Central City, 1949 – the Catabianca Club on Nine Lives Street is going steady with upper-class clientéle, but it ain’t gonna last long ‘cos a cat has just gone missing….
A Russian Princess is the cat’s beloved owner – and around said cat’s neck is a beautiful jewel. However, diamonds are not only a girl – or woman’s – best friend – and sure enough, the lights are pulled during a cabaret performance and the cat disappears.
Enter a private detective hired by the Princess to seek out the culprits – and inevitably the trail will lead to all manner of escapades – and all manner of individuals determined to keep the detective in the dark and grey corners of the City, where anything can happen – and nothing is what it seems in this…..
This is a truly classic homage to 1940s cinema, but with the affectionate silliness of more recent contemporary comedies like THE ARTIST and the NAKED GUN series, with a tone that will do for the noir film what STRICTLY BALLROOM did for the dance genre, thanks to the film-making team of Lisa Barmby and Tom Alberts, who conceived this gem.
There is a sense of Baz Luhrmann and Taika Waititi here, right from the outset with the silly credits, but do keep an eye on all the visual references throughout the film thanks to an incredible production design and some near-perfect costume. The cinematography is nailed on perfect, reminiscent of the cinematography in Billy Wilder’s legendary classic SOME LIKE IT HOT.
The characters are borderline MONTY PYTHON, with a classic spiritual medium and a know-it-all scientist are two of the stand-outs, the scientist’s chemical mixer looking suspiciously like a pedal bin in true Ed Wood style.
The story is as predictable now, but in a good way like STRICTLY BALLROOM was, but there is a freshness to the execution that will have you cheering by the end. The script does yield some very laugh-out-loud moments (one exchange early on in the detective’s office is one such example).
Barmby and Alberts have nailed this film in their approach – and it will definitely have life after the Paris International Film Festival.
Fun, fun, fun!!!
Tickets available at: https://www.parisintlfest.com/
