Anne Fontaine's biopic of Coco Chanel spends little time on the fashion empire that the revolutionary designer is famous for. As the title suggests, the story is about what led her to her fame and fortune. In turn, it's vastly more interesting than seeing her win awards and make history because there is something universal in her humble beginnings that make her accomplishments all the more spectacular.
Born Gabrielle Chanel (Audrey Tautou, AMELIE), she began as a ward of an orphanage. When she was old enough to live on her own, she sang songs in cabaret reviews with her sister Adrienne (Marie Gillain, SAFE CONDUCT) and worked as seamstress during the day. She dreamed of stardom on the Paris stage as a way out of her poor life. Adrienne on the other hand dreamed of finding a rich man. Gabrielle wanted more independence.
At the cabaret, she meets rich playboy Etienne Balsan (Benoit Poelvoorde, MAN BITES DOG), but had no interest in him until she learns that he might be able to get her an audition at a better music hall. But her talent does not quite match her ambition, and when Balsan is done in the city, he bids her adieu. Now fired from the crappy cabaret and her sister off having an affair with a baron, Gabrielle, now Coco thanks to Balsan, has few options. So she boldly packs up her bags and shows up on Balsan's doorstep. Better to be a mistress than the other option.
Balsan takes her in, but he hides her away in an upstairs room or the kitchen during formal dinner parties. But Coco has too much pride; and she injects herself into his upper-class world whether he likes it or not. With her unique clothing choices, modified men's suits or sailor outfits, she makes an impression on the corset crowd, especially stage star Emilienne d'Alencon (Emmanuelle Devos, READ MY LIPS). When British businessman Arthur "Boy" Capel (Alessandro Nivola, JUNEBUG) comes to visit, he is smitten.
The film portrays Coco Chanel's rise to fame not as some life-long desire to change fashion, but as a practical avenue for success. She had a skill at sewing, which came as an advantage to a poor girl in that she could make her own clothes. Coco was uninterested in the flashy and constrictive attire of the late 19th century, so she wore what she liked. It took awhile for women to embrace her style overall, but it started with a straw hat and went from there. Most women have a classy black dress in their closet; they owe that to Ms. Chanel.
Tautou plays Chanel with pragmatism. She is a realist who wants nothing more from life than freedom. If a man can afford her freedom she'll have him, but she will never be possessed. Fashion is her trade and a means to financial independence. Even her style embodies freedom in that it shed all excess in lieu of comfort. Even though the film spends so little time on her professional fashion career, the film still captures in a profound way the revolutionary accomplishments Coco Chanel made in fashion. In the end, a viewer might not know every professional achievement she attained, but we do have a sense that we know her.
Rick DeMott
Animation World Network
Creator of Rick's Flicks Picks
