Isaach de Bankolé Movies
Though perhaps most famous for his work with director Jim Jarmusch, distinguished African-born actor Isaach de Bankolé actually spent his first 20 years onscreen building up a formidable resumé of collaborations with many maverick filmmakers, from Claire Denis to Julian Schnabel. That fact alone qualifies de Bankolé as something of a stalwart of contemporary independent cinema, a status helped to no small degree by his individualistic onscreen presence. Born as the tenth of 16 children, de Bankolé grew up in the Ivory Coast city of Abidjan. As he reached his 17th birthday, he quickly made plans to move to Paris, enroll in university, and establish himself as an engineer. De Bankolé spent the next half-decade earning a degree in mathematics and a noncommercial pilot's license, but acting soon beckoned, much to the dismay of his family.Never one to be daunted, de Bankolé landed one of his first major roles soon thereafter, with a memorably complex lead in Claire Denis' Chocolat (1988). In that film, the actor played Protée, an intelligent and cultured African servant erotically drawn to his married Caucasian master (and she to him), but bound by the confines of a bigoted colonial society. De Bankolé then won a Best Actor César for his performance in Black Mic Mac (1986), which opened numerous doors for him. The actor subsequently teamed with some of the world's hottest contemporary directors, including Jarmusch, with Night on Earth (1991, as a put-upon Parisian cab driver), Ghost Dog: The Way of the Samurai (1999), and Coffee and Cigarettes (2003); Nicolas Roeg, with the telemovie Heart of Darkness (1994); Marc Forster, with Stay (2005); and Michael Mann, with a small role in Miami Vice (2006). In 2007, de Bankolé essayed a small supporting role in Schnabel's offbeat drama The Diving Bell and the Butterfly. ~ Nathan Southern, All Movie Guide
- 1989
In this romantic comedy/spy thriller, Clarissa Boulanger (Sabine Azema) is eager to take a breather from her deteriorating marriage, so when the French Secret Service asks her to team up with Hippolyte (Isaach de Bankole) and pose as a newlywed in order to thwart the shipment of powerful weapons to terrorists, she is all too happy to oblige. However, she and her new partner find that it's easier to say "pretend" than it is to avoid having a real romance heat up between them. Things get complicated when Clarissa's husband gets wind of her "beau" and comes to where the agents are staying in order to "catch her in the act" with her partner and win an easy divorce. None of this helps the two secret service agents in their mission. ~ Clarke Fountain, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Pierre Arditi, Sabine Azéma, (more)
- 1989
This tepid actioner is taken from the popular comic strip by Francesco Altan. Ada (Marie Louisa) is the heir who promises her dying father she will look for the son he left behind in Africa 20 years before. Her scheming cousin Nancy (Charley Boorman) tries to get Ada disinherited. Ada runs into several colorful characters -- a homosexual couple who grow tomatoes and sell ivory, a Spanish Civil War veteran, and some nasty Nazis. She also contends with her pretentious Spanish maid Carmen (Victoria Abril) and the handsome native Bumbo (Isaach de Bankole). ~ Dan Pavlides, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Marie Louisa, Richard Bohringer, (more)
- 1989
Set in the 1960s this comedy, based on the autobiographical novel of the same title by Haitian author Dany Laferriere this comedy centers on the sexploits of an aspiring African writer living in Montreal. When not clacking away on his novel (same as the title), he is out picking up white women from the local cafes. Known only as "Man," his women remain similarly anonymous, though he does ascribe them names based on the qualities he uses to differentiate them. "Miz Literature" is his main squeeze. The whole idea behind the film is to take a deeper look at racial stereotypes. Unfortunately it only succeeds in leeringly reinforcing them. The title of this film generated considerable controversy in the US. Many major newspapers refused to run the complete title, opting for ellipsis or publishing it in French. The NAACP lobbied unsuccessfully to have the name changed and some theaters refused to show the film. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Isaach de Bankolé, Roberta Bizeau, (more)
- 1988
Mireille (Joisane Balasko) is a female cop who leads a crusade against the neighborhood pimp in this comedy drama. She falls for the black detective who is sent to investigate charges of corruption. Their relationship is adversarial before it becomes congenial. ~ Dan Pavlides, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Josiane Balasko, Isaach de Bankolé, (more)
Set in French Colonial Africa, Chocolat is told from the viewpoint of 8-year-old Cecile Ducasse. With no other frame of reference, the innocent Ducasse accepts the subjugation of the black natives by the white colonists as the natural order of things. The girl grows gradually aware of the social iniquities about her, but only in retrospect (the film is related in flashback, narrated by the grown-up heroine) does she fully realize just how cruel and wrong-headed the entire colonial system had been. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Isaach de Bankolé, Giulia Boschi, (more)
- 1986
This is a charming and successful farce from director Thomas Gilou, featuring a witty screenplay co-authored by producer Monique Annaud. When a group of African squatters in Paris are threatened with eviction, they find themselves fighting against a bureaucracy that few French citizens understand, let alone immigrants. In desperation, they turn to their best option to resolve this dilemma: they call for a sorcerer from home. The sorcerer hops on a jet to Paris to cast spells on the entrenched bureaucrat, and while en route he strikes up a conversation with a fellow passenger, mentioning his job pays quite well. The interested passenger could stand to make a few extra francs, so he decides to take the sorcerer's place. Once he arrives, this imposter has to act like he knows what he is doing, and at the same time, he had better solve the eviction problem. ~ Eleanor Mannikka, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Jacques Villeret, Isaach de Bankolé, (more)
- 1986
An unusual assortment of characters is brought together in this film noir influenced story: Petrus (Claude Brasseur) spends his life escaping the gamblers he cheated at the card table. Manuel (Richard Berry) has an ambition to open a tango school, but in the meantime he drives a cab for a living. And Corrine (Charlotte Valandrey) is Petrus' daughter, a waitress and a dreamer. As the lives and challenges of these three protagonists interact, each heads for their own moment of truth. ~ Eleanor Mannikka, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Claude Brasseur, Richard Berry, (more)
- 1986
A white accountant finds himself irresistibly drawn into a sadomasochistic relationship with his black masseur in this distinguished film debut from French filmmaker Claire Devers. The story contains little dialog and is filmed in black and white. The accountant is a quiet married man who has been hired to work on the books of a local health club. He is not interested in extramarital sex, only his work. Later his boss suggest he try a massage at the club. A cautious man, the accountant is at first bashful as the enormous masseur begins working on his tense muscles. Soon he finds himself hooked on these evening sessions that become increasingly violent (but not sexual) as time passes. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Francis Frappat, Jacques Martial, (more)
