Trois Hommes Et Un Couffin: Scene / Plot Analysis

In Trois Hommes et un Couffin, written and directed by Collin Serreau, a trio of Parisian playboys find themselves taking care of a baby left upon their doorstep and turning into three loving fathers. The scene in which Michel and Pierre discover Marie is a pivotal point in the film because it is central to the plot. Throughout the film we see the men personifying the model of "work hard, play hard" and in the shots leading up to this scene we see them in the professional environments. As Pierre is leaving the house he is shocked to stumble upon a baby in a cradle and he finds out it is Jacques daughter. After he gets Michel, the two men realize that they have to take care of the child while Jacques is away and confusion ensues.

The mise-en-scene lays the basis for the theme of contrast-the separation between the men's' life before and after Marie's arrival. The most obvious example of contrast is that of light and dark. Immediately before Pierre discovers Marie, he wanders about in the darkly lit corner; it is almost impossible to see anything. This changes abruptly when the baby appears, surrounded in a near halo of light fabric. As the view alternates between the men and the baby, this contrast becomes more pronounced-Pierre and Michel are dressed in dark clothes while the apartment behind them is filled with light, further foreshadowing the effect Marie will have on their lives. The change in depiction of the apartment decorations also mirrors Pierre's and Michel's situation: as they argue over Marie a vase and mirror are visible in the background, symbolizing the fragility and precariousness of their lives as bachelors. When Marie actually enters the apartment, however, previously unseen plants appear in almost every shot. The plants serve as symbols of life, suggesting that Marie will give meaning to the men's previously empty lives which, prior to her arrival, had not yet begun.

In addition to the significance of what the audience sees, there is importance in how it is presented. The cinematography helps us understand more about the characters and the situations they are placed in. Before we encounter Marie, we see both Jacques and Pierre in the center of the frames in their working environment, showing its importance in their lives. When the scene cuts to the morning, and Pierre walks into Michel's room to inquire about how many croissants he wants, you see each man from the subjective point of view of the other. It is interesting that Pierre is looking down at Michel, because it kind of shows how Michel is somewhat of a baby himself. The camera follows Pierre down a long hall, and sharply turns to the side as Pierre looks at himself in the mirror. This shows that this sidetrack of Pierre's is actually important to him. After he sees the baby, Pierre runs back down the hall, and you see him running from behind. This gives us the impression that he's running into the unknown. When he comes back with Michel to look at the baby again, the baby and its cradle take up the entire frame of the shot, which shows its importance. As the two men argue, the camera closes up on them more and more to show us their frustration and the tension that is mounting.

Working in collaboration with the mise-en-scene and the cinematography of this scene, the editing technique is pivotal in communicating the sentiments of the characters and the storyline. It is this vehicle through which the director conveys the chaos of the scene. Serreau intentionally employs a simplistic editing technique that adds weight to the other aspects of the scene. The choppy shots and fast paced subject change added urgency. Various close ups of Michel and Pierre and the awkward transitions to Marie represent the tension of the moment. When Pierre discovers Marie and subsequently goes to retrieve Michel, the editing style is uncomplicated in the fact that all we see is Pierre running down the hall. When they return to further analyze Marie the editing is also straightforward, emphasizing the importance of the moment itself. The overwhelming feeling of anxiety continues to be reflected in the editing as we evolve from this scene to the following one of Pierre in the pharmacy. It is very abrupt, ignoring normal expectations of scene resolution in order to further the feeling of angst.

Sound plays an important role in the scene and in the film as a whole. In this scene there is no background music, and the only sound is that of the dialogue and the real life noises made by the characters and props. The absence of music forces the audience to focus on the actions and feelings of the characters. Sound becomes very important when Pierre and Michel find Marie. As they are staring down at Marie, she starts to cry, and her crying continues as the men argue over what to do. This is the auditory representation of chaos and confusion in this scene. The chaos and confusion continues throughout the rest of the film and the three men try to deal with taking care of Marie and their growing feelings of love and affection for her.