Must-See Marlene: Martin Roumagnac (1946)

I’m always in the mood for Marlene Dietrich. I don’t care if she’s speaking English, French, or German, whether the film is a pre-Code, film noir, or western – black and white or in color – or whether she’s the star or playing a supporting role.

Whatever it is, I’m there.

So when I learned about Martin Roumagnac, her 1946 French crime drama co-starring Jean Gabin, I was as happy as a kitten with a new ball of yarn.

Released on DVD in April 2023 by Icarus Films, this feature focuses on Roumagnac (Gabin), a building contractor who falls ass over teakettle for Dietrich’s Blanche, a gorgeous local woman who runs a bird and seed shop with her uncle. And he’s not the only one who’s unable to resist Blanche’s charms – her admirers include the town’s very married deputy mayor, and a new schoolteacher (Daniel Gelin) who is literally rendered speechless when he first encounters her. What these men don’t know is that Blanche has her sights set on bigger fish – she intends to marry a wealthy retired diplomat (Marcel Herrand) and is merely waiting for his terminally ill wife to die.

— Blanche and Martin’s “meet cute.” (Or “rencontrer mignon,” if you will.)

Of all the men Blanche entertains while biding her time, though, Martin is at the top of the list. It’s Martin alone who truly arouses her passions, and she’s usually able to overlook his rather blue-collar sensibilities (he drinks Pernod and smokes Gaulouises – both which, apparently at the time, were favored by “regular folk” as opposed to the hoity-toity types like Blanche). And her estimation of him is doubtlessly amplified after he spends the bulk of his time and money – and invites the mockery of his friends – by building her a lavish villa. He’s quite a catch.

But this is a tangled relationship web that – like any good noir – is bound for disaster. There are just too many moving parts, too many opportunities for error, too many people involved, including Martin’s sister (Margo Lion), who distrusts Blanche from the start and constantly (and ineffectually) warns her brother of the folly of his actions. Like a frayed rope that slowly unravels, Martin – who starts out as a happy-go-lucky guy who thinks life is “swell” – is a changed man once he meets Blanche, who becomes his undoing.

— Real-life lovers Gabin and Dietrich during the war.

Incidentally, the steamy on-screen chemistry between Jean Gabin and Marlene Dietrich was no act. The two first met in Paris in 1938 and began a love affair a few years later that lasted until 1948. When Gabin died in November 1976, just a few months after the passing of Dietrich’s longtime spouse, Rudolf Sieber. After Gabin’s death, Dietrich reportedly said, “I am now widowed for the second time.”

I highly recommend this one, y’all. It’s got an engaging story, a compelling anti-hero, and a perfect noir ending.

And a French-speaking Marlene Dietrich. What more do you need?

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My thanks to Icarus Films for providing me with a review DVD copy of this film. The DVD can be purchased from Icarus, or rented or purchased from Amazon and other online retailers.

~ by shadowsandsatin on August 11, 2023.