WHO IS BERNARD TAPIE?
Marina Zenovich, USA, 2001
BBC Two, Tuesday 28 May 2002 11.20pm-12.20am
In 1997 Marina Zenovich went to see the French film Men, Women: A User's Manual. The director Claude Lelouch introduced the film himself and dedicated it to one of his actors, "My friend Bernard Tapie, who is in jail tonight."
Intrigued, Zenovich began a four-year quest to find out more about the multi-talented Monsieur Tapie.
INTERVIEW Marina Zenovich on the trials of trailing Tapie
DETECTIVE TIPS
Marina's advice for tracking down elusive characters
Commissioner's
Comment Nick
Fraser
Storyville Series Editor
Marina Zenovich has made a stalking movie about the most unpromising subject: a French entrepreneur, football manager, and political has-been who ended up in prison accused of, among other things, throwing matches while owner of Olympique Marseille.
But Zenovich's real passion is for misunderstanding. She can't speak French, and those she interviews can't speak English. The result is a truly weird American comedy in the style of Gentlemen Prefer Blondes.
If you see this film you'll be convinced that French people will never get the hang of America, and Americans will always remain stuck in the most bizarre stereotypes of French life. But Zenovich gets to meet Tapie at the end of the film, and it's a great moment.
Watch the film with a large amount of French wine at your side.
