Gros et le maigre, Le
Encyclopedia
Le Gros et le maigre is a short silent, comic film written and directed by Roman Polanski
in 1961. Polanski shot this short film just after graduating from The National Film School in Łódź in 1959; it was made in France and was Polanski's last film before the international breakthrough of his 1962 debut feature, Knife in the Water. The Fat and the Lean features the music of Krzysztof Komeda
, who composed the scores for all but one of the director's films between Two Men and a Wardrobe
(1958) and Rosemary's Baby
(1968).
In The Fat and the Lean, Polanski plays a slave playing a flute and beating a drum to entertain his master who rocks in a rocking chair in front of his mansion in the countryside overlooking Paris
. The slave wipes his master's brow, feeds him, washes his feet, shades him from the sun with an umbrella, and holds a urinal for him, all the while longing to escape to Paris, which we can see in the distance. A humorous psychological game between the master and the slave transpires whereby the master attempts to prevent the slave from escaping to Paris.
The inspiration for the film appears to be the master-slave relationship between Pozzo and Lucky
in Samuel Beckett
's Waiting for Godot
. Indeed, as with many of Polanski's early short films, the influence of Beckett and the Theater of the Absurd is very strong.
The Fat and the Lean has been interpreted as allegorical work expressing Polanski's youthful desire to flee the repressive communist regime in postwar Poland and escape to the West. Portions of the film were featured in Marina Zenovich's controversial 2008 documentary, Roman Polanski: Wanted and Desired
. In the context of the documentary, the situation depicted in The Fat in the Lean seems a bitterly ironic commentary on Polanski's legal troubles during 1977 — almost fifteen years after he had left Poland and was living and working in Los Angeles
as a successful Hollywood director. The ending of The Fat and the Lean — in which the bullying master angrily chases after the slave who is fleeing towards Paris — now seems especially poignant in light of the Polish director's eventual decision to flee the jurisdiction of U.S. authorities and remain in Paris as a fugitive.
Roman Polanski
Roman Polanski is a French-Polish film director, producer, writer and actor. Having made films in Poland, Britain, France and the USA, he is considered one of the few "truly international filmmakers."...
in 1961. Polanski shot this short film just after graduating from The National Film School in Łódź in 1959; it was made in France and was Polanski's last film before the international breakthrough of his 1962 debut feature, Knife in the Water. The Fat and the Lean features the music of Krzysztof Komeda
Krzysztof Komeda
Krzysztof Komeda was a Polish film music composer and jazz pianist. Perhaps best-known for his work in film scores, Komeda wrote the scores for Roman Polanski’s films Rosemary’s Baby, The Fearless Vampire Killers, Knife in the Water and Cul-de-sac...
, who composed the scores for all but one of the director's films between Two Men and a Wardrobe
Two Men and a Wardrobe
Two Men and a Wardrobe is a short Polish black and white silent movie directed by Roman Polański.- Plot :The film features two men, played by Jakub Goldberg and Henryk Kluba, who emerge from the sea carrying a large wardrobe, which they proceed to carry into a town...
(1958) and Rosemary's Baby
Rosemary's Baby (film)
Rosemary's Baby is a 1968 American horror film written and directed by Roman Polanski, based on the bestselling 1967 novel Rosemary's Baby by Ira Levin...
(1968).
In The Fat and the Lean, Polanski plays a slave playing a flute and beating a drum to entertain his master who rocks in a rocking chair in front of his mansion in the countryside overlooking Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
. The slave wipes his master's brow, feeds him, washes his feet, shades him from the sun with an umbrella, and holds a urinal for him, all the while longing to escape to Paris, which we can see in the distance. A humorous psychological game between the master and the slave transpires whereby the master attempts to prevent the slave from escaping to Paris.
The inspiration for the film appears to be the master-slave relationship between Pozzo and Lucky
Lucky (Waiting for Godot)
Lucky is a character from Samuel Beckett's Waiting for Godot. He is a slave to the character Pozzo.Lucky is unique in a play where most of the characters talk incessantly: he only utters two sentences . Lucky suffers at the hands of Pozzo willingly and without hesitation...
in Samuel Beckett
Samuel Beckett
Samuel Barclay Beckett was an Irish avant-garde novelist, playwright, theatre director, and poet. He wrote both in English and French. His work offers a bleak, tragicomic outlook on human nature, often coupled with black comedy and gallows humour.Beckett is widely regarded as among the most...
's Waiting for Godot
Waiting for Godot
Waiting for Godot is an absurdist play by Samuel Beckett, in which two characters, Vladimir and Estragon, wait endlessly and in vain for someone named Godot to arrive. Godot's absence, as well as numerous other aspects of the play, have led to many different interpretations since the play's...
. Indeed, as with many of Polanski's early short films, the influence of Beckett and the Theater of the Absurd is very strong.
The Fat and the Lean has been interpreted as allegorical work expressing Polanski's youthful desire to flee the repressive communist regime in postwar Poland and escape to the West. Portions of the film were featured in Marina Zenovich's controversial 2008 documentary, Roman Polanski: Wanted and Desired
Roman Polanski: Wanted and Desired
Roman Polanski: Wanted and Desired is a 2008 documentary film directed by Marina Zenovich. It concerns film director Roman Polanski and his sexual misconduct case...
. In the context of the documentary, the situation depicted in The Fat in the Lean seems a bitterly ironic commentary on Polanski's legal troubles during 1977 — almost fifteen years after he had left Poland and was living and working in Los Angeles
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
as a successful Hollywood director. The ending of The Fat and the Lean — in which the bullying master angrily chases after the slave who is fleeing towards Paris — now seems especially poignant in light of the Polish director's eventual decision to flee the jurisdiction of U.S. authorities and remain in Paris as a fugitive.