Michel Duchaussoy Movies

This tough-as-nails, crime-themed docudrama constitutes the second installment in a four hour, two-part biopic on the doings of infamous French thug Jacques Mesrine (1936-79), officially regarded for many years as "Public Enemy #1" in Gaul. Here, he is played to the hilt by Vincent Cassel, who underwent massive weight gain and weight loss to properly evoke Mesrine. Picking up where the same year's Mesrine: L'Instinct de Mort left off, this outing covers Mesrine's life from 1973-79. The tale opens in March of '73, with Mesrine in the custody of authorities; he's accused of knowing an equally brutal and frightening mobster, Michel Ardouin (Samuel LeBihan), but aggressively denies this; a thrilling escape and an ugly shoot-out jointly perpetrated by the men, however, reveal the extent of Mesrine's deception. Mesrine, it seems, hasn't merely evolved into a legend in his own time, but a legend of his own making, aggressively feeding his own self-myth by perpetrating one outrageous criminal act after another. His latest ploy, it seems, involves donning a series of elaborate disguises (such as that of a doctor visiting his dying father, or a police inspector making inquiries) that enable him to pull off casino heists and other elaborate felonies. Eventually, Mesrine grows listless and bored with his own braggadocio and turns to extremist political factions for "inspiration," such as the Red Brigades and the Baader-Meinhof Gang, before an ugly incident with Parisian authorities brings him tumbling down from his throne. ~ Nathan Southern, All Movie Guide

The master of French suspense joins forces with the queen of English suspense fiction for this tense tale of the treacherous love affair between a disturbed bridesmaid and an unsuspecting young man. Philippe (Benoit Magimel) lives in a quiet French town with his hairdresser mother Christine (Aurore Clément) and two younger sisters. Soon after the news breaks about a local girl who has mysteriously vanished, Philippe's mother introduces her children to Gerard (Bernard Le Coq) -- a local businessman who may have matrimonial intentions toward the attractive beautician. Soon after receiving permission from her children to present Gerard with a sculpture of a woman's head that had previously adorned the family garden, however, the elusive beau seems to disappear without a trace. Philippe is intent on recovering the captivating piece of art, and after stealthily recovering it in a clandestine mission he places it in his closet without telling the rest of the family. Later, at his sister's wedding, Philippe meets attractive bridesmaid Senta (Laura Smet) and passion between the pair quickly ignites during a stormy seduction. A model and aspiring actress who lives alone in a massive villa inherited from her father, sultry Senta may be physically irresistible, yet she also seems to have a few morbid preconceptions about life, love, and death. As the affair between the pair grows increasingly heated, Philippe at first takes her request to murder a stranger as a means of proving his love as a joke. The more he gets to know her the more that it appears that Senta is in fact deadly serious about her dark request. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide

The psychological thriller Dedales (Labyrinth), written and directed by René Manzor, concerns a psychiatrist treating a serial killer. Frederic Diefenthal portrays a police investigator with ESP who eventually plays a part in arresting Claude (Sylvie Testud), an unhinged woman who allows random chance to dictate her actions. Investigators believe Claude has been responsible for the deaths of nearly 30 people. When her first psychiatrist (Michel Duchaussoy) is unable to make headway, he brings in his colleague Brennac (Lambert Wilson). Brennac eventually discovers the key to his patient's split personalities, many of which have a basis in Greek mythology, but the surprising ending alters the audience's perceptions of what has happened in the film. ~ Perry Seibert, All Movie Guide

The collective crimes against humanity known as the Holocaust have been well-documented since the end of World War II, but lingering questions remain about how much was known about the Nazi mass-extermination schemes outside Germany, and what could have been done to prevent them. Political filmmaker Costa-Gavras confronts this thorny issue in this film, adapted from the stage drama The Representative and based in part on actual events. Kurt Gerstein (Ulrich Tukar) is a German chemist whose work on various government health projects led to him being added to the scientific staff of the Nazi SS. While working on disinfection and water purification programs to stem the tide of typhoid among German troops, Gerstein creates a toxic cleanser called Zyclon B. Gerstein soon learns that the SS has found a different use for Zyclon B -- in gas form, it is being used to exterminate Jews and other political undesirables en masse. Gerstein, a man of strong Christian faith, is horrified by this revelation, and he is determined to tell the world in hope of stopping the genocide; however, in Germany, Sweden, and the United States, Gerstein's story falls on deaf ears. One man who does believe Gerstein is Riccardo Fontana (Mathieu Kassovitz), a Jesuit with ties to the Vatican and close contact with Pope Pius XII (Marcel Iures). Fontana urges the Pope to speak out against the ongoing massacre, but the Pope declines, believing Russia is a greater menace to the Catholic Church than the Nazis. In time, desperate to spread the word of the holocaust, Gerstein and Fontana find themselves joining ranks with Roman Jews being rounded up by Nazi forces in occupied Italy. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide

Victor Hugo's classic story of one man's struggle to redeem himself -- and another man's efforts to bring him down -- is brought to the screen again (there have been at least 18 previous screen adaptations) in this epic-scale television production with a distinguished international cast. Jean Valjean (Gerard Depardieu) is a man forced by circumstance into a life of crime when he steals bread to ease his hunger, ending up behind bars for 19 years. Upon his release, the destitute Valjean attempts to rob the home of a bishop, but the bishop takes pity on him, and Valjean turns over a new leaf, becoming an honest and upright businessman and civic leader. But Javert (John Malkovich), a former guard at the prison where Valjean served time, is now the Chief of Police, and he's determined not to let Valjean live down his criminal past. Les Miserables also features Jeanne Moreau, Virginie Ledoyen, Christian Clavier, and Asia Argento; the miniseries was produced in two versions, a French-language version for European television that ran eight hours, and a four-hour English-language adaptation that was broadcast in a pair of two-hour installments on January 7 and 8, 2001, on the Fox Family Channel. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide

Sex, avant-garde art, and Communist ideology are at the heart of this compelling historical drama. The film opens just as the Soviet Empire crumbles in 1989. As Louise (Brigitte Catillon) mourns the death of her lover, she discovers the journal of Alfred Katz (Gregoire Colin), an earnest Jewish radical and erstwhile poet who disappeared in 1938. With the aid of a history professor, Louise unravels what happened to Katz. In the feverish climate of pre-WWII Paris, Katz reveals himself as both a fervent Trotskyite and an unabashed romantic. At a party thrown by the noted surrealist Andre Breton, he meets Mila (Anouk Grinberg), a beautiful part-time model, part-time whore. As soon as he falls for her, he learns of her other lover Felix (Xavier Beauvois), a fervent Stalinist. Bored with politics, Mila eventually marries Katz. Soon betrayal and politics catch up with the poet. ~ Jonathan Crow, All Movie Guide

This French family film is filled with action, animals, adventure, and suspense. The story is told from a child's viewpoint. One day, while playing in his secret tree house in the forest, 11-year old Antoine spies upon bank robbers stashing 40-million francs worth of loot. One of the robbers is the father of his newest best friend Lisa, a 10-year old Canadian visitor. Not wanting to rat on her father, Antoine instead moves the money to a different spot. Neither he, nor Lisa have a lot of respect for their frequently absent fathers. They find adults to be inherently hypocritical. Both kids do share a love of animals though. Together, they decide to run away to Biarritz, a resort town, and start spending a little money. The thieves are livid when they discover their stash is missing, particularly Max, and they try, unsuccessfully to catch the kids. Antoine is assisted by his muscular governess Clemence as he and Lisa suffer through numerous narrow escapes while spending their ill-gotten gain. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide

In this action thriller, Richard Anconina is Willie, a young and lonesome cop who loves lonesome cowboy music. While on a drug case Willie comes across a mulatta named Jo (model Ambre of Senegalese extraction), who is trapped in a dismal life of prostitution by two abusive Lebanese brothers, who also work in the illegal weapons business. Risking his own life, Willie frees Jo from their fierce imprisonment, but the battered woman runs right back again. Understanding her dilemma, Willie keeps at it until she comes around and stays with him -- but by now the two arms dealers have long decided to use their merchandise to wipe Willie off the Parisian streets. ~ Eleanor Mannikka, All Movie Guide

This routine drama about a thespian couple, Marion (Nicole Garcia) and Gabriel (Jean-Pierre Marielle) takes place during the second half of their hit comedy, as the two try to work out their differences. Marion plays one of the leads in the comedy, opposite an actor of lesser abilities who also happens to be the author of the play. Gabriel, on the other hand, has come down from his apex as an applauded tragedian to play only a small part in this piece -- and passes the time with a bottle in his dressing room, vainly attempting to drown his sorrows. As the couple's relationship comes under scrutiny, it is eventually revealed that there is more to their problems than first meets the eye. ~ Eleanor Mannikka, All Movie Guide

Although written and directed by the well-known Roger Vadim (And God Created Woman), this movie about life and love among a group of high schoolers on vacation in the countryside has nothing to distinguish it beyond the typical couplings and uncouplings found in other movies in the same genre. ~ Eleanor Mannikka, All Movie Guide