Anicée Alvina Movies

Ainsi soit-il (So Be It) by French filmmaker Gerard Blain is a crime and punishment story. Georges Vasseur, the legal director of a construction firm, is murdered. He leaves behind a file from which his son, Regis (Paul Blain), learns of the illegal activities of Jean-Marc Bertrand, the boss of the corporation. Georges also mentions in a letter that he has been threatened. Regis, who had a great admiration for his father, draws the conclusion that Bertrand must have hired someone to kill Georges. Instead of going to the police, Regis asks to be employed by the firm to carry out a discreet inquiry. He goes ahead with his private vengeance once he is sure of the suspect's guilt. After giving himself up to the police, he is tried and convicted, but the jury decides that it was a 'crime of love.' Gerard Blain made a name for himself as the James Dean of Paris during the New Wave period, and he won a Golden Leopard at the 1971 Locarno International Film Festival for his first feature, Les Amis. In 1999, the same festival awarded him a second Golden Leopard for lifetime achievement and screened Ainsi soit-il in the Out of Competition section. ~ Gönül Dönmez-Colin, Rovi

In this fantasy tale that aspires to the effects of a dreaming state, a young man (Enrico Tricarico) starts off on a quest for happiness, heading south as a wise astrologer told him to do. He has a few mishaps along the way through a mix of scenery, but finally arrives at an ancient castle where two mysterious women live - Tsuki (Anicee Alvina) meaning "Moon," and Yuki (Anne Consigny), meaning "Snow." Both women fall in love with the young man, a literally transforming experience that causes them to start running around and flapping their arms and growing feathers - it turns out they are really birds and true love has freed them at last. Meanwhile, the young man has to face his destiny and after the avian extravaganza, he may have some cause for worry. ~ Eleanor Mannikka, Rovi

In this French drama, an aging dentist looks for a little liveliness by abandoning his wife in favor of a younger woman. When he learns that his mistress also has another younger lover, he gets jealous, but tries not to make an issue of it. In the end, he dumps her and returns to his wife, who is not about to stand for his middle-aged immaturity. She leaves him. ~ Sandra Brennan, Rovi

Romance takes a back seat to drama in this movie depicting life at the once-fashionable Parisian bordello known by its address 122 Rue de Provence. Patronized by the wealthy and powerful, this elegant house of prostitution featured a top-ranked restaurant and specialized rooms for men with unusual tastes: a railroad carriage room, a stable room, etc. In the story, two young people "on the make" bump into each other as they are arriving in the same rail station. Though attracted to one another, they are deliberately vague about their destinations. He is headed for a diplomatic career, she is an ambitious young prostitute who wants to work at the best house in France. Later, they meet at 122 Rue de Provence. ~ Clarke Fountain, Rovi

A self-centered and lazy young man, consumed by sexual fantasies and schemes, is forced to marry when his mistress becomes pregnant. ~ Clarke Fountain, Rovi

The rather overweight Italian lad (Michel Galabru), the hero of this comedy, would seem to be an unlikely ladykiller, but in fact he has been forced to flee his native Italy because he slept with the daughter of the local mafia's godfather. Now he is hiding in Paris, being helped by his mafia uncle Capoli (Vittorio Caprioli), who runs a noodle factory as a front. Capoli hides him with one of his employees, but the lad gets into even more trouble due to his unquenchable attraction for women. ~ Clarke Fountain, Rovi

When Carolina (Anicee Alvina), the daughter of wealthy banker Georges de Saxe (Philippe Noiret), is reported kidnapped, it is upsetting to him even though he knows it isn't true. The kidnappers have taken the wrong person. The banker hires Frantz (Jean-Louis Trintignant) a disheveled, seedy detective to find his daughter and hide her safely away. She soon finds herself in a fantasyland whorehouse, where all kinds of extreme perversions are routinely practiced. There, a near-double of her father whips and then seduces her. Eventually, she and the private eye escape or leave, having extorted the kidnapping money from the girl's father. ~ Clarke Fountain, Rovi

English Paul and French Michelle come together again in this sequel to the 1971 film Friends. Several years have passed since they had their adolescent adventure in baby-making. Paul has just finished his fancy British school while Michelle, her baby and an American live together in France. Paul returns to France to find Michelle and take up where they left off. Unfortunately, things don't go exactly as planned. ~ Sandra Brennan, Rovi

Le Rempart des Beguines is based on the novel by Francoise Mallet-Jouris. It tells the story of an upper-class woman who is considering getting married to a widower, a painter with a 16-year-old daughter. During a visit to his home, she finds herself alone with the daughter, who is very lonely. Before long, they end up in bed with each other. ~ Clarke Fountain, Rovi

The main attraction of this teen romance is likely to be the soundtrack music of Elton John. A young English boy, suffering from neglect at home, runs away and becomes friends with a French girl in the same plight. Together, they go to an idyllic seaside location in France (the Camergue), become lovers, set up housekeeping, have a baby, and play at being responsible adults, discovering along the way many of the troubles involved. ~ Clarke Fountain, Rovi