Sascha Guitry actor and the original lead in CAGE AUX FOLLES, Poiret tries to put together something as quirky as those, in this story of Marriage Registrar L'Hermitte, who wants to keep his relationship with teacher-wife Cellier alive by kinky sex games.The jokes are mainly unfunny and the attempt at a final twist is just weird. The piece plays off the charm of the leads and the glossy production values to little effect.The scene where the masked man has his way of Cellier is quite erotic and out of character with the rest of the film and what do we make of the citation of LE COURBEAU, complete with letter fluttering into the church? A sad footnote to Poiret's acting career.

Jean Poiret was an outstanding character for the French cinema. He was both a scriptwriter and especially an actor. "Le Zèbre" remains his sole movie (he died of a heart attack a short time afterwards the end of the shoot) and a truly success. Based on a novel written by Alexandre Jardin, the action takes place in a small town, somewhere in France. A notary (Thierry Lhermitte) is married to a French teacher (Caroline Cellier). Because he doesn't want their love to become common, he's playing "the zebra". It means that he's playing plenty of tricks. He even plays the role of a mysterious lover who's sending to Caroline inflamed letters...The movie starts on a comedy tone and makes laugh due to its zany humor comical situations, sometimes on the edge of the absurd. This is also a movie that surprises because it goes on the opposite of love's clichés. Thierry Lhermitte never gives flowers to his wife, he never has sex with her and he never invites her for dinner. If he's turning into an original joker, it's because he wishes to protect as better as possible, his love towards Caroline Cellier. Poiret could skilfully link several film kinds in one movie. Little by little, the comic fades and makes room to the drama. Besides, the last minutes turn out to be very moving and sum up well the maxim: "don't rely too much on appearances". Poiret also knew how to hold the spectator breathless until the end of the movie where he proceeds to an unexpected conclusion concerning the mysterious lover with letters.A zany and iconoclastic movie, rather well mastered.

LE ZEBRE (The Oddball). Bittersweet romantic comedy about happily married Hippolyte (Thierry Lhermitte), a likable, clownish-yet-successful lawyer, and beautiful Camille (Caroline Cellier), a philosophy lecturer. Natalie and Lauren are their children. Hippolyte becomes overly obsessed, trying to restore passion into their marriage. He devises zany, secretive, amorous schemes to entice and arouse Camille. At first, she is flattered but confused, since she has many admirers. She then becomes irritated by the demeaning nature of his schemes. Gregoire (Christian Pereira), their close friend, often serves as an intermediary. Because of Hippolyte's capricious and somewhat sadistic nature, the ending seems inconclusive (at least to me). Possible sequel?, "Return of the Oddball"(?).

An outstanding film that gracefully makes the transition from wacky comedy to drama in the final minutes. Simply put, this film has it all, especially a large number of zany moments that should have you laughing out loud, but it's the sweet ending that you'll remember best once the film is over.