Papa les petits bateaux…
Director: Nelly Kaplan
Writer: René Guyonnet, Nelly Kaplan, Claude Makovski
Based on: Jean Laborde‘s novel Bande de raptés
Cast: Sheila White, Michel Bouquet, Judith Magre, Michael Lonsdale, André Valardy, Pierre Mondy, Jean Parédès, Sydney Chaplin, Bernard Musson, Catherine Allégret, Marcel Dalio
Seen on: 24.10.2024

Plot:
Cookie (Sheila White) is the hapless party girl daughter of the rich Spiro de Palma (Sydney Chaplin). They are both used to Cookie getting into shenanigans that regularly lead her to be arrested and annoy the police. When Cookie is kidnapped by Marc (Michel Bouquet) and his gang, they think that they have hit the jackpot. They quickly have to learn that Cookie is trouble no matter where she shows up.

Papa, the Lil’ Boats is the kind of comedy film that has everything dialed up to 11 at all times, aspiring to be like a cartoon, like an episode of Tom and Jerry. This is not my preferred mode of comedy and I felt it got grating at times, but it is certainly successful in this mode of engagement and in its portrayal of Cookie.

I’m always looking for movies made by women, especially when they’re doing comedy (too often, those few women there are in film are only allowed to make dramas). And the description reminded me of Ruthless People, a childhood favorite of mine that I should probably revisit at some point (it wouldn’t suprise me if Papa… was actually an inspiration for Ruthless People), so I was really excited about diving into this one. It soon became clear to me, though, that it wasn’t going to be my cup of tea.

That being said, one has to marvel at Sheila White. Her ability to contort her face and to keep up the energy level of her character at all times is absolutely impressive. Cookie is never still. She is always moving, always scheming, always looking for getting the most for herself in any given situation, paired with an utter ruthlessness and a complete lack of fear. It makes her one of the more compelling female anti-heroes on screen to me. She is certainly a type of character that we rarely get to see without a hefty dose of misogyny thrown in, and seeing it done without that was pretty interesting.

The characters surrounding her feel flat and lifeless compared to her (and in her relationship with Marc’s fiancée Marylène (Judith Magre), the only other female character of note, the film does not escape a certain misogyny), but I’d say that’s par for the course. Would it have heard if everybody got more dimensions? No. But it works anyway.

As I said, it’s not my preferred kind of comedy, but it certaily made me curious to check out more of Kaplan’s work, and of Sheila White’s. And I’d assume if you like Jerry Lewis or maybe Louis de Funès, this could be right up your alley.

Summarizing: knows exactly what it wants to do and does it wholeheartedly.