8 Femmes (2002)

8 Femmes (2002, FRA/ITA) C-111m. ** D: Francois Ozon. Starring Danielle Darrieux, Catherine Deneuve, Isabelle Huppert, Emmanuelle Béart, Fanny Ardant, Virginie Ledoyen, Ludivine Sagnier, Firmine Richard, Dominique Lamure. Eight women gather at a country house and are baffled to find the only man in the house (Lamure) murdered in his bed. As they are cut off from the outside world by the abundant snow, they decide to solve the crime themselves. What sounds like an interesting whodunit (with the some of the greatest French actresses involved) is undermined by completely unmotivated, unnecessary musical numbers (sung by the actresses). Deliberately colorful production is also much too stagey (it is based on a play by Robert Thomas). A matter of taste, I immensely disliked its artificial art-house flair. One of the songs is by Gene Kelly. English title: 8 WOMEN.


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