New Showbiz

You are here:
The Gardener of Argenteuil

The Gardener of Argenteuil

1966

Director

Jean-Paul Le Chanois

Runtime

86 minutes

Average Rating

No ratings yet

Synopsis

Tulipe, is an old man who lives alone in an old railway carriage in the Argentueil region of Paris. His main passions are gardening and oil painting, but he also has a secret source of income. His godson discovers that Tulipe is actually a master forger, producing perfect copies of 10 franc notes. His godson’s girlfriend sees this as an opportunity to get very rich – but she must persuade Tulipe to forge 500 franc notes. Assuming Tulipe’s agreement, his godson and his girlfriend buy an expensive new car and luxury villa in provincial France – but there is a cruel turn of fate in store for them when Tulipe strikes up a friendship with a millionaire playboy.

Where to Watch

Diversity & Representation

Overall Score

4.8/10

Fair

Category Breakdown

LGBTQ+ Representation

Limited

The film lacks LGBTQ+ characters or narratives that challenge heteronormativity. Relationships focus on traditional kinship and romantic pairings between the godson and his girlfriend.

Gender Representation

Fair

A female character drives the plot by pushing for higher-stakes forgery. However, her agency is tied to material greed, a common trope regarding feminine status-seeking.

Racial & Ethnic Diversity

Limited

The setting reflects the demographic homogeneity of 1960s regional France. There is no evidence of diverse casting or non-majority ethnic representation.

Religious & Cultural Diversity

Good

The story offers a critique of capitalism and materialist values. It frames the pursuit of luxury as a catalyst for a moral descent or a cruel fate.

Disability Representation

Minimal

The narrative contains no mention of characters with visible or invisible disabilities.

Strengths

  • The narrative provides a thoughtful critique of capitalist structures and the pursuit of material wealth.
  • The plot uses crime as a vehicle to explore the friction between traditional lifestyles and modern consumerism.

Areas for Improvement

  • The film lacks meaningful representation of LGBTQ+ identities or non-traditional kinship structures.
  • Gender roles lean on tropes, specifically linking female agency to the pursuit of luxury and status.
  • The casting and setting reflect a lack of racial and ethnic diversity typical of the period.

AI Analysis

The film operates as a traditional crime comedy centered on class mobility and greed. It lacks intersectional depth, offering little in the way of diverse identities or social subversion. While it fails to provide meaningful representation for race, gender, or sexuality, it finds its strength in a skeptical view of consumerism. The plot uses forgery to critique the pursuit of capitalist symbols. Ultimately, the work is a product of its era, adhering to mid-century social norms while providing a moralistic lens on wealth and status.

How are these scores produced? →

Rate this Movie

No rating selected
Use arrow keys to select a rating from 1 to 5 stars
Optional text review, maximum 2000 characters
Tip: Wrap spoilers with ||double pipes|| to hide them
0/2000 characters
You must be signed in to submit a rating

Reviews

No reviews yet. Be the first to share your thoughts on this movie!

Use the rating form above to leave a star rating and optional review.