Maurice Dugowson, 1976, France, 110min, DCP
Starring Patrick Dewaere, Miou-Miou, Michel Piccoli, John Bery, Jean-Michel Folon, Diane Kurys, Jean Lescot, Christiane Tissot
With their second film together, Dewaere and Maurice Dugowson returned to the social commentary of their first collaboration Lily aime-moi, focusing on unemployment through the tribulations of André Fragman, a graduate in chemical engineering forced to take a series of routine jobs. While F comme Fairbanks revisits the first film’s tonal exuberance, it is also far more intense, fueled in large part by Dewaere and his longtime partner Miou-Miou’s breakup only days before they began shooting. Dewaere’s descent into madness here culminates with one of the most arresting examples of his no-holds-barred, emotionally raw performance style—which was shot without a stunt man.