If you knew of Le chat dans le sac | The Cat in the Bag before the John Coltrane story came out, count yourself as a a champion of early French-Canadian film.
Director Gilles Groulx gives us an homage to Jean-Luc Godard, which seems rather appropriate for the 1964 film.
You were likely drawn to this story because of the previously unknown album that is now Blue World released late last month. Director Gilles Groulx got John Coltrane to record some music for his film. The album itself is about 40 minutes of music, but only about 10 minutes are featured in the film. Naima as well as Village Blues are featured in the Groulx film.
Claude (Claude Godbout) and Barbara (Barbara Ulrich) are a young couple in love and at odds. Claude is a journalist and Barbara is an actress. Claude wants to be a revolutionary but not have to do the work to be one. Barbara isn't as concerned about politics, focused on her acting, and is more concerned that Claude cares little about her world.
The film examines the struggles of being French-Canadian in Quebec before the Quiet Revolution. We also get to see signs in Montréal before Bill 101.
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There is a film noir appeal where John Coltrane and Antonio Vivaldi fit well in that world. Love and relationships, oui, but a lot of what we see is two people talking past each other.
Given where Canadian filmmaking was back in 1964, the production values are fairly good. While the film is more homage to Godard, there is a Quebec sense rather than a French sense.
Talking with English Canadians, you get a sense that they don't understand Quebec. My sense of Quebec is through Quebecois film. Watching films such as Le chat dans le sac | The Cat in the Bag do help give us a sense of the mindset of Quebec.
You can view the film via the National Film Board of Canada.
photo credit: Le chat dans le sac | The Cat in the Bag film
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