The French, They Are a Funny Race

Preston Sturges' final film "The Diary of Major Thompson" or as it's also known, "The French, they are a funny race" may be the strangest, least likely film he ever made hence it's cult status. The critics hated it, it was a flop and proved to be the nail in Sturges' coffin but while it may not be a masterpiece like "The Lady Eve"or "Sullivan's Travels" or "The Palm Beach Story" it's not the disaster many claim it to be. It's consistently amusing and often laugh-out-loud funny and Jack Buchanan is perfect as Major Thompson, the punctilious Englishman living in Paris and married to none other than Martine Carol, (dire). We should be grateful, therefore, that Sturges at least gave Buchanan a part worthy of him. Now what we need is for this to get the DVD release it deserves.

Preston Sturges', a fine director/writer whose career was too short, prime period (1940-1944) made for one of the best and most consistent golden years/prime periods for any director in my view. One where seven very good to masterpiece films in a row were made close to each other, in this case 'The Great McGinty', 'Christmas in July', 'The Lady Eve', 'Sullivan's Travels', 'The Palm Beach Story', 'The Miracle of Morgan's Creek'and 'Hail the Conquering Hero'. Even the films of his not made during this period were still watchable ('Unfaithfully Yours' actually being great) , though a few were disappointing by his standards.

'The Diary of Major Thompson' was his final film and while it is a watchable and semi-interesting one in its own way, it is like 'The Beautiful Blonde from Bashful Bend' and 'The Great Moment' in that it is disappointing and quite sad by Sturges standards. The main reason to see it is if one is trying to see all of his films or as many as possible. Certainly don't think 'The Diary of Major Thompson' is that bad, it is not a disaster, but can see why it was/is one of the worst received Sturges films critically because too many areas fall well short.

Beginning with the good things, Jack Buchanan is remarkably well cast in the lead role in what was also his final film. It is very sad to see him at the end of his career in not the best physical shape due to illness (he sadly succumbed to spinal cancer not long after), but he has lost none of his debonair charm. Martine Carol also sparkles delectably. 'The Diary of Major Thompson' is a pleasing looking film, a warm nostalgia being evoked effectively. The music has the right amount of whimsy and fits well.

In terms of writing, this is a long way from prime Sturges to put it lightly, but there are amusing moments that do show some wit and sophistication that were not there in other lesser Sturges films (namely 'The Great Moment').

However, it did feel like Sturges was not interested in making the film and had lost his passion and energy in making and writing films, instead putting them into other things (such as restaurant running). The rest of the cast fail to make an impression, and they are not really to blame here. They are completely wasted by not only having very little to do but also anybody who has had the misfortune of watching the American dubbed version will despair at how disastrously crude the dubbing is.

Despite saying that there are amusing moments that do show wit and sophistication, they don't come consistently. Too much of the humour feels fatigued and contrived, some may not always find it tasteful, so there are glimpses of Sturges' comedic touch but more often than not it felt like the script was written by someone else. Did not mind that the story was episodic, which is not always a bad thing, did mind that it felt too much like a series of events cobbled together with very little energy in momentum or grace.

On the whole, a semi-failure by Sturges standards albeit an interesting and watchable one. 5/10 Bethany Cox

This anecdotal comedy is based on a book, and feels like it-the kind of mild humor book popular back then, which offered mildly humorous variations on a subject (in this case, foreigners' perspectives on the French). In fact the source book was a collection of newspaper humor columns by a French writer pretending to be a expatriate Englishman, Major Marmaduke Thompson, played here by Jack Buchanan. He offers his arch perspective on the "funny" ways of his French wife ("Lola Montes'" Martine Carol), acquaintances, and society in general. Noel-Noel plays a purportedly typical Frenchman to illustrate these ideas.

Surprisingly, this movie was apparently a considerable success in France (it was shot in both English and French), though it didn't do well elsewhere, and is mostly (if somewhat unfairly) remembered now as Preston Sturges' final flop. Perhaps the French version made the English more the butt of the joke. In the English-language version, the fun had at the expense of both nationalities is so mild the film just doesn't develop much of a notable viewpoint, let alone comic energy or narrative momentum. It's not dire (I'd say Sturges' prior flop "The Beautiful Blonde from Bashful Bend" is more of an overt misfire, because it tries so hard and falls flat), but it's just tepidly amusing.

Though Sturges was well-traveled and fluent in French, this theme just doesn't bring out the boisterous self-confidence seen in nearly all his American films. His U.S. stock company is sorely missed; though everyone here is competent, they often seem to be working in different idioms, from boulevard comedy to farce to crude slapstick.

Admittedly, in this period comedies about culture clash tended to paint those cultures in unimaginatively stereotypical terms, something that "Funny Race" doesn't transcend. And it's not entirely fair to judge this film on the basis of an 80-minute, TV-print-looking cut of the English version. (For all I know, that may have been the length at which it was released overseas-in France, it was 105 minutes.) But on the evidence, this isn't an underrated Sturges (like "Sin of Harold Diddlebock" aka "Mad Wednesday," which was also only available in inferior prints for many years), but one that merits its reputation as no disgrace but a disappointment nonetheless.

"Les Carnets du Major Thompson" literally translating as "Major Thompson's Medals", or "Trophies"? How wrong! "Carnets" actually translate as "Major Thompson's Notebook" in English. Which explains that the book – and the film – be a sum of sequences of subtle humour, with the constant opposition of delightful Martine Carol as a sparkling Parisian woman, and her "so British" punctilious husband – yet a lovable character, Jack Buchanan… His series of notes depicting behavioural differences on each side of the Channel, focusing with pleasure on timeless traits of the French, such as the "moaner" side. To me, the book and the film were very much on line with George Mikes' notes at the time, such as "How to be Inimitable", "How to be an Alien", and so forth... With the re-editing of a number of Pierre Daninos' books, including "Les Carnets", I also would welcome a DVD version revival of Preston Sturges'film, with quite a touch of nostalgia.

Incidentally, the author Pierre Daninos was the brother of a French classy sports car manufacturer, the prestigious Facel Vega.

Preston Sturges' last film as writer-director, made in France, is a loosely structured series of genteel, mildly amusing jabs at the French (and, occasionally, the British as well) way of life. Crudely filmed at times, not helped by currently unremastered prints which even appear to have parts missing, and much of Martine Carol's english dialogue is very hard to decipher (her spectacular cleavage just about saves her scenes). But there are some funny bits (the funniest, and still most topical, is the segment about bureaucracy, where a man needs two witnesses to prove he is himself!), and a wonderful "silent" performance by the very beautiful Catherine Boyl in an extended flashback sequence. **1/2 out of 4.