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Coco Before Chanel
2009, France, Cert (UK): 12A, 105 mins
Director: Anne Fontaine
Cast: Alessandro Nivola, Audrey Tautou, Benoit Poelvoorde, Emmanuelle Devos, Marie Gillain, Regis Royer
Anne Fontaine’s 2009 “Coco before Chanel” is a biopic of the early years and making of the now iconic Gabrielle “Coco” Chanel. Set in France at the turn of the century this appropriately non fancy tailored film focuses on the young “Coco” Chanel’s path to her destined career and all the hurdles this pioneering legend endured to bring us the global megga brand that is “Chanel”.
The trailer sums it up well with the words “From humble beginnings, to the heights of society her passion would challenge convention”.
Given up to an orphanage in 1893 Coco learned to sew, presumably retreating from her hurt and focusing her anger in this discipline. The simple nuns smocks, contrast of black and white imprinted on her young mind for future use. Learning to be a hosiery maker by day and a club singer with her sister Adrienne (Marie Gillian) by night Coco is shown to be a resourceful, unique young woman on mission out of abandonment and poverty. With an eye for stylish simplicity and practicality she is in the right place and time, providing she plays her cards right, to ride the industrial revolution wave to eventual success.
She sees her chance in the form of Etienne Balsan ( Benoit Poelvoorde ) the rich play boy aristocrat who becomes intrigued by Coco’s flare. They have a relationship that appears to be an exploration by both of class differences and parental issues. Etienne is perhaps a fun father figure and Coco a non conventional feisty play thing. Their affection grows and Coco invites her self into his Chateau, a strategic move that places her closer to Paris and the connections she needs. The film is predominately set in and around his flamboyant, fun palace where Coco learns to ride horses that she loves so much and uses her cat like freedom to come and go as she pleases. Tenaciously proud Coco examines the over indulgent upper class twits like an anthropologist, the posh women’s over the top style is the focus and drive of her fashion revolution. If she had her way Coco, often dressed in her own tailored men’s clothes, would guillotine the restrictive corsets and over the top pompous attire that keep the ladies in their place, stuck in the eighteen hundreds.
Befriending a pop star of the day Emilienne d’Alencon ( Emmanuelle Devos) Coco brings her round to some of her thinking and gets help to set up a hat making business that is the taste of things to come.
Audrey Tautou is, typically, a joy to watch as Coco and plays the serious, slightly cold young icon well, She says early on “that a girl in love is like a begging dog” so when she falls for Authur “Boy” Capel, a friend of Balsan, it is pleasing to know she is thawing inside but you cant help feeling it will end in tears and not a tiered cake.
This film bottles the changing times of the era and packages it stylishly, It would be interested to know if this film is factually accurate or whether it adds or drops a stitch or two for effect?. With the blossoming love affair and financial support of Capel, Coco’s confidence and happiness is mirrored in her Parisian business. The final shots, as the credits roll, use mirrors well to position this inspiring revolutionary artist among her art, the chic clothing on a line of elegant models.
Whether a follower of fashion or film this is a great piece of cinema. As Coco put it “ Fashion passes, style remains”.