Cecile De France The Singer Interview

THE SINGER is a tender and poignant romance starring the remarkable Gérard Depardieu as a faded, middle-aged dance hall vocalist who falls for beautiful yet unhappy woman half his age, played by Cecile de France (Russian Dolls.)

Widely feted at the 2006 Cannes Film Festival, THE SINGER features Depardieu's best performance since Cyrano de Bergerac. He portrays fifty-something Alain Moreau, a small-time crooner who sings sentimental favourites in a dance hall till 3:30am. A hardened, honest professional, he knows his style seems dated, but only because he's lasted the course. One night, Alain spots a beautiful young blonde, Marion (de France) and, with quiet persistence and a frank, self-deprecating attitude, manages to capture her imagination. But the fragile Marion has problems of her own and is cautiously unwilling to fall too easily for his evidently practised charms.

The expected clichés in this story never surface; indeed, the emotional chemistry and fluidity between all of the characters is but one of the film's real joys. A love story of generous heart, THE SINGER never hits a false note.

Interview

How did Xavier Giannoli describe Marion to you?

Cecile De France: Life has made her fragile. She left her husband and doesn't see her son very often. As if she were looking for herself. And when you go looking for yourself, you inevitably meet people. That's how she encounters Alain Moreau, who seems to come from another planet. She senses a certain emotion in him, a breath of fresh air and an originality that she craves. I think Marion is touched by Alain's tact and discretion. Moreover, that's how it needed to be played: restrained, nuanced, not saying things, with tacit understanding. From the very first takes, Xavier reined in my movements. I had to keep it simple and let what he was looking for filter out.


It's a love story...

Cecile De France: An unusual one, yes... They help each other and transform each other. After their relationship, which happens too early, or too late perhaps, nothing can be the same again. It's a special moment in their lives that they'll never forget. They know it won't last and they're not thinking pragmatically about it. They're in turmoil...


Xavier didn't make Marion a real estate agent by chance...

Cecile De France: Of course not. It allows her and Alain Moreau, who is looking for a new house, to meet in empty homes, neutral backdrops, in which, partly for professional reasons and partly out of curiosity, she tries to find out more about him. If he has children, if he lives alone, if he used to be married... You sense that Marion evolves over the course of the visits. In fact, very soon, we don't see the outside of the houses anymore. That's no longer what is important. Inside there are empty spaces, but hearts to be filled. He is elegant in that he doesn't take himself seriously. Nothing is more seductive for a woman than truthfulness.


And the songs...

Cecile De France: What I really like is the poetic way Xavier deals with the world of popular music, which is totally alien territory for my character. The art of a chanson is to deal with very complicated things in simple terms. How can you explain why a particular tune sends a shiver down your spine or makes you want to dance? These are things you can't rationalize. You just act on instinct. It's no coincidence that Xavier is fascinated by that particular universe because that's how he is - instinctive.


Were you a fan of this kind of music before the shoot?

Cecile De France: Not particularly. I listened to Gainsbourg, of course, but Christophe, Michel Delpech... No! I guess that makes me pretty similar to Marion. Just like her, I evolved during the shoot. I fell for Les Paradis Perdus the first time I heard it. In fact, you have to take the time to listen to the songs, to let them wash over you.

L'Anamour, for example, comes very early in the film. We took our time shooting the scene, which comes at a turning point in their lives. When he sings and she dances, what happens between them is crucial. That's where she enters his world and allows herself to be seduced by what he is. She transcends her prejudices to move onto something else. And it's precisely because nothing is possible that it all happens. Just like in real life...


Did you approach your role in a special way, because the male lead was played by Gérard Depardieu?

Cecile De France: In the same way that Marion lets herself go with Alain, I let myself go with Gérard. He took me by the hand and led me along. He could have done his "Gérard and his big band" number but no! I enjoyed it so much, I got a real buzz out of it! We didn't rehearse, we just took the plunge from the first take, without rehearsals or anything. Xavier was looking for those rare moments when actor, character, fiction, and reality come together. Moments of grace...


You met Gérard before the shoot though?

Cecile De France: No, in fact. The first time we met was shooting the first scene when Marion and Alain meet at the casino. I was a little apprehensive but I had a good feeling about it. After talking to Xavier, we knew that this shoot would be experimental. Gérard couldn't have been more committed to his work. From the very first take, it was magical. I said to myself that if things carried on like that, it would be an amazing experience. And it was.


When Alain first meets Marion, there's a hint that she is in some kind of a relationship with Bruno, played by Mathieu Amalric...

Cecile De France: Marion and Bruno's relationship is one of seduction and eroticism. Mathieu is impressive. I watched him at least as much as Gérard. It wouldn't be an exaggeration to say that I learned a lot about my trade on this film.


Cecile De France: It's the first time we see you play someone who has moments of despair...

I was thrilled that an auteur like Xavier trusted me to play this kind of part. But it's not because Marion crumbles occasionally when she's alone in her room that she should be desperate or resigned. I had to maintain a combative aspect, even when she's totally lost. Xavier probably chose me partly for that as well: my directness, the Belgian side to me - in a word, my 'foreignness'. And then there's her look, which is a vital part of her. Marion wears a lot of red, bright colors, the fire burning inside volcanoes. OK, you have to be an actor to tell yourself stuff like that, but I have rarely seen such meticulousness in visual terms. And I'm very proud to be in a fine-looking film with such sincere poetry in both sound and picture.