Gérard Jugnot Movies
A young girl gets pushed beyond her limits and exercises legal justice swiftly and brutally in this earnest biopic of a real-life Mafia betrayer. The year is 1991. Rita Atria (Veronica D'Agostino), a young Sicilian girl from the village of Balta, has grown up completely enshrined in organized crime -- to such a degree that she takes many of the mob's activities for granted. This all changes when her honest father and brother get slain, which breaks Rita's heart. In response, she begins to slyly observe the more nefarious goings-on in the village, and starts keeping a detailed diary of the residents and their criminal activities. In November of the same year, Rita takes the journal to Paolo Borsellino (Gérard Jugnot), an investigative judge based in Palermo, and shares its contents with him. This, in turn, sets into motion a seemingly irreversible series of events that threaten to topple the village's criminal infrastructure. And though the Italian government places Rita in a witness protection program, the Sicilian Mafia knows her all too well and attempts to carry out its own crude form of justice against the young betrayer. ~ Rovi
- Starring:
- Marcelo Mazzarella
- 2009
The war in Iraq intensifying, a prominent radio journalist and his technician pretend to report live from Baghdad after losing their plane tickets and money in this adventure comedy starring Gerard Lanvin and Gerard Jugnot. As the duo hide out in the Barbes area of Paris in an attempt to pull off the ultimate scam, the listeners tune in awaiting the latest word from the front lines of the war. ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi
- Starring:
- Gérard Lanvin, Gérard Jugnot, (more)
- 2009
Circa 1577, Pic Saint Loup (Gerard Jugnot), a couturier (or designer/manufacturer of women's clothes) reels in a highly covetable commission from King Henry III to create a gorgeous wedding gown for a Spanish noble girl, in this gay-themed period comedy. The girl in question is engaged to be married to the king's nephew. Pic instantly accepts the proposition handed to him, but it necessitates embarking on a lengthy journey to Spain - a necessary move but also a dangerous one, given the ongoing Inquisition in that country that finds rulers disposing of Moors, Jews and homosexuals. Nor is Pic the only potential victim in his entourage, which includes a Moor, a Jewish perfumer, a flamboyantly gay hairdresser, and a Protestant secretary. Complicating matters even more is the fact that the bride's father is the infamous Grand Inquisitor of Córdoba. Jugnot also directs. ~ Nathan Southern, Rovi
- Starring:
- Gérard Jugnot, Bernard Le Coq, (more)
A star is born in a time of both celebration and instability in this historical drama with music from director Christophe Barratier. In the spring of 1936, Paris is in a state of uncertainty; while the rise of the Third Reich in Germany worries many, a leftist union-oriented candidate, Léon Blum, has been voted into power, and organized labor is feeling its new power by standing up to management. While such matters might normally seem unimportant to Germain Pigoil (Gérard Jugnot), who runs a small vaudeville house in the Faubourg district, the chaos of the city seems to be impacting his life and his work -- his wife, Viviane (Elisabeth Vitali), has run off with her lover, she demands custody of their son, Jojo (Maxence Perrin), and unscrupulous local entrepreneur Galapiat (Bernard-Pierre Donnadieu) threatens to put Germain's theater out of business. With the help of a local political organizer, Milou (Clovis Cornillac), and veteran entertainer Jacky Jacquet (Kad Merad), Germain strikes a deal with Galapiat to reopen the theater, but business is slow until a lovely young woman with a remarkable voice, Douce (Nora Arnezeder), comes looking for a spot in Germain's show. Faubourg 36 (aka Paris 36) received its North American premiere at the 2008 Montreal World Film Festival. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi
- Starring:
- Gérard Jugnot, Clovis Cornillac, (more)
- 2008
Laurent Chouchan's comedy Ca Se Soigne? follows the plight of Tom Bledish (Thierry Lhermitte of The Dinner Game), a musician who appears to have everything going for him; with a ravishing wife and a covetable new appointment to a job as the head of the Parisian symphony orchestra, it seems that circumstances could not possibly improve - and indeed, his fate soon takes a cruel downturn when he's stricken by a bout of severe clinical depression. Despite a myriad of treatments, nothing seems to work, and indeed Tom begins to wonder if he'll ever regain his zest for life. ~ Nathan Southern, Rovi
- Starring:
- Thierry Lhermitte, Julie Ferrier, (more)
- 2008
This French remake of Claude Autant-Lara's black comedy classic details the adventures of a group of travelers who stop for a rest at Auberge du Croûteux, an inn in the Pyrenees. Little do these wayfarers realize that the establishment is run by a group of psychopaths with a penchant for systematically murdering and robbing guests; when a clergyman opts to hear the confession of the innkeeper's wife, and learns about the impending fate of the travelers, he makes a series of comical attempts to get everyone to leave without violating his confidentiality rule. Gérard Krawczyk directs; the cast features Josiane Balasko, Christian Clavier and Gerard Jugnot. ~ Nathan Southern, Rovi
- Starring:
- Christian Clavier, Josiane Balasko, (more)
- 2006
Six of France's greatest screen comedians reunite in this long-awaited sequel to the classic box-office hits Les Bronzes and Les Bronzes Font du Ski. Skirt-chasing Popeye (Thierry Lhermitte) has settled down and married beautiful Graziella (Ornella Muti), and together they run an upscale resort hotel in Sardinia. However, Popeye still has his eye on the ladies rather than the bottom line -- he's carrying on with a beautiful young cook -- and Graziella warns him that he has to stop giving free rooms to his old friends. Unfortunately, this edict comes down just as Popeye's pals arrive, expecting a stay on the house. Jerome (Christian Clavier) was making a fortune as a plastic surgeon until a malpractice suit ended his career; now he hopes to reconnect with his former wife Gigi (Marie-Anne Chazel). However, when Gigi shows up it's clear she's also been seeing a plastic surgeon, and has brought along her new beau, upscale wig salesman Jean-Claude (Michel Blanc). And wealthy and smug Bernard (Gerard Jugnot) and Nathalie (Josiane Balasko) arrive with their dog in tow, though their vacation goes through a rough patch when Bernard makes a potentially disturbing discovery about their son. Les Bronzes 3: Amis Pour La Vie (aka Les Bronzes 3: Friends Forever) was directed by Patrice Leconte, who was also behind the camera for the original two films. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi
- Starring:
- Josiane Balasko, Michel Blanc, (more)
- 2006
With his Springtime in Paris, long-inactive French helmer Jacques Bral both resuscitates and pays homage to the classic European caper film, crafting a small, occasionally humorous crime thriller in the mold of Rififi and Bob le flambeur, that focuses almost entirely on the aftermath of a crime in lieu of the heist itself. The film opens with thief-turned-convict Georges (Eddy Mitchell) released from prison after a five year stint, and dragged immediately back into the underworld by several nefarious pals. He teams up with fellow thief Pierrot (Sagamore Stevenin) to lift a bejeweled necklace from a safe in a private residence. The operation progresses smoothly; the aftermath turns deadly. Several in-the-know parties make the foolish decision to open their traps, which inadvertently pulls the cops in; soon after, events begin to spiral rapidly out of control. From there, Bral packs in a series of unforeseeable twists, turns, and double-crosses to keep the viewer in a permanent state of suspense. Pascale Arbillot and Pierre Santini co-star; Bral authored the original script. ~ Nathan Southern, Rovi
- Starring:
- Eddy Mitchell, Sagamore Stévenin, (more)
- 2006
As World War I looms ever closer on the horizon, an elite police task force organized by Minister of the Interior Georges Clemenceau (aka "The Tiger") mobilizes to apprehend the gang responsible for the first motorized hold-up in French history. The year is 1912, and despite operating in the shadow of the guillotine French gangsters continue to flourish. In order to ensure the safety of the public Minister of the Interior Clemenceau creates a dozen "mobile brigades" consisting of policemen with automobiles and fingerprinting equipment and deploys them nationwide. One such unit, fronted by straight-arrow cop Valentin (Clovis Cornillac, and consisting of sardonic brute Pujol (Edouard Baer), badge-toting pugilist Terrasson (Oliver Gourmet), and Italian immigrant Achille (Stefano Accorsi), is assigned the task of tracking down the gang led by notorious anarchist Jules Bonnot (Jacques Gamblin). An ambitious criminal mastermind whose recent heist involving a getaway car set a new standard in armed robbery, Bonnot has grown dangerously emboldened while establishing himself as France's most wanted. Meanwhile, as the Paris opera prepares to stage a new version of Ivan the Terrible and Russian princess Constance Bolkonski (Diane Kruger) embarks on an affair with Bonnot behind the back of her unsuspecting husband (Alexandre Medvedex) - who is furtively attempting to establish a self-serving three way alliance between Russia, England, and France - crack journalist Jean Jaures (Andre Marcon) struggles to bring it all together in the headlines as World War I and the Russian Revolution loom heavy on the horizon. Director Jerome Cornuau collaborates with screenwriters Xavier Dorison and Fabien Nury to resurrect the popular French television series of the 1970s with a multi-layered period thriller that is likely to evoke memories of the similarly themed Untouchables for stateside audiences. ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi
- Starring:
- Clovis Cornillac, Diane Kruger, (more)
French producer and musician Christophe Barratier makes his directorial debut with the drama Les Choristes, inspired by the 1947 film La Cage aux Rossignols. Wildly successful orchestra conductor Pierre Morhange (Jacques Perrin) returns home when his mother dies. He recollects his childhood inspirations through the pages of a diary kept by his old music teacher Clément Mathieu (Gérard Jugnot). Back in the late '40s, little Pierre (Jean-Baptiste Maunier) is the badly behaved son of single mother Violette (Marie Bunel). He attends a dreary boarding school presided over by strict headmaster Rachin (François Berléand). New teacher Mathieu brightens up the place and organizes a choir, leading to the discovery of Pierre's musical talents. Featuring performances by Les Petits Chanteurs de Saint-Marc Choir. Les Choristes was shown at the Berlin Film Festival in 2004. ~ Andrea LeVasseur, Rovi
- Starring:
- Gérard Jugnot, François Berléand, (more)
Writer/director Yves Lavandier presents the story of Eglantine (Émilie Dequenne), a troubled 17-year old whose family situation is as confusing as her romantic entanglements. Raised by a coddling mother and an absent father, Eglantine navigates life with a warped perspective that ends up affecting her relationship with Sébastien (Cyrille Thouvenin), an older boyfriend that's become frustrated with Eglantine's unwillingness to take things to the next level. Only her therapist has the chance to help her break down the walls that are interfering in this critical step into adulthood. ~ Jeremy Wheeler, Rovi
- Starring:
- Émilie Dequenne, Gérard Jugnot, (more)
- 2000
Gerard Jugnot directs and stars in this comedy about a doting father and his daughter who managed to get cast in a film. Yvon Rance (Jugnot), who runs a hair salon in Brittany, only wants his beloved teenaged daughter Laetita (Berenice Bejo) to be happy, something he believes she'll be able to achieve by completing high school and then following in her father's professional footsteps. When Laetita tells him that she has been cast in the latest movie by renowned director Stephane (Antoine Dulery), he is initially unimpressed. He grudgingly relents when he learns that the money she will make for a couple months of work is twice what he makes in a year. This film was screened at the 2000 Cannes Film Festival. ~ Jonathan Crow, Rovi
- Starring:
- Gérard Jugnot, Bérénice Bejo, (more)
- 1997
This Great War drama opens in the trenches during an artillery bombardment. Receiving bayonet wounds, young Simon (Guillaume Depardieu) drops out of the action, joining other injured soldiers at a Brittany hospital. One day he meets schoolteacher Marthe (Clotilde Courau), who lives in the household of the hospital's head doctor (Bernard Giraudeau). Soon a romance begins to develop. Cinematography by Kevin Jewison, son of director Norman Jewison. ~ Bhob Stewart, Rovi
- Starring:
- Clotilde Courau, Guillaume Depardieu, (more)
- 1996
On the way to his wedding, Bernard (Gerar Jugnot) experiences car trouble. What could be more natural than to stop at the nearest respectable looking house and ask for help? How could he have known that at that very moment the house's residents, members of a cult, are busily committing mass suicide? Bernard escapes with his own life, and takes with him Sebastien (Francois Morel), an addled cult member who has somehow avoided his compatriots' fate. However, he has also incurred the wrath of the cult's leader, "Magic" (Jean Yanne) and his assistant (Martin Lamotte), both of whom are very much alive. This sinister duo follows Bernard to his fiancee's house, where a social disaster is in progress. In a high point of this French comedy, Bernard's upper-crust fiancee Constance (Michele Laroque) handles the intruders with wit, invective, and well-bred intolerance. ~ Clarke Fountain, Rovi
- Starring:
- Gérard Jugnot, François Morel, (more)
- 1996
Aimed at younger audiences, this special-effects filled French comedy centers on the afterlife adventures of two recently deceased fellows, Georges, a gentle chauffeur and his ruthless corporate tiger of an employer, Phillipe. Unfortunate Georges meets his demise at the hands of a gunman just as he discovers that he has won the lottery. Shortly thereafter, his boss Phillipe is murdered by his business rival Martigues. As ghosts, no living soul can see or here Georges and Phillipe who set out together to put their earthly affairs in order before taking off to their respective final resting places. ~ Sandra Brennan, Rovi
- Starring:
- Philippe Noiret, Gérard Jugnot, (more)
- 1994
This unique French offering is a compilation of 30 short films focused on AIDS. The mini-films were based on over 3,000 ideas put in by French school children and were made by filmmakers on a voluntary basis. Most of the vignettes deal with heterosexuality and AIDS, but one deals with drug-usage, and one with homosexuality. It took four production houses three years to create this inspirational and informative film. ~ Sandra Brennan, Rovi
- Starring:
- Anémone, Daniel Gélin, (more)
- 1994
This comedy was shot in Tahiti. It focuses on the rocky relationship between Cohn, a local con man, and author Jack Baker who wants to profile Paul Gauguin in an upcoming book. Cohn, an obnoxious crook and pathological liar originally from Paris, has been the bane of the local population for years, yet despite his annoyances they will not arrest him. Hearing that Cohn owns an authentic Gauguin, Jack Baker makes his acquaintance. They do not get off to a great start, but eventually become friends after Cohn's secret is discovered. ~ Sandra Brennan, Rovi
- Starring:
- Gérard Jugnot, Jean-Marc Barr, (more)
- 1994
- R
More than a dozen years ago, Patrick (Gerard Jugnot) and Alicia (Victoria Abril) began their relationship by chance at the Peace Inn Hotel on a Mediterranean island. However, despite the fact that they have returned to the place where they first fell in love, it will take more than that for their relationship to survive. For one thing, Alicia is not about to forgive him for the one episode of his infidelity that she knows about. For another, they are no longer wide-eyed young people. Others at the hotel have their own romantic preoccupations, such as the hotel's charming gay male owner, who is being beseiged by a clueless young woman who has developed a crush on him. Surely the people at the hotel long for this vacation to end, along most of the problems that have come with it, but they are taken hostage in a local civil war and have even more difficulties. ~ Clarke Fountain, Rovi
- Starring:
- Victoria Abril, Valérie Lemercier, (more)
A burned out actor begins to question his sanity in this French comedy that stars the writer/director Michel Blanc in a dual role. In the first role Blanc plays himself as an exhausted actor. He has been doing too much TV and too many movies. Odd things begin to happen and Blanc becomes convinced his sanity is slipping away. He is seen going berserk at Cannes with a series of starlets. At Cannes, he meets festival head Gilles Jacob whom he persuades to give the room number of Gerard Depardieu. After Blanc is accused of attempted rape, he goes to a psychiatrist who prescribes peace and quiet in the country. He goes to the Provencial estate of his friend Carole Bouquet. It is there Bouquet and Blanc meet Blanc's devilish double Patrick Olivier. After a lengthy chase the two sit down and decide that Blanc will take only the high quality roles while Olivier will do the rest. ~ Sandra Brennan, Rovi
- Starring:
- Michel Blanc, Carole Bouquet, (more)
