The Devil by the Tail, released in 1969 as Le Diable par la queue, is a seminal work in the career of French director Philippe de Broca. This whimsical comedy serves as a bridge between the French New Wave and the grand tradition of European farce, showcasing de Broca’s signature blend of sophisticated wit, visual elegance, and anarchic spirit. The film captures a specific cultural moment in France, where the crumbling prestige of the aristocracy met the rising tide of modern tourism and shifting social mores.
The performances are the engine of the film’s success. Yves Montand delivers a masterful performance as Cesar, portraying a "gentleman thief" with a mix of menace and irresistible magnetism. His presence acts as a catalyst, forcing the family members to confront their own desires. Maria Casarès, as the Marquise, provides a formidable counterpoint, embodying the resilience of the old world. The chemistry between the cast members facilitates the film’s rapid-fire dialogue and physical comedy, ensuring that the pacing never falters even as the plot becomes increasingly convoluted. The Devil by the Tail
The narrative centers on a family of impoverished aristocrats living in a decaying 17th-century chateau. To maintain their ancestral home and their dignity, the family—led by the indomitable Marquise de Guérande—operates a hotel of dubious quality. The plot is set in motion by a deliberate act of sabotage; the family’s mechanic purposefully breaks down cars on the nearby highway to force travelers to stay the night. This desperate scheme brings a charismatic criminal, Cesar Maricorne, into their orbit. Cesar is fleeing a bank heist with a suitcase full of money, and his arrival transforms the chateau from a sleepy trap into a stage for a complex game of greed, charm, and romance. The Devil by the Tail, released in 1969
A major theme of the film is the collision between tradition and survival. De Broca explores how the aristocracy must compromise its historical identity to exist in a capitalist world. The Marquise and her granddaughter, played by Marthe Keller, are not portrayed as tragic relics but as adaptable, albeit eccentric, entrepreneurs. The chateau itself acts as a character, representing both a burden of the past and a playground for the present. The film suggests that the "devil" of the title is not just the criminal Cesar, but the temptation of easy wealth that threatens to corrupt the family’s noble, if misguided, values. The performances are the engine of the film’s success