French Without Tears

by Terence Rattigan

The play that established Rattigan's name and ran for over 1000 performances in the '30s.

Genres: Plays, Fiction, Drama

128 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1936

About the author

Sir Terence Mervyn Rattigan, CBE was a British dramatist. He was one of England's most popular mid twentieth century dramatists. His plays are typically set in an upper-middle-class background. He is known for such works as The Winslow Boy (1946), The Browning Version (1948), The Deep Blue Sea (1952) and Separate Tables (1954), among many others.

A troubled homosexual, who saw himself as an outsider, his plays "confronted issues of sexual frustration, failed relationships and adultery", and a world of repression and reticence.

Reviews

[Manuel Alfonseca · Rating 3 out of 5]

ENGLISH: This is the fourth time I have watched this play by Rattigan, and I found it as hilarious as usual. Anthony Andrews played the role of Hon. Alan Howard in the BBC version I've watched.

The best scene is the wooing and proposal performed by Jac and Kit at the end of the play, where they kiss, she says "At last! At last!", he says "I've been in love with you for a long time without knowing!" and she adds: "Or some such idiocy!"

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I've watched again this play, now in a Spanish translation, in the archive of RTVE. In this translation, they have eliminated the end of my favorite scene!

ESPAÑOL: Esta es la cuarta vez que veo esta obra de Rattigan y la encontré tan divertida como siempre. En la versión de la BBC que he visto, Anthony Andrews interpreta el papel del Honorable Alan Howard.

La mejor escena es la declaración de amor entre Jac y Kit al final de la obra, donde los dos se besan, ella exclama "¡Por fin! ¡Por fin!", él dice "Hace mucho tiempo que estoy enamorado de ti sin saberlo!" y ella agrega: "¡O alguna idiotez parecida!"

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He vuelto a ver esta obra, esta vez traducida al español, en el archivo de RTVE. En esta traducción ¡han eliminado el final de mi escena favorita!

[Vishy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Continuing with the Terence Rattigan reading adventures. Today, I decided to read 'French without Tears'.

The story is set in the 1930s. A few young men live in a house in France, where they are learning French. They all want to become diplomats and passing a French exam is important for that, and that is why they're learning French. There is a young woman who also lives there and more than one young man is in love with her. What happens between these young people during a few days in the summer is told in the story.

On paper, the play looks beautiful. Setting is in France, young people are in love, there is humour, fun, romance, what can be better? But unfortunately, the play didn't work for me. I understood that it was a comedy, and I could recognize the comic scenes when they came, but they didn't really make me laugh. It was sad.

'French without Tears' was Terence Rattigan's first big hit. It was first performed when he was twenty-five, and the play's director couldn't believe that the playwright was so young. The play ran for a long time and the audience and critics loved it. But for this particular fan, reading it after many years, it didn't work. It wasn't bad like 'Harlequinade', but it wasn't great either. Maybe I'm getting old to enjoy a good comedy. I think though that Rattigan is better at serious plots which have deep conversations rather than at comedy. I don't think comedy is his thing.

So that is seven Terence Rattigan plays, five excellent or very good, two underwhelming. That is still a 71% hit rate, so still very good.

Have you read 'French without Tears'? What do you think about it? Which is your favourite Rattigan play?

[Sharone Powell · Rating 3 out of 5]

Can you really enjoy this play without knowing French? I understood about 50% and it wasn't easy. Maybe if my French was better I would have found it funnier. Or maybe times have changed.

This play is about a school (more like a house) where young people go to learn French. It centers around the stunningly beautiful Diana, who seems to enjoy tormenting her many suitors. Anyone who understands psychology would know that this is a sign of low self esteem. Diana does confess her jealously of Jaqueline--a smart and friendly, but plain French girl.

Once the men are on to Diana's trick, they determine to stick together and resist her--epsecially Alan, the cynic who constantly takes jabs at Diana. Are those jabs masking real emotions? And does Diana actually love any of these men? Read it and find out.

[Tatum · Rating 4 out of 5]

pretty funny ngl

[Illiterate · Rating 3 out of 5]

Comedy on men’s immaturity & awkwardness with women.

[Lauren · Rating 3 out of 5]

Rattigan’s The Deep Blue Sea ranks as one of the best plays I’ve read in 2012. While I liked French Without Tears, it was a letdown in comparison to my first run-in with Rattigan. At a cram school in the French countryside, a collection of young Englishman study, woo the flirtatious Diana (while ignoring the quiet Jacqueline), and talk. Think British upper-class frat house with a heavy sprinkling of French (without translation - my one-semester-in-college grasp of the language struggled, and, although I eked by, I know I missed most of the puns and subtext). It’s fun and breezy, but I wouldn’t rank it at the top of 1930s theatrical works. Recommended.

[Miranda · Rating 2 out of 5]

I didn’t get the appeal of this at all. The bits in French aren’t translated and are therefore meaningless, and the characters are cliched and contrived. Maybe it’s better on stage.

[Kathleen]

like it was kinda funny im ngl

[Ada Alozie · Rating 4 out of 5]

1. Characters who say precisely what they feel.
2. Two women in conflict while engaged in an intimate and personal activity. (Diana sewing/mending Jack’s dress!)
3. A character who had a “conversation” with Freud.
4. A character who primarily speaks in a foreign language and demands others do the same.
5. Brother/Sister characters.

[Jack Stacey · Rating 4 out of 5]

"Stop laughing, you idiots. It isn't funny, its a bloody tragedy!"

[Jenny · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 stars
I hadn't heard much about Rattigan before reading this play and I was pleasantly surprised! Even just reading off the page there were several laugh out loud moments, which I find rare with a script before you see if performed. The characters were vibrant and hilarious, and the various relationships made for some truly brilliant moments. The only thing holding me back from a full 5 stars is the amount of French mixed in with the English. I have a decent enough understanding of French to get a lot of the jokes in it, and keep up with what was being discussed. But if you had no knowledge of French whatsoever I think you would feel quite left out at points. It's not necessary to the plot to have a knowledge of French but I think it might isolate members of the audience which is why I've taken off the half a star.

[Justyna · Rating 3 out of 5]

There is a lot of French in this, which would seem obvious given the title, but as it was written by an Englishman I was a little surprised. For me, it was a little slow-going until the last three scenes. During those, I was actually laughing out loud on the train and I caught myself smiling a lot. A farce involving several men and a couple of women--one of whom is playing with the affections of several men--I thought it was well done and I loved catching the repetition at certain parts.

[Angela · Rating 2 out of 5]

A little disappointing. It started off charming and fun, but it just didn't end up being well-carried out. There was more language than I can comfortably tolerate, and the characterizations were almost entirely flat. What seemed fun and entertaining in the beginning, without any growth or change, became lifeless and cliche by the too-little-too-late clever ending.

[Jim · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good stuff, good banter