Satya Dusaugey | Tapette (The Mousetrap, aka Michael’s Mouse) / 2016

other possibilities of what to do with a mouse

by Douglas Messerli

 

Satya Dusaugey and Julien Guetta (screenplay), Satya Dusaugey (director) Tapette (The Mousetrap, aka Michael’s Mouse) / 2016 [25 minutes]

 

Satya Dusaugey is a one-man orchestra of writer, director, and actor in this comic delight about a heterosexual who wonders if he might actually be gay, as if it suddenly were a decision one made, instead of an irresistible aspect of sexual behavior.

     We forgive Dusaugey and Guetta for their character’s false presumption, however, given the joy the chunky mason gives us in his sudden curiosity about all things gay. And we recognize that given the current familiarity that most of society now has with LGBTQ figures that they might indeed truly wonder about the alternative world about them and its availability to their own lives.

     In some respects, I have argued about this alternative possibility as being one that attracted straight directors to gay characters and situations, despite of the restrictions barring them, throughout cinema history. So I am not going to dish a film that allows its macho straight figures to wonder aloud and even explore the possibilities. And Dusaugey, moreover, has directed several gay films.

      Although Dusaugey’ character Michel seems to wonder about the possibilities on the very slight evidence that he is afraid of mice—refusing to destroy the mouse that interrupts his sexual pleasures with his girlfriend Charlotte (Caroline Anglade)—that he is interested he how he dresses and looks, and that he has more than some hesitation about permitting a woman to move fully into his life. In fact, so he discovers, some of his male friends have been joking, given his lack of female commitment, whether he might not indeed be a “fag.”

      Such a comment even further troubles the constantly-thinking friend, who now suddenly wonders if he isn’t, in fact, attracted to his working partner, Thierry (Karim Saidi); and for a few moments as Theirry goes for an after-work bath, Michel conjures up an appreciation for Thierry’s body and approaches him for a “partnership” that results in them, imaginatively, romping about the fields not unlike the two cowboys of Brokeback Mountain’s antics in the wilderness.

      His attempted discussion of the matter with Charlotte only ends in further frustration as she declares it’s all a fantasy he has created because of his fears of committal just as she is about to move in with him, assuring him that it has nothing to do with a mouse or even the fact that he high school he dated a girl whom he looked a bit like Leonardo DiCaprio. In the middle of the argument, during which he stands naked, she leaves in anger, he following her into the street to declare that he is gay.

      Obviously, he has to follow his suspicions up with a visit to a local gay bar, where he sits in terror that someone may approach him, while yet pretending that he is ready to get up and dance with the first man who approaches. Ultimately a letter-jacketed Asian boy (François-Xavier Phan) does take notice of Michel’s construction-worker looks, and attempts, despite a language difference, to determine whether or not he’s ready to go home with him.

       In horror, Michel hurries off, winding up, quite ridiculously, on a turning carousel bed sitting near another prone couple making use of it. The Asians boy meets up with him again, challenging him whether or not he is straight. To save face he has to admit that he must be gay, the young Asian man taking his hand and leading him to Michel’s apartment.

      Charlotte returns, presumably to make peace or gather up her possessions, only to find the Asian boy ardently fucking her boyfriend! She passes out.

       As she awakens with a fully dressed Michel beside her trying to make sure she’s all right, even wonder whether what we have just witnessed was another fantasy of Michel’s. But we soon see a hand move out of nearby closet and realize that this time it was sex for real. Perhaps Michael truly is gay; at least he’s been sport enough to try anal sex and seemed to be enjoying it. The Asian man is simply searching for his jeans, but once Charlotte sees him again, everything comes back to her and she leaves the pleading and confused Michel and the Asian boy to themselves in her exit. Michel seems too confused to even help find the boy’s jeans, and then, of course, the mouse reappears as the half-naked boy finally gives up and exits.

      He attempts to drop objects upon it without success, even a huge potted plant missing its mark.

Finally, the picks up the cute mouse, who seems to find pleasure in his hands. Tentatively, Michel pets it and realizes he’s not afraid of the mouse, but now very fond of it. He calls out for Charlotte for confirmation, but of course she’s gone for good.

      Perhaps he may discover he’s really fond of gay sex as well. Surely, if Charlotte is a gossip, Michel will now have a difficult time in attracting a new girl. But least he’s got a new friend.

 

Los Angeles, September 18, 2022

Reprinted from World Cinema Review (September 2022).