Jean-Jacques Zilbermann's "Man is a Woman" is a relatively forgotten film, and it's a pity. You would think a comedy mixing religious conservatism and sexual preferences would accomplish miracles but after a promising set-up and a decent middle-act, the story falls flat on both levels.
The film is about a young homosexual man named Simon, a gifted clarinetist; and the last male representative of a Jewish family. He's therefore pressured by (no, not just his mother) his uncle Salomon (Jean-Pierre Aumont) to get married and have children. Why does the premise work? Because of the obvious gap between Simon's lifestyle and the calls of the clan. Here's a man wandering along a sauna corridor full of muscular men with towels on their waists, he's in love with his cousin David (Gad El Maleh) and now, he's got to Yentl his way into marriage. For the story to work, there's got to be a catch for Simon and ther a twist, for us.
Uncle Salomon has reasons: the family was exterminated during the War, and Simon is the last representative of the Askenazi lineage (with an "I", not a "y"). But reasons are not enough and as a practical banker, Salomon promises to bequeath a share of his fortune and his private hotel. At that point the film is walking on pointy egg shells in form of clichés but because it's treated in a very lighthearted way, the film gets away with it. As for the mother (Judith Magre) who learned to cope with her son's homosexuality, she's more than willing to seal the deal. Still, with such a set-up the question remains: do you fall in the vaudeville trap or try to do something more substantial, like "The Birdcage" meet "Would I Lie to You?".
My hopes that the film would stick to comedy-drama were maintained when Simon was approached by a Yiddish singer named Rosalie (Elza Zylberstein). Yet their first interaction suggested that he thought she was interested by his money which wouldn't make sense. Then the relationship is sidetracked to more conventional (and pleasing) dynamics. It does help to have a woman from an orthodox family and a man who never made it with a woman, that's a no fooling-around guarantee if there's ever one. Ironically, that's how they learn to appreciate one another and let their feelings blossom.
And Antoine de Caunes, a former TV animator from Canal+ (the channel was the biggest provider of new comedic talent in the 1990s/2000s) has a strange but effective way to make Simon so enigmatic he becomes sexy. You can never guess his intentions: is he willing to cheat with Rosalie? Does he presume that she knows? Is he growing genuine feelings? Or is he was afraid to be stripped of his identity if he tried something? Naturally, if the film was made today, we would never believe in a change of 'heart'. But as less obvious as it was in 1998, there was no way it could happen.
So film is mostly enjoyable on a superficial level, in the way it depicts the coexistence of the thrills of transgression with religious orthodoxy, and the air of social hypocrisy that emanate from it. One of the film's most memorable moments is when Simon meets Rosalie's religious family and discovers that one of her brothers is attracted to him. And sleeping with a man when pretending not to be gay would be like pretending to only eat K osher while attending Oktoberfest.
Zilberman doesn't turn the film into a farce nor a satire a la Woody Allen it's an interesting reflection on the way religion is used as a smokescreen to cover some inconvenient realities and that even the most religious persons aren't immune to naughtiness. There are some funny moments, and I was surprised by the comedic talent of Zylberstein who doesn't need to force it, like a French Jennifer Aniston. I loved how determined she was to buy Simon's clarinet back, which didn't prevent her from passing out at the end of the auction. Later, she tellss Simon that he can be her roommate for a symbolic price, I won't spoil it... but I will just say that it's got more than three digits. Other funny moments include Rosalie's brother who says to Simon "how did you recognize me, you don't know me?"
The musical moments are very catchy to the ears and to the heart, it's true that that clarinet tune sounds both funny and tragic, which encapsulates many good things about Jewish humor. If only the film could hold up to its promise. There comes a point where the lack of "novelty" becomes critical and I deplored the way Rosalie was treated near the end. The attraction to cousin David isn't explored to the fullest and ends up with the latter announcing his divorce. As for the couple, the deal with the uncle, Rosalie, the ending felt like a copout, with no proper resolution.
I suspect the film was made by someone who knew religion but had a shallow vision of homosexuality, making it a matter of simple physical attraction, not as rich or conflictual as being religious or not religious. Even worse the title suggests that "man is like a woman" and so either it means that a man has a part of femininity and that's what Simon is attracted to... doesn't he ask his cousin to find his own feminine side?
I gather that Zilbermann didn't try to offend either parties and treat them with benevolence and good spirit but by being so frivolous, he doesn't give his film its proper resolution and leave us with more questions than in the beginning... quite a ruined potential. In fact, "The Birdcage" for all its clichés and flaming and over-the-top acting, had more guts!
