The Visitors: Valérie Lemercier insisted on re-dubbing all her dialogue in post-production

In his memoirs, director Jean-Marie Poiré says that she thus “improved her role by at least 50%”.

Laughter is a party, the memoirs of Jean-Marie Poiré, has just been released in bookstores. Edited by Michel Lafont, the book is a succession of reflections and filming anecdotes from the director of Operation Corned Beef, Guardian Angels, Guardian Angels, Santa Claus is trash and of course Visitors. Poiré also begins this fascinating work on the behind-the-scenes of his cinema with its immense success of 1993: he returns at length to his relationship with Valérie Lemercier (the actress had mentioned a filming ” complicated “, particularly in his relationships with Jean Reno and Christian Clavier) and delivers numerous anecdotes. We thus learn that at the time of dubbing (“ when the actors have to replay certain sentences in the studio which are not understandable due to external noise, or any incident due to the shooting “), Lemercier was even better than on set. Poiré writes: “ She was alone, in the spotlight, with a whole team of mostly men, who laughed at her clowning. It put her in a good mood.

By doubling her sentences, she discovered the film and was very happily surprised, visibly. She told me with great sincerity:

– I didn't really understand your film. You must have been mad at me. There are lots of times when I don't feel up to it.

– But you're kidding, you're excellent!

– No. I could have done much better. (She thought.) I find the sentences we redid improved. »

She then asked Jean-Marie Poiré to redub all of her dialogues in the film. Initially against the idea, the director finally accepted and rented an entire auditorium for a weekend: “ We're remaking the whole film! The hard ! (…) It sticks, I’ll keep it. If it's not synchronous, I change or re-edit the film differently, if it's really worth it. “. He assures that she has “ been extraordinary. She improved her role tremendously, by at least 50% (although I think she was already sensational). She multiplied the effects – “Mr. Ouille… not with your poncho! » His voice rose half an octave. It was hilarious and incredibly in place, as if carried by the laughter of the team and mine. She was pushed forward. The comedy has gone up a notch. She even had some discoveries that I kept: Reno, in armor, held her close to him at the end. The hilt of her sword must have hurt her by hitting her ribs, because she recoiled. Of her own accord, she added a little: “ Ouch! It's hard ! ” It was funny. I kept it. During this dubbing, she was happy. Moreover, she promoted it without any reluctance, as if reconciled with the film and its two companions on the poster. »

Laughing is a party, 20.95 euros, at Michel Lafon.

Jean-Marie Poiré: “I am not far from the cinema of Jean-Luc Godard” (interview)