Bernard Alane Movies
- 2007
With a conceit that suggests a contemporary, female-centered reprise of Melvin Van Peebles's offbeat Watermelon Man, the satirical fantasy Agathe Clery stars French comedienne Valerie Lemercier as the title character, a severely bigoted, obnoxious cosmetics employee. The lily-white Agathe particularly loathes blacks, which makes it that much more ironic when, on the eve of the launch of her new line of beauty products for fair complexions ("Scandinavia"), her own skin suddenly takes on a much darker tone - making her the object of scorn, derision and prejudice for dozens of others around her and effectively giving her a taste of her own medicine. The experience quickly strong-arms Agathe into a reconsideration of her warped values and standards, but also robs the downtrodden woman of her job and prized beau. ~ Nathan Southern, Rovi
- Starring:
- Valérie Lemercier, Anthony Kavanagh, (more)
- 2006
A lonely orphaned princess makes the acquaintance of a kindly unicorn whose friendship helps the struggling girl to finally realize what true happiness is all about in this animated children's fantasy from premiere French children's author Grégoire Solotareff and filmmaker Serge Elissalde. Mona (Isild Le Besco) lives a lonely existence in a crumbling castle on the shores of the sea -- where she is cruelly mistreated by a pair of bullying rats. Just as it seems that Mona will never find her place in the world, a coltish unicorn named U (Vahina Giocante) appears before her and claiming that it is her duty to set Mona down the path of happiness. Over the course of the next few years, Mona and U become the very best of friends. When Mona blossoms into a charming preteen and U returns home one day with a playful lizard named Lazare (Guillaume Gallienne), Mona fast becomes friends with both the congenial reptile and his family -- a boisterous group of musicians who reside in a nearby tree. When the rats voice their displeasure at the company of Mona's new guests and the newly empowered princess finally stands her ground against the tyrannical rodents, the once quiet castle soon becomes a place of happiness and merriment. As love begins to blossom between Mona and guitarist Kulka, U ponders an uncertain future now that her selfless mission in life is finally complete. ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi
- Starring:
- Vahina Giocante, Isild Le Besco, (more)
A woman looking for love finds a man who leads her into a life of crime in this thriller. Carla (Emmanuelle Devos) is a woman in her mid-twenties who works as a secretary in a real estate office. More cute than pretty, Carla is shy by nature, and the fact that she has a hearing problem has made her all the more withdrawn. While she longs for a relationship with a man, she finds herself living vicariously through her friend Annie (Olivia Bonamy), a single parent who dates often while Carla babysits her child. Carla makes the acquaintance of Paul (Vincent Cassel), a rough-hewn small-time criminal who has just been released from prison on parole. While Carla ought to know better, she finds herself strongly attracted to Paul, and Paul responds in kind. But before long, it becomes obvious that Paul is having an influence on Carla's normally stable nature; eager to get even with a co-worker who had wronged her, Carla persuades Paul to steal one of her company's files, which makes things more than a bit difficult for Carla's rival. Carla and Paul's actions go from malicious to seriously criminal when Paul hatches a scheme to rob a nightclub owner to whom he owes money -- a scheme that involves Carla's keen skill as a lip reader. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi
- Starring:
- Vincent Cassel, Emmanuelle Devos, (more)
- 1977
La Vie Parisienne is a musical which is based on the farcical operetta by Jacques Offenbach which made the can-can famous. The story concerns two rich sons of the upper classes, who revel in the rich nightlife of Paris where they can drink, gamble, womanize and rub shoulders with all classes. Eventually, they tire of this and confine their elaborate womanizing schemes to other aristocrats, with the help of their sympathetic servants. ~ Clarke Fountain, Rovi
- Starring:
- Bernard Alane, Jean-Pierre Darras, (more)
- 1969
Benjamin (Jacques Brel) is a country doctor who has a way with women with the exception of his fianceé. While other women yearn to play doctor with the handsome physician, his intended intends on saving herself for their wedding night. When the local Marquis feels he is snubbed by the wise cracking medico, he demands revenge. Benjamin is forced to place his puckered lips on the posterior of the pompous Marquis (Bernard Blier). He gets revenge by making love to the Marquis' wife. Benjamin even saves the choking nobleman, but not before he plants a kiss on the doctor's derriere. Swashbuckling swordplay and nudity appear throughout the film. ~ Dan Pavlides, Rovi
- Starring:
- Jacques Brel, Claude Jade, (more)
- 1969
This comedy finds a family turned upside down by a new addition to the house. Hubert (Louis De Funes) and his wife (Claude-Gensac) are shocked to discover her grandfather has been found frozen in a block of ice at the South Pole. Scientists revive the man, who still appears to be 25 years old. Hubert is reluctant to take in the man until he learns he is extremely wealthy. Doctors keep the news of the man's fortune from him and swear Hubert to secrecy so the man won't suddenly die from the shock. Hubert is full of familial affection for his wife's grandfather, who is mistaken for Hubert's son. The grandfather ends up marrying the fiancee of Hubert's son. Although the premise for this story is amusing, it was used in the American television program "The Second Hundred Years" in 1967 and should hardly be considered original. ~ Dan Pavlides, Rovi
- Starring:
- Louis de Funès, Claude Gensac, (more)
