Paul Berval Movies
- 1994
Native Americans clash with the Canadian government as they struggle for independence in this factual Canadian drama set in Quebec during the summer of 1990. Eddie Laroche, a rebellious native leader spawned a national crises when he and his supporters declared the independence of Aki territory in a far-flung area of northern Quebec. He refused to negotiate without the presences of television cameras to record his people's plight. Jean Fontaine was the reporter assigned to the story and much of the film is told from his viewpoint. To reach Laroche's land, negotiators, government officials, and the film crew had to travel by boat. Fontaine is initially cynical and reluctant to do the story, but after he spends time on the boat interviewing it's passengers, his cynicism has dissolves and he realizes he is faced with the presentations of a terribly complex situation. His dilemma provides a main focus for the film. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Donald Morin, Guy Nadon, (more)
- 1983
Strict behavior codes and the struggle to eke out a living provide a backdrop to this romantic drama set at the turn of the 20th century in rural, northern Quebec. Maria Chapdelaine (Carole Laure) returns to the home of her parents in a remote village, and during the period of one year, has her heart-strings pulled in three different directions at once -- though only one of those directions is what she really wants. She had been promised in marriage to the shy neighboring farmer (Pierre Curzi), whom she has known since they were children, but a suave man-about-town wants to marry her (Donald Lautrec), and a handsome trapper (Nick Mancuso) has fallen in love with her. Maria fluctuates between the trapper and the urban aristocrat, and as events unfold, her indecision leads to tragic consequences. Also filmed by Julien Duvivier in 1934, this story first became popular when published as a novel (by Louis Hemon) in 1913. ~ Eleanor Mannikka, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Carole Laure, Nick Mancuso, (more)
- 1981
The Plouffe Family, aka Les Plouffe, is a Canadian assault to the kidneys directed by Quebec's "critic's darling" Gilles Carle. The film covers seven years (1938 through 1945) in the lives of the French/Canadian Plouffe clan. Emile Genest is the one "name" player in this phlegmatic character study. Like to try this one on for size? Be warned: it runs (or crawls) 180 minutes. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Emile Genest, Denise Filiatrault, (more)
- 1972
After a brief flurry of activity as a TV critic, Canadian director Jean-Claude Lord returned to films with The Doves. Lisa Thouin marries a rich boy, but still wishes to pursue a career as a singer. Her new in-laws do everything they can to help her, and in the process the groom is elbowed out of the proceedings. He turns to the only family member who'll listen to his plight: the standard "crazy uncle", played by Jean Duceppe (who'd previously essayed a similar character in the well-received Mon Oncle Antoine). Filmed in French, The Doves was originally released as Les Colombes. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1971
In a mixture of French and English, this Canadian film tells the somewhat muddled story of a lad growing up in Montreal. Without many prospects, the boy is confused on the one hand by his virginal but fanatically separatist French-speaking girlfriend, and his goofy (but sexually available) English girlfriend who is a model. Somehow, this confusion later leads him to bank robbery. ~ Clarke Fountain, All Movie Guide
- 1969
This montage-like, symbolic film deals with society's oppression of the individual. Combinations of black-and-white and color photography are used to take satirical swipes at advertising, nuclear war, and abortion, and to illustrate the fact that humankind has a choice and the heart can never be captured. The abstract and at times incomprehensible format and plodding pace of this film will not appeal to most tastes. ~ Dan Pavlides, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Robert Charlebois
- 1950
Lumieres de Ma Ville was the first production from the French-Canadian Excelsior Films. Based on a popular radio serial, the film stars Monique Leyrac as ruthlessly ambitious nightclub singer Monique Fontaine. When not trying to break up the romance between her ex-flame Roger Martin (Guy Maufette) and country gal Helene Clement (Huguette Oligny), Monique is kept busy exploiting the talents of love-struck composer Marcel (Pierre Berval). As is the case with American soap operas, the most fascinating character in Lumieres de ma Ville is the scheming villainess. The best scenes take place on the ski slopes of the Laurentian mountains. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Paul Berval
- 1949
The French-Canadian Le Gros Bill is a story of "culture shock" north of the border. A tiny Quebec community is thrown into an uproar when a young Texan named Bill (Yves Henry) arrives to claim a farm he has inherited. Bill's inability to speak French, and his apparent unwillingness to learn the language, foments plenty of ill will in the community. The story is resolved with an abundance of warmth and humor, sometimes hokey, sometimes hilarious. Rather centralized in its appeal, Le Gros Bill didn't do so well when it briefly traversed the Art House circuit in the U.S. Still, it was a prime example of the sort of burgeoning cinematic activity in Quebec during the immediate postwar years. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
