Bernard Le Coq Movies
- 1981
Birgitt Haas (Lisa Kreuzer) has become the target of the German Secret Service -- she is a German terrorist and the Secret Service would like her eliminated. To that end, they request some help from their French equivalent, represented by Athanase (Philippe Noiret). His plan is to enlist the unwitting cooperation of Bauman, a middle-aged Frenchman (Jean Rochefort) bereaved by the loss of his wife to another man, and perhaps ready for the solace that may grow from a chance encounter with Birgitt. Althanase takes Bauman to Munich and sets up the "accidental" meeting, intending to create a passionate liaison that could then be blamed for her murder. But the hard-boiled Athanase begins to feel some sympathy for Birgitt, who is ready to leave the terrorist life behind, and he also begins to loathe his own part in the ugly plot. Meanwhile, Bauman does not suspect any deception until something goes wrong -- leaving the course of events wide open. ~ Eleanor Mannikka, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Philippe Noiret, Jean Rochefort, (more)
- 1978
- R
In this comedy, over-achieving men who are involved in a multi-car automobile accident meet and get to know one another in the hospital. One collects old furniture under the guise of being an antique salesman, another stars in television commercials, and another is an inventor. Meanwhile, the wives of three of them meet and get a taste of freedom without their husbands. Eventually their differences are resolved and happiness is enjoyed by all. ~ Clarke Fountain, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Bernadette Lafont, Rufus, (more)
- 1978
Made for television, this film tells the story of a doctor who receives an ordinary Polaroid camera from a patient of his and keeps it when the patient dies. Soon he discovers that the camera makes death predictions. ~ Clarke Fountain, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Jean-Claude Carrière, Vania Vilers, (more)
- 1976
During a celebration for the sale of his first book, a young writer is forcibly taken from his girlfriend's home by the special police and subjected to lengthy torture and interrogation. In the meantime, the girl tries to get him released, but no one is willing to tell her where he is, nor are they willing to help her. ~ Clarke Fountain, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Bernard Le Coq, Catherine Lachens, (more)
- 1975
The advertising business is the background for this drama about the struggles between a jaded old-timer (Bernard Blier) and his former employee (Francis Perrin), an idealistic young man who starts his own company and wants somehow to tell the truth about the products he is pushing. ~ Clarke Fountain, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Bernard Blier, Francis Perrin, (more)
- 1974
When Joelle (Nathalie Courval) notices that the "one of a kind" watch given to her by her lover Norbert (Jean-Claude Brialy) is also being worn by Olivia (Marcha Grant), she and the other woman strike up an acquaintance. They discover that they had been told the same lie by the same man; not only is he being unfaithful to his wife with a mistress, he is being unfaithful to one mistress with yet another! The two watch-wearing mistresses put their heads together to think up an appropriate punishment. ~ Clarke Fountain, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Jean-Claude Brialy, Nathalie Courval, (more)
- 1974
Four wedding anniversaries serve to chronicle the beginning and end of a thirty-year marriage, in this tragicomic French film by director Claude Lelouche, best known to U.S. filmgoers for his Oscar-winning film A Man and A Woman. Henri (Rufus) and Janne (Bulle Ogier) are first seen on their wedding night as they hesitantly enter their new country house which faces a concrete bunker. They would really have preferred something in the city, but this is what they can afford. A resistance group overruns the house in order to take out the Germans in the bunker, and as a result of this raid Henri becomes forever associated with the resistance. On their wedding anniversary 10 years later (also the anniversary of the raid), he is regarded as a hero, though not by Janne; she boycotts the dedication of a plaque commemorating the destruction of the bunker. Ten years later, the couple is locked in serious marital combat. The final episode has the now-divorced couple reuniting briefly to sell the house, and Henri speaks of old times and ties that cannot be broken. ~ Clarke Fountain, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Rufus, Bulle Ogier, (more)
- 1973
In this French film, Rose (Simone Signoret) is the pillar on which her family depends, and against which it pulls. These forces are held in equilibrium until a murdered woman's body is found near their farm, the Les Granges Brulees of the film's title. At first, Police Inspector Larcher (Alain Delon) feels that the evidence points to her youngest son. By the time everyone in the family is cleared of suspicion, long-buried truths about each of them will be revealed, and the family will never be the same again. ~ Clarke Fountain, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Fernand Ledoux, Alain Delon, (more)
Claude Sautet's romantic drama César et Rosalie (Cesar and Rosalie) stars Romy Schneider as Rosalie, a beautiful young woman happily married to successful businessman Cesar (Yves Montand). One day, Rosalie's former flame David (Sami Frey) appears and attempts to win her back. Cesar reacts with a jealous intensity never before seen by Rosalie, and because of that, she returns to David. She remains conflicted as to with whom she should be, but eventually, one of the men does something which resolves the situation. César et Rosalie contains one of the first screen appearances of French actress Isabelle Huppert. ~ Perry Seibert, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Romy Schneider, Yves Montand, (more)
- 1972
This tragic French melodrama brings to the screen the story of Marie-Louise (Anne Giradot), a woman whose love for her ex-husband will not die even though he seems to be a heartless cad. Alexandre left her, he says, because she attended a few leftist marches and demonstrations. However, he has set up housekeeping in their old neighborhood. Marie-Louise keeps hoping that he will come back to her. She is so attached to this idea that when her son finally convinces her that he will never return, the realization has dire consequences. ~ Clarke Fountain, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Annie Girardot, Bernard Fresson, (more)
- 1970
A young man leaves home when he finds the marriage of his mutually adulterous parents to be hypocritical in this romantic comedy satire. He has a gay artist pursuing him and a mistress he does not care for very much. When he leaves home, the mother beds down with the homosexual while his father takes on his son's former mistress. The young man meets a girl, and the two have an affair while the May 1968 riots in Paris enfold. She leaves him for a while to take part in the political turmoil, but returns to her apolitical lover when her efforts prove to be ineffective. ~ Dan Pavlides, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Bernard Le Coq, Juliette Villard, (more)
- 1970
This plodding and uneven story finds a young doctor visiting his father in Morocco. He discovers his estranged parent, who he has not seen since childhood, is re-married with a young son. The young medico has a fling with a pretty French girl before he returns home to his girlfriend after the reunion. He forgives his father for leaving him at such a young age in this pretentious film that fails to bridge the generation gap. ~ Dan Pavlides, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Renaud Verley, Bernard Le Coq, (more)
- 1969
A 19-year-old college student from an upper-middle-class family has an affair with the 25-year-old mistress of a famous driver who competes in international horse races. He is treated like a kid by the woman until they come together at a winter resort and begin an amorous affair. When the driver comes home, the student gives up the woman in a noble gesture of maturity and respect for the love he has received from her in this bittersweet romantic film. ~ Dan Pavlides, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Natalie Delon, Renaud Verley, (more)
