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Article
Lost in Adaptation:The Silencing of the French Female Concierge
Women in French Studies
  • Mariah Devereux Herbeck, Boise State University
Document Type
Article
Publication Date
1-1-2022
Abstract

Fictional representations of the female concierge frequently underscore her negative attributes, above all her meddlesome discourse. The female concierge character in Georges Simenon's 1933 novel, Les fiançailles de M. Hire, however, provides an exception to the rule as local law authorities give credence to her word and base their investigation on her testimony. However, in two filmic adaptations of the novel—Duvivier's Panique (1946) and Patrice Leconte's Monsieur Hire (1989)—the female concierge character is practically absent. This article demonstrates how, from page to screen, the concierge's role is dissected, disembodied, and displaced in Duvivier's and Leconte's films, and finally reflects upon the significance of her silencing.

Copyright Statement

This document was originally published in Women in French Studies by the Women in French Association. Copyright restrictions may apply. https://doi.org/10.1353/wfs.2022.0005

Citation Information
Devereux Herbeck, Mariah. (2022). "Lost in Adaptation:The Silencing of the French Female Concierge". Women in French Studies, 30, 54-66. https://doi.org/10.1353/wfs.2022.0005