Shortly after its initial release this became - in terms of viewing figures - the most popular French film after Le Grande Vadrouille and it's not too difficult to see why. There's something for everyone to write his or her 2,500 words about in this story of three male chauvinists getting in touch with not so much their feminist side as their maternal instincts and, for good measure, a sub-plot involving drugs which disappears without trace halfway through. Serreau is clearly interested in exploring role reversal and turning the traditional role-playing tables so that by the end of the film the three male chauvinists have learned not only to care about and/or love baby Marie but are light years ahead of the natural mother in terms of how to care for her in a literal sense. The three principals, Roland Giraud (Pierre), Michel Boujenah (Michel) and Andre Dussollier (Jacques, the natural father of Marie) were all relatively unknown at the time - Dussollier was almost unrecognizable to boot - and though all three have worked steadily since only Dussollier has achieved recognition outside France, and this probably worked in the film's favour just as conversely the higher profile of the Hollywood actors in the inevitable remake worked against what was a lousy film anyway. As usual the best of the dialogue loses in translation but sufficient original flavour survives to make this a highly enjoyable romp.
Review of Three Men and a Cradle
