Jean Poiret was an outstanding character for the French cinema. He was both a scriptwriter and especially an actor. "Le Zèbre" remains his sole movie (he died of a heart attack a short time afterwards the end of the shoot) and a truly success.
Based on a novel written by Alexandre Jardin, the action takes place in a small town, somewhere in France. A notary (Thierry Lhermitte) is married to a French teacher (Caroline Cellier). Because he doesn't want their love to become common, he's playing "the zebra". It means that he's playing plenty of tricks. He even plays the role of a mysterious lover who's sending to Caroline inflamed letters...
The movie starts on a comedy tone and makes laugh due to its zany humor comical situations, sometimes on the edge of the absurd. This is also a movie that surprises because it goes on the opposite of love's clichés. Thierry Lhermitte never gives flowers to his wife, he never has sex with her and he never invites her for dinner. If he's turning into an original joker, it's because he wishes to protect as better as possible, his love towards Caroline Cellier. Poiret could skilfully link several film kinds in one movie. Little by little, the comic fades and makes room to the drama. Besides, the last minutes turn out to be very moving and sum up well the maxim: "don't rely too much on appearances". Poiret also knew how to hold the spectator breathless until the end of the movie where he proceeds to an unexpected conclusion concerning the mysterious lover with letters.
A zany and iconoclastic movie, rather well mastered.
Based on a novel written by Alexandre Jardin, the action takes place in a small town, somewhere in France. A notary (Thierry Lhermitte) is married to a French teacher (Caroline Cellier). Because he doesn't want their love to become common, he's playing "the zebra". It means that he's playing plenty of tricks. He even plays the role of a mysterious lover who's sending to Caroline inflamed letters...
The movie starts on a comedy tone and makes laugh due to its zany humor comical situations, sometimes on the edge of the absurd. This is also a movie that surprises because it goes on the opposite of love's clichés. Thierry Lhermitte never gives flowers to his wife, he never has sex with her and he never invites her for dinner. If he's turning into an original joker, it's because he wishes to protect as better as possible, his love towards Caroline Cellier. Poiret could skilfully link several film kinds in one movie. Little by little, the comic fades and makes room to the drama. Besides, the last minutes turn out to be very moving and sum up well the maxim: "don't rely too much on appearances". Poiret also knew how to hold the spectator breathless until the end of the movie where he proceeds to an unexpected conclusion concerning the mysterious lover with letters.
A zany and iconoclastic movie, rather well mastered.