Seven dead wives, one locked door, and a twist so cheeky you'll spit out your wine.
Just before wowing international critics and moviegoers with his adventure romp Fanfan la Tulipe, director Christian-Jaque dashed off the lampoonish Barbe-Bleue. Ostensibly the story of the famed wife-killing potentate Bluebeard (Pierre Brasseur), this lighthearted costumer begins as the title character is poised to march down the matrimonial aisle for the eighth time. Barbe-Bleue's newest spouse Aline (Cécile Aubry) is kept in line by her husband's claims of murdering her predecessors. But when Aline opens the famous locked door to the equally famous hidden room, both she and the audience are in for quite a surprise. The frivolous nature of Barbe-Bleue is underlined by its pleasing utilization of the French Gezacolor process.
Production
Gezacolor process makes every frame look like edible candy.
Costume
Brasseur's blue beard deserves its own billing.
Writing
Twist ending that mocks the entire fairy-tale industrial complex.
Director
Christian-Jaque
Pierre Brasseur
Amédée de Salfère dit Barbe-Bleue
Cécile Aubry
Aline
Jean Debucourt
Le majordome
Robert Arnoux
Mathieu les grands pieds
Jacques Sernas
Giglio
Célina Cély
Anny Fling
Georges Chamarat
Le chapelain
Fernand Rauzéna
Giuseppe
Ina Halley
Anne
Henri Rollan
Le comte d'Etioles
Fernand Fabre
L'envoyé de l'empereur
Reggie Nalder
Le capitaine des gardes
Trivia, insights & behind the scenes
Christian-Jaque made this literally months before Fanfan la Tulipe—same Technicolor excess, completely opposite genre commitment.
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