Martine Sarcey Movies

A disenchanted doctor discovers love is good for what ails him in this light romantic drama. Bruno Sachs (Albert Dupontel) is a physician in a small town in France. The only medical man in the community, Sachs is well-liked by his patients and maintains a facade of dignity and compassion, but deep inside, he's not happy with his work and doesn't much care for most of his patients. Sachs supplements his income by performing abortions at a hospital in a nearby town, and one of his patients there is a young woman named Pauline (Valerie Dreville). Pauline seems taken with Bruno, and he finds her charming and attractive; Pauline very directly tells Bruno that she isn't interested in a traditional courtship, but she would certainly like to consummate their feelings at some point in the future. A few days later, Pauline bumps into Bruno at a bookstore, and before long a relationship would seem to be in progress. Meanwhile, Dr. Sachs still has to tend to the various maladies of the locals, ranging from a heart patient who refuses to have surgery that could save his life to a man whose body is wearing out under the strain of his wife's three-times-a-day appetite for sex. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide

Best known for their historical epics that examine class and social issues in British life through a thick lens of tasteful production design and good manners, director James Ivory and producer Ismail Merchant set their sights on an American protagonist for a change with Jefferson in Paris. As the title suggests, Jefferson in Paris deals with the five years that Thomas Jefferson (Nick Nolte) spent as U.S. ambassador to France prior to the French Revolution; while Jefferson is sympathetic to the revolutionary forces in France, he's become well enough acquainted with the ruling aristocracy that he finds himself torn between the two sides of the issue. Jefferson, a recent widower, also becomes friends with Maria Cosway (Greta Scacchi), who is married to a foppish British artist; while it's obvious the two are in love, neither is in a position to do anything about their infatuation. And while Jefferson's daughter Patsy (Gwyneth Paltrow) loves her father, she's very upset with him when he sends her to a convent school. In this midst of this personal turmoil, Jefferson's younger daughter Polly (Estelle Eonnet) arrives in Paris, with her slave Sally Hemmings (Thandie Newton) in tow. Attractive and bright (if uneducated), Sally catches Jefferson's eye, and a friendship develops that grows into something deeper; in time, Sally becomes pregnant, and her family claims that Jefferson is the father. At the time Jefferson In Paris was released, the question of Sally Hemmings' relationship with Thomas Jefferson was a matter of lively historical debate; since then, genetic evidence has shown that, while Jefferson's paternity can't be proved beyond a doubt, it is likely that he did father children with Hemmings. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide

In this political drama, five left-leaning friends gradually lose heart in the Socialist government elected in 1981 in France. One of the five men is a television broadcaster; the others are a teacher about to become an academic inspector, a tax man, the director of a cultural center, and a sociologist who is about to step into a ministerial position. Their interlocking lives are told in alternating vignettes over a four-year period, and the professions director Jacques Fansten has chosen for his main characters seem to be a comment on the media, education, budget or finance, the arts, and government bureaucracy under Socialist rule. ~ Eleanor Mannikka, All Movie Guide

In this sex comedy, the summer vacationers staying at a beach hotel have only one thing on their minds: sex. Whether they are pre-adolescent boys, mature housewives, young shopkeepers or bemused old-timers, they are all either thinking about it, doing something about having it, or watching with great interest the shenanigans of others. ~ Clarke Fountain, All Movie Guide

In this frothy and sexy French farce, a pair of middle-aged pals go on a vacation with their two teenage daughters. The trouble begins when one of the friends gets entangled with the others' daughter. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide

Set in France in 1917, this film is about non-combatant pianist Julien (Mathieu Carriere) and the numerous efforts of his friend Jacques (Roger Van Hool), a military flier, to come to his aid, both in terms of finding concert opportunities and in arranging romantic assignations. At the film's opening, Julien has received a telegram inviting him to visit Jacques at his country estate. When he arrives, Jacques is absent, but Julien manages to take the servant girl to bed with him. He leaves without ever seeing Jacques. On another occasion, Jacques arranges an opportunity for Julien to play at a rich man's dinner party, an offer that Julien turns down. ~ Clarke Fountain, All Movie Guide

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

Director Frederic Rossif takes a scattered look at the world and the animal kingdom in this docudrama. Wildlife is witnessed in scenes raging from lovable comedic moments, to the life-and-death struggles for survival. Commentary spoken by Maurice Escand and music from Maurice Jarre are added effectively. ~ Dan Pavlides, All Movie Guide