The first thing to understand about Blier is that he puts most of the emotions, thoughts and actions of his characters on the surface in his films. If someone thinks a sexual thought it will become an action, if someone wants to kill someone they usually will.

He also has a ribald sense of humor, which would easily make the politically correct crowd howl; one of his best films (Going Places) involves two guys trying to give a woman an orgasm, another (Get Out Your Handkerchiefs) is about a woman who falls in love with a 14-year-old boy.

The story of un deux trois soleil is about the life of a young woman name Victorine (Anouk Grinberg) who grows up with a crazy mother and an absent drunken father. As she grows older she meets a young thief who is killed and then in time - just like most everyone else - she gets married to someone who she doesn't really love.

This is essentially Blier's 'life goes on' movie. But it is anything but typical. He plays with time, blends reality with imagination and goes off on wild tangents quite often. And while he can often be very funny with his irreverent attitude in this film it tends to get old. He throws in so many surreal flourishes, moments of madness and sexually provocative situations that the film loses it's narrative thread and gets a bit tiring.

The performances are all quite good especially from Anouk Grinberg who plays the main character from childhood to adulthood quite well, and Marcello Mastroianni who plays the drunk father who can never seem to find his way home. The cinematography by Gérard de Battista is excellent in its use of CinemaScope.

Although there is no nudity there are plenty of sexual situations and borderline questionable material. For instance, early on a topless heavy set black woman puts a young boy on her chest to bring him back to life after he has been shot. It's the kind of scene that makes one realize that Blier could care less about social conventions in his movies. Once audiences understand that and accept it then they can enter Blier's world and listen to what he has to say.

Video:
The film is presented in an aspect ratio of 2.35:1 and looks excellent. The transfer is enhanced for 16 x 9 televisions.

Audio:
Audio is in 2.0 stereo and sounds good, It includes a Middle Eastern soundtrack, which wails every once and a while.

Extras:
The only extra on the DVD is a filmography of Bertrand Blier. There is an insert booklet with a short essay by Sue Harris.

Final Thoughts:
Un deux trois soleil is a wild French drama about a young woman growing up in the slums of Marseilles. Totally wild from start to finish the film may confuse and possibly anger some viewers. But amid all the bizarre storytelling it has a good theme about the 'normal' struggles of everyday life. The DVD looks and sounds very good.