Eric-Emmanuel Schmitt Movies
- 2007
Neophyte director Eric-Emmanuel Schmitt's French-language romantic comedy Odette Toulemonde concerns the unlikeliest of relationships that develops between two Parisians. The title character (Catherine Frot) is a forty-year-old saleswoman, saddled with two children (an adolescent daughter and a hairdresser son), who spends her days hawking cosmetics from behind the counter of a Parisian department store. Odette has absolutely no reason to feel limitless joy or to retain a bright, positive outlook on life, but experiences both - thanks in no small part to the novels of her favorite author, Balthazar Balsan (Albert Dupontel). Meanwhile, Balsan ostensibly has everything - money, fame, success - and yet feels unbridled emptiness inside. These two lives suddenly intersect and complement each other in fantastic and unexpected ways. Nicolas Buysse, Jacques Weber, Nina Drecq and Fabrice Murgia co-star; Schmitt authored the original script. ~ Nathan Southern, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Catherine Frot, Albert Dupontel, (more)
A boy from a broken home finds a friend in an insular, spiritual shopkeeper in this period drama from writer/director François Dupeyron. Set in 1960s Paris, Monsieur Ibrahim et les Fleurs du Coran revolves around Momo (Pierre Boulanger), a young man who lives alone with his father in the bustling Rue Bleu district. Still smarting over the separation from his wife and other son, Momo's dad neglects his son in ways both minor and major, to the point where the teen spends most of his time out of school alone and isolated. He finds an unlikely ally in Monsieur Ibrahim (Omar Sharif), a Muslim shopkeeper who spends most of his days behind the counter of his store reading the Koran. As time passes, Momo and Ibrahim begin to bring each other out of his respective shell, sharing a series of everyday adventures, culminating in Momo's indoctrination into Ibrahim's faith. Monsieur Ibrahim et les Fleurs du Coran played the Toronto and Venice film festivals; at the latter, Sharif was given a lifetime achievement award for this and the rest of his career's work. ~ Michael Hastings, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Omar Sharif, Pierre Boulanger, (more)
French filmmaker Josée Dayan directs the erotic drama Les Liaisons Dangereuses, based on the 18th century novel by Choderlos de Laclos and updated by screenwriter Eric-Emmanuel Schmitt. A co-production of France and Canada, this French-language television miniseries is reimagined with a swinging '60s setting. Madame de Mertueil (Catherine Deneuve) and Vicomte de Valmont (Rupert Everett) are a couple of wealthy and seductive aristocrats. Advancing in years, Mertueil grows jealous when she learns that her old flame Gercourt (Andrzej Zulawski) is planning to marry the much younger Cécile Volanges (Leelee Sobieski). The bored rich couple plot a scheme to have Valmont seduce Cécile before the wedding. Valmont also goes to visit Rosemonde (Danielle Darrieux) in Saint Tropez, where he meets the married woman Marie Tourvel (Nastassja Kinski). Featuring a musical score by Angelo Badalamenti and period costumes by Jean-Paul Gaultier. Les Liaisons Dangereuses premiered on U.S. television on WE: Women's Entertainment in March 2004. ~ Andrea LeVasseur, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Catherine Deneuve, Rupert Everett, (more)
- 2000
Gabriel Aghion directs this bawdy period romp about a day in the life of 18th century philosopher and sensualist Denis Diderot (Vincent Perez), who produced the first ever encyclopedia while living a life of delicious decadence. Though the Church immediately banned Diderot's opus, which they deemed to be a compendium of forbidden knowledge, copies continued to circulate. Diderot, along with his wife (Francoise Lepine) and daughter, are staying in the country estate of the Baron and Baroness d'Holbach -- who put a pair of illegal printing presses and a legion of typesetters in a chamber beneath the family altar. At the same time that the Church sends a grumpy Cardinal (Michel Serrault) to ferret out the clandestine press, comely Madame Therbouche (Fanny Ardant) shows up to paint Diderot's portrait. While Diderot occupies himself with his artist friend, the Baroness keeps the Cardinal occupied with her laundry list of sordid confessions. Naughty fun soon ensues. ~ Jonathan Crow, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Fanny Ardant, Josiane Balasko, (more)
- 1997
Over the course of five seasons, this film chronicles a young woman's rise to power within a tempestuous all-female office. Employing elements of fantasy, realism, drama and satire, much of the story takes place in the confines of an oppressive looking steel and glass skyscraper owned by a powerful insurance company. Though the office is populated only by women, the place seethes with tension due to office politics and the personal turmoil suffered by the employees, something that the beautiful and outwardly ruthless office supervisor Carabosse does her best to ignore. When the ever business-like Carabosse finally gets promoted, she appoints Agate (the story's true protagonist) as her successor. Power corrupts and it does not take long for the compassionate Agate to transform into a copy of Carabosse. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Catherine Arditi, Françoise Arnoul, (more)
