. Definitely an improvement for your average Saturday afternoon TV routine!
