Ridicule (1996)
- Starring:
- Charles Berling, Fanny Ardant, (more)
- Director(s):
- Patrice Leconte
- Theatrical MPAA Rating:
- R
- Format(s):
- DVD
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Synopsis of Ridicule
This is a French costume drama from director Patrice Leconte that recalls both Dangerous Liaisons (1988) and Restoration (1995). Gregoire Ponceludon de Malavoy (Charles Berling) is a baron of the 18th century French countryside, wealthy in property and high in social position but poor in cash. Local peasants -- dependent upon his largesse for their income -- are in poor health, the result of a festering marsh that, if drained, could solve the villagers' illnesses and create valuable farmland. Ponceludon travels to Versailles to plead his case before King Louis XVI. There, he is informed that he has no chance of success unless he can impress the court with his verbal prowess, for the king and his minions value banter, preferably of the ironic, cruel, and insulting variety, above all else. Under the tutelage of the Marquis de Bellegarde (Jean Rochefort), Ponceludon discovers that his sober, blunt honesty can be mistaken for a skewering wit. Though the baron falls for his mentor's science-minded daughter Mathilde (Judith Godreche), he's forced to woo the politically powerful Madame de Blayac (Fanny Ardant). Ridicule (1996) opened the 1996 Cannes Film Festival and was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film. ~ Karl Williams, Rovi
- Theatrical Feature Running Time:
- 103 mins
Complete Cast of Ridicule
- Charles Berling - Ponceludon de Malavoy
- Judith Godrèche - Mathilde de Bellegarde
- Bernard Giraudeau - L'Abbe de Vilecourt
- Fanny Ardant - Madame de Blayac
- Jean Rochefort - Marquis de Bellegarde
- Bernard Dheran - Montalieri
- Director(s):
- Patrice Leconte
- Writer(s):
- Eric Vicaut, Michel Fessler, Remi Waterhouse
- Producer(s):
- Gilles Legrand, Frederic Brillion, Philippe Carcassonne
- Theatrical MPAA Rating:
- R(Adult Humor, Not For Children, Adult Situations, Sexual Situations)
- 1996 - Broadcast Film Critics Association - Best Foreign Film
- 1996 - French Academy of Cinema - Best Art Direction
- 1996 - French Academy of Cinema - Best French Film
- 1996 - French Academy of Cinema - Best Director
- 1996 - French Academy of Cinema - Best Costume Design
- 1996 - National Board of Review - Best Foreign Film
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