Join the Boston Sunday Night Film Club this Sunday, Mar 31th at 5pm for Menus-Plaisirs Les Troisgros at the Somerville Theatre. Look for Sean wearing a nametag in the theatre lobby about 15 minutes before the film. As always, after the film we will descend on a local establishment for dinner/drinks/discussion.
Note: Be prepared: This film is 4 hours long.
For over 50 years, the venerable French restaurant La Maison Troisgros
has held three Michelin stars. That’s nearly as long as the career of
filmmaker Frederick Wiseman, age 93, who embedded himself at the
restaurant for several weeks in the spring of 2022.
Wiseman has spent his career documenting the inner workings of
institutions. The bulk of his work is set in the US, but he has long
been drawn to France, spending a few youthful years in Paris in the
1950s and, more recently, making the city his home base. For this new
film, he travels outside Lyon to the town of Roanne.
The phrase menus plaisirs translates to “small pleasures”–and this
film is rich with them. Wiseman explores the rarefied world of the
Troisgros family, who have operated their establishment for four
generations. He and his cameraman James Bishop observe the
restaurant’s owners and workers from multiple perspectives. They catch
the place in a moment of transition as long-time proprietors Michel
and Marie-Pierre gradually pass the reins to their son Cesar. In the
kitchen, the chefs operate like artists in their handling of exquisite
dishes. In the dining room, the staff address all guests as “Madame”
and “Monsieur.” The place attracts people who care deeply about food,
savouring each dish with their eyes, noses, and smartphones.
You may never get to visit La Maison Troisgros yourself, but for the
nearly four hours of this film, you can soak up the atmosphere at an
unhurried pace.
