Liberty, Equality, Fraternity!

Say what you will about the French but they make excellent wine, delicious cheese & lovely Provincial furnishings. France has also produced an actress who gives one of the most amazing performances in the history of film. Her name is Marion Cotillard & the film is called LA VIE EN ROSE. The film itself is a bit of a melodramatic standard biopic, but the subject of the film, French Chanteuse, EDITH PIAF, led such a huge & hugely tragic life, that it would be almost impossible not to veer into melodrama. But Cottilard never has a dishonest moment. Piaf’s hair & hands & walk & gestures are all there. I have never seen scenes of a woman falling in & being in love, more truthfully performed than in this film. Of course it does help when the object of one’s affections is the very hunky Jean Pierre Martins! Piaf lived on such a large scale, at such a pivotal time in World history; becoming part of the actual fabric & heart of a culture, no film could capture all of the towering highs & staggering lows. I have long been an admirer of Piaf’s. We share the same Birthday (December 19th) & she died the year I was born. And I once worked in a French restaurant in New York where I heard “La Vie En Rose” played 100 times a day & never tired of it. I always thought of her as The French Judy Garland. But this film made me realize that Piaf’s life was indeed singular as is the majestic performance of Mime. Cottilard.

Speaking of Soap Operas, there’s a neat little one playing out in Los Angeles & recorded by The Los Angeles Times. Our City Attorney, a man with the robust name of ROCKY DELGADILLO, is the Top Lawyer for the City & heads the 3rd largest Municipal Law Office in the Country. According to The Times Problem Number one is that Mr. Delgadillo & his wife Michelle have been chronically late in paying 5 parking tickets. Big Deal, you say…and I agree. But here’s where it gets a bit trickier:

** IN 1998 Mrs. Delgadillo was charged with driving with an Expired, Out-of-State (Montana) Driver’s License, in a car with expired tags, & no proof of insurance! She was cited with a 3 count criminal offense. But actually failed to appear in court! Probably relying on the fact that she’d been busted while still driving under her maiden name. Despite the charges Mrs. Delgadillo still managed to obtain a California Driver’s License.

** In 2004 this same license was suspended because she “failed to provide proof of insurance” at the scene of an accident. (Again!) Because the simple fact is neither she NOR HER HUSBAND had auto insurance!!

**In 2007, Mrs. D’s license is again renewed (which should never have happened!) But according to The Times records revealed that she continued to drive during the intervening years not only the family’s SUV, but her husband’s city-owned Yukon, which she damaged in 2004 & which was repaired at the taxpayer’s expense. Although Mr.Delgadillo just got around to reimbursing the city for the $1,222 repair bill.

Still think Paris got off easy??? At least she was driving with valid tags on a registered car & with proof of insurance! And NEVER failed to appear in court. All of which Mrs. Delgadillo has failed to do on countless occasions.