Movie: Marguerite

Marguerite:  French film with subtitles.  The time is 1921 and the place is an exquisite residence outside Paris.  A fund raising event is occurring and the final presentation is an operatic performance by the event’s host, Marguerite (Catherine Font).  As the film unfolds, we learn that Marguerite and her husband, Georges Dumont (Andre Marcon), have been sponsoring these concerts on behalf of a music society for quite some time.  The events are always private, however, a reporter has crashed this particular concert, which is a benefit for the war orphans.  Lucien, the reporter (Sylvain Dieuaide), writes a review entitled “The Orphan’s Voice” and describes Marguerite’s singing as “the human truth”.  Marguerite befriends Lucien and the storyline heads towards Marguerite giving a public concert.  A major character in the story is Marguerite’s butler and driver, Madelbos  (Denis Mpunga), who is key to hiding the truth from Marguerite - that she cannot sing.  His motivation has an evil twist to it.  This 128 minute film is told with humor and, despite the Madelbos character, with respect for the singer.  The story is presented in chapters and leads with a photograph of Marguerite posing in an operatic role.  What unfolds in each chapter is consistent with its title.  The director, Xavier Giannoli, co-wrote the screenplay with Marcia Romano.  We are told at the beginning that the story is based upon true events.  A significant difference, however, is that the real individual was an American socialite, Florence Foster Jenkins, and not a French woman with a moniker mockingly similar to the Marx Brothers’ character Margaret Dumont.  I understand a movie has been made starring Meryl Streep as Jenkins.  Frot is marvelous as the clueless chanteuse and her performance alone makes the film worth seeing.  But really, does her voice have to be so painfully off-key?