The Gilded Cage

Synopsis: Maria (Rita Blanco) and José (Joaquim de Almeida) emigrated from Portugal to Paris 30 years ago. They live in a chic apartment building where Maria is the concierge and José, a construction foreman, helps out with handyman duties. When José inherits the family winery in Portugal and the couple decide to return to their homeland their family, neighbours, and friends all try to thwart their plans.

This film was a surprise hit in France and won the People's Choice Award at the 2013 European Film Awards. I’d be very surprised if it was anywhere near as successful here. From the opening long shot of the Eiffel Tour to the closing scene of an extended family feast at Maria and José’s rusticated villa by a winding river in picturesque Portugese wine country it is a film that trades on well-minted social and cultural stereotypes (Alves even contrives to have a live performance of a fado, which would be like having someone sing “I Still Call Australia My Home” in The Castle).  

Although marketed as a comedy, La Cage Dorée is a long way from the Francis Veber school of farce.  It is closer to Philippe le Guay’s The Women On The 6th Floor of a couple of years ago which like this film was based on the director’s own experience.  Alves’s film is however a good deal less charming  and suffers from its easy reliance on the oft-seen characteristics  of mainstream French films and a glib, even suspect story line (when Maria and José realize that they have been duped they turn destructive and obnoxious and hey presto!, that rights all wrongs).

With its celebration of family, working class integrity and national pride all this clearly spoke to a European audience but from an Antipodean perspective on a most generous view,  La Cage Dorée, is a pleasant enough diversion for 90 minutes but that’s all.

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