Didier Benureau Movies
A television weatherwoman is pursued simultaneously by a spoiled pharmaceutical heir and a successful -- but much older -- writer in director Claude Chabrol's blackly comic tale of romance and class differences. Gabrielle Deneige (Ludivine Sagnier) has a high-profile job detailing the forecast on French TV. Yet despite Gabrielle's staunch work ethic, she values her privacy over her professional career and lives in a modest house with her aging mother (Marie Bunel). One day, renowned author Charles Saint-Denis (François Berléand) is interviewed at the television station where Gabrielle works, and the two feel an instant, powerful connection. Later, at a book signing, the pair continues to flirt despite the presence of entitled rich kid Paul Gaudens (Benoît Magimel) -- who openly despises the writer and longs to claim Gabrielle as his own. Despite the fact that Charles is still happily married to his wife of 25 years (Valeria Cavalli), with whom he has set up home in a posh ultra-modern estate in the countryside, he and Gabrielle share an intimate afternoon at the author's nearby pied-à-terre. Later, as the potentially psychotic Paul steps up his pursuit of Gabrielle, the girl begins to question whether either of her suitors is pure in his intentions. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Ludivine Sagnier, Benoît Magimel, (more)
Co-written by Caroline Eliacheff, Claude Chabrol's La Fleur Du Mal (The Flower of Evil) concerns three generations of the bourgeois Charpin-Vasseur family. The story opens in the present day with a murder occurring during a local election and son Francois (Benoit Magimel) returning home to Bordeaux after four years in the U.S. His father Gerard (Bernard Le Coq) is a suave and successful pharmaceutical manufacturer, while his stepmother Anne (Nathalie Baye) is in the process of running for local office.
Francois has long harbored a strong interest in Anne's daughter, psychology student Michele (Melanie Doutey), and - despite the fact that they are related in various ways - they begin a torrid affair. Then, right before election night, a letter appears, revealing negative information about the family's past concerning the elderly Aunt Line's (Suzanne Flon) connection to a crime dating back to WWII. La Fleur Du Mal was nominated for the Golden Bear at the 2003 Berlin International Film Festival. ~ Andrea LeVasseur, All Movie Guide
Francois has long harbored a strong interest in Anne's daughter, psychology student Michele (Melanie Doutey), and - despite the fact that they are related in various ways - they begin a torrid affair. Then, right before election night, a letter appears, revealing negative information about the family's past concerning the elderly Aunt Line's (Suzanne Flon) connection to a crime dating back to WWII. La Fleur Du Mal was nominated for the Golden Bear at the 2003 Berlin International Film Festival. ~ Andrea LeVasseur, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Nathalie Baye, Benoît Magimel, (more)
- 1997
This gently satirical French comedy centers on the resulting brouhaha that erupts when the preadolescent daughter of a very conservative bourgeoisie couple gets the chance to appear in a raucous music video starring a raunchy, aging female rocker. When pipe-puffing patriarch and solid citizen Brice learns that his daughter Clemence has been to selected for the music video with tacky has-been rocker Gloria, he nearly comes unglued. His prim wife, Benedicte, the organist for the local congregation, has a different perspective and understands her daughter's eagerness. She quietly agrees to secretly accompany Clemence during the shoot. Once there, the two are filmed dancing around and having fun. Neither realize that they will become special-effects victims by time production on the film ends and find themselves apparently dancing amongst men who but for the presence of small rubber sea creatures, would be buck naked. Poor Benedicte is appalled and so launches a campaign to save the family reputation. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Marie-Anne Chazel, Thierry Lhermitte, (more)
- 1997
Philippe de Morannes has an agreement with his girlfriend, the well-known actress Paulette Nanteuil. Either one of them can sleep with someone else if they give their partner a day's notice. In the six years they have been living together, this agreement has not been an issue. Philippe is researching a book about Carl Herickson, an international screen star. One day, while waiting in the star's suite for him to return, he encoutners Claudine, a friend of Paulette's who is a journalist doing an interview of the star. In the midst of a mild but very witty flirtation with her, the star arrives, and expresses a wish to see a local theatrical performance. Hardly thinking about it, he recommends his wife's current play. In a series of misadventures, the film star and the stage star wind up sleeping together. The next day, Philippe and Paulette have a heated and funny discussion about who was unfaithful to whom. This comedy is a remake of the 1938 film Quadrille, by Sacha Guitry. ~ Clarke Fountain, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Valérie Lemercier, André Dussollier, (more)
- 1995
In this French slapstick comedy, a boozy boxer, is again beaten to a pulp in the ring and decides to head for the Mediterranean resort of Norbonne where his brother owns a pizza wagon. En route he teams up with an aspiring con man, who has also been beaten up. As they travel southward, they meet many odd characters and have a variety of madcap adventures. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Jean Reno, Christian Charmettant, (more)
- 1994
The conversations between two lost souls who were former lovers is the basis for this drama. When Sophie suddenly returns into Vincent's life, she convinces him to leave his male lover. A small subplot is provided by Anna, a shy woman who walks from Romania to come together with her lover who promptly dies of a heart attack when they reunite. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Karin Viard, Antoine Basler, (more)
- 1993
- R
A modern farce about medieval life, this is a time-travel comedy by French director Jean-Marie Poire. A 12th-century nobleman, Godefroy (Jean Reno), and his squire Jacquouille (Christian Clavier) are the victims of a mistake by an aging wizard. While trying to work another spell, the sorcerer accidentally transports the pair to the late 20th century. To his great dismay, Godefroy finds that his family is now poor and has sold their estate to Jacquouille's rich descendants, including Jacquart (also played by Clavier). The insensitive new owners plan to turn the castle into a modern hotel. Meanwhile, the sorcerer asks his own descendant for help in trying to get his charges to return back to medieval times. The film, which details with comic precision the differences in manners and technology between the two eras, was a huge hit in France. ~ Michael Betzold, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Christian Clavier, Jean Reno, (more)
- 1991
In this frequently surrealistic romp, a satire on sex, politics, and the business of filmmaking, two young women get together after discovering sufficient provocations in their lives to deliberately set out to wreak havoc in the world around them. Joelle (Anouk Grinberg) has just been thrown out of a moving car by her abusive man-friend, when Camille (Charlotte Gainsbourg) encounters her. Joelle's bitter exclamation Merci la Vie, or "thank you, life" echoes something of Camille's feelings, and the two decide to go on a rampage, picking up and seducing numerous men and then doing things like destroying their cars. Eventually, they set their sights on a "higher" goal and decide to do in an entire town. Meanwhile, it becomes evident that a sinister medical researcher, Dr. Worms (Gérard Depardieu), has infected promiscuous Joelle with a sexually transmitted disease he invented for the sole purpose of becoming the man who finds its cure, which he hopes will make him beloved, famous and rich. At some point, an elaborate series of flashbacks enter the story, and in one sequence, Camille attempts to persuade her feuding parents to get back together long enough to conceive her. Reviewers noted that logic is not a strong point in this film, but they found its fast pace and bright performances vastly entertaining. ~ Clarke Fountain, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Charlotte Gainsbourg, Anouk Grinberg, (more)
A young boy abandoned at a monastery attempts to come to reconcile his faith with the violence and unpredictability of the outside world in this drama from director Luigi Comencini. In the 16th century, war is raging and a young mother abandons her baby at the door of a crumbling monastery. Named Marcellino by the caring months and raised until he is six years old, the young boy is adopted by a wealthy count and offered a life of luxury beyond his wildest dreams. Though his new home offers all of the amenities one could want in life, it lacks the heart of his former home, and Marcellino longs to return to his humble but loving monastery. When Marcellino's new father takes the young boy on his first hunt, the trauma suffered upon experiencing such violence forces Marcellino to flee to his former home in the midst of a raging storm. Discovered by the friars the following morning and placed in a loft with an enormous crucifix, the young boy finds comfort in the man on the cross during his convalescence. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Fernando Fernán Gómez, Alberto Cracco, (more)
One might assume that the original title of this French production was C'est La Vie. Wrong: the film was initially released as La Baule-les-Pins, then distributed to English speaking countries under a more "understandable" French cognomen. The film is set during a deceptively idyllic summer. Two young girls are fascinated bystanders as their parents' marriage dissolves and their mother takes up with a younger man. What might have been material for tear-stained drama in an American film is treated with perceptive humor in C'est La Vie. Director Diane Kurys cowrote the screenplay with Alain Le Henry. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Nathalie Baye, Richard Berry, (more)
Bertrand Blier's films have explored the sometimes misogynistic sexuality of younger men, but here he offers an absorbing, funny, and moving take on a middle-aged man's adulterous affair. Gerard Depardieu stars as Bernard, an affluent car dealer who finds himself in the grip of a violent passion for his new secretary, a rather plain-looking, middle-aged woman played by Josiane Balasko. Seemingly a happily married man with a beautiful wife (Carole Bouquet) and children, he can't understand what is happening as his life is turned upside down. While it may seem that Blier simply enjoys tweaking convention, he's clearly after far more than laughs given the tenderness he finds in the scenes between the adulterous lovers. Bernard's age has suddenly made him more vulnerable, a state of emotion that he realizes Colette grasps intuitively. Depardieu and French comedienne Balasko make a completely believable couple, and the photography of the great Philippe Rousselot is stunning. ~ Michael Costello, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Gérard Depardieu, Josiane Balasko, (more)
- 1989
In this comedy, Thomas and Stephane (Thierry Lhermitte and Alain Souchon) are a couple of gay men who want to raise a baby. When their efforts to adopt one fall through, they hit on the scheme of having Carole, the (gorgeous) young woman they have saved from a bad relationship, bear a child for them. When she insists that only natural reproduction methods be used, they gamely play good sports by going to bed with her, and become the father(s) of twins. ~ Clarke Fountain, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Thierry Lhermitte, Alain Souchon, (more)
- 1983
In this uneven take-off on some reluctant resistance fighters in World War II, a family of musicians find themselves the unwilling hosts of a segment of the German High Command when their Paris mansion is taken over by the occupying forces. What happens next is a series of individual skits, cameo appearances, and zany interludes that are not necessarily as strung together as they are strung out. Characters include: Adolph Hitler's melodious half-brother whose singing style is hilariously close to that of Julio Iglesias, a "good" German officer, stereotypical of any of those found in post-World War II movies, and a woman who provides the comedy in a 1970s television talk show when she expounds on what really happened in the Paris villa back when. It is the acting which carries the day for this film, more than the actual script or cinematic development. ~ Eleanor Mannikka, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Christian Clavier, Michel Galabru, (more)
