Louis Seigner Movies

The 20th century not only produced the modern woes of super-highway crashes and interminable traffic jams, but also movies that center around the same theme. In this drama about life and death in the fast, middle, and slow lanes, Juliette (Carole Laure) finds herself stranded on a busy highway leading from Paris south to cities like Lyon. She was supposed to meet her lover, and is driving his car when she stops at their appointed roadside rendezvous. Instead, their deception has been discovered by her lover's wife, who is waiting for her, and drives the car away in a huff. Juliette is left to thumb it back to Paris. She soon hooks up with Arthur Colonna (Jean Yanne), who gives her a ride, and the two begin to wend their way northward along the highway. Interspersed with their journey is a series of cinematic "asides" that delve into tragic mishaps, such as the aftermath of a crash in which a woman was killed, her husband stumbling along the highway, still in shock -- and the brief story of a surgeon named Kalendarian (Georges Wilson) who struggles to find the needed transfusions for the crash victims on this busy weekend. The relationship between Juliette and Arthur begins to turn from casual to interested when they suffer a bad accident from which they both manage to come out unscathed -- leaving an indelible effect on their growing relationship. ~ Eleanor Mannikka, Rovi

Based on a true story, Costa-Gavras' Special Section (Section Speciale) is set in wartime France, but the parallels to contemporary political persecution are inescapable. A young German naval officer is killed in occupied Paris. The supplicative Vichy government sets about to locate the perpetrators. Four idealistic young Frenchman are arrested, tortured and slated for execution. It is clear that it doesn't matter whether they're guilty or not: the flames of totalitarianism must be stoked, even with the blood of the innocent. And it's especially convenient if the accused are thoroughly expendable in the eyes of the authorities. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

Arthur (Jean Richard) dreams of killing his harridan shrew of a wife to spend more time with his demanding mistress in this crime drama. His wife refuses to grant him a divorce, so Arthur puts his mind to murder. Arthur kills a woman who is sleeping in his bed, but it turns out to be the mistress who had earlier come to visit the wife. His spouse knocked out the mistress by hitting her and dumped the unconscious victim in the bed. Arthur and his wife hide the body, but he discovers that the mistress was poisoned before her visit to his wife. ~ Dan Pavlides, Rovi

In this challenging drama by Michelangelo Antonioni, his characteristic long, significant periods of silence punctuate the message that people just cannot seem to communicate with each other. Capping off Antonioni's previous two films (L'avventura and La Notte) in much the same style, this tale involves a woman, Vittoria (Monica Vitti), who has just suffered the break-up of an imperfect relationship with a staunch intellectual (Francisco Rabal). Piero (Alain Delon), a stockbroker, casts his romantic gaze in Vittoria's direction and the woman gradually relents and they begin a tentative affair. There is much to appreciate in this man who is not overly intellectual and is blessedly free of complications, and the same can be said of Vittoria. Yet their innermost fears play upon both of them in ways that go against an honest expression of their love -- and against a lasting relationship. ~ Eleanor Mannikka, Rovi

Jean Gabin carries this conventional political drama set in pre-World War II France. He is Emile, a retired politico with a long memory, a curmudgeon who is not yet prepared to stand on the sidelines and watch others wield power. Flashbacks fill in the details about his earlier career -- and why he wants to block the new cabinet proposed by a politician he knew in his former days of government service. A bit long at almost two hours, director Henri Verneuil worked often enough with Gabin in his films to elicit a strong portrayal. ~ Eleanor Mannikka, Rovi

This French social comedy makes fun of the upper crust. It is based on a Moliere play and is the first appearance of the entire Comedie Francaise troupe. Usually, the troupe only allowed one member at a time to appear in a film. ~ Sandra Brennan, Rovi

This legendary opera by Mozart is lavishly produced and comedically performed with great skill by the Comedie Francaise. Andre Cadou conducts the orchestra. The award winning troupe brings its own special brand of humor to the story without compromising the plot or the grandeur of this audio and visual spectacle. ~ Dan Pavlides, Rovi

Based upon the classic Moliere farce and performed by the legendary Comedie Francaise, The Would Be Gentleman opens in a contemporary setting as audience members enter a theatre and take their seats. The curtain rises, and we the play begins. We soon meet Jourdain (Louis Seigner), a man of recent wealth but no breeding. Jourdain is obsessed with "quality" and "respectability," but is a total fool, and his efforts at bettering himself are met with derision -- but only behind his back. Jourdain also has set his sights on a lovely widowed Marquise, whom he hopes to impress by commissioning serenades, ballets, etc., and for whom he has bought an expensive ring. He has enlisted the aid of an impecunious Count to deliver his messages of love, but the Count is after the Marquise himself and tells her that the gifts he brings are his own. Jourdain also must deal with his wife, who finds his airs ridiculous, and his daughter Lucille, who wishes to marry Cleonte, a young, honorable man who is perfect in all respects save one -- he is not of noble blood. Fortunately, Cleonte's servant devises a scheme to fool Jourdain into thinking Cleonte is to the manor born, and the film ends with all the lovers matched with their appropriate partners. ~ Craig Butler, Rovi

Martine Carol plays the title character in the comedy melodrama Nathalie. The heroine is a professional model who becomes innocently mixed up in a robbery/murder case. Deciding to play detective, Nathalie leads both the authorities and the underworld on a merry chase. She also wins the heart of police inspector Franck (Michel Piccoli), who does his best to shield her from the evil machinations of criminal mastermind Coco (Philippe Clay). A big hit in France, Nathalie also did quite well in the U.S. under the title Foxiest Girl in Paris. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

Sacha Guitry's Si Versailles M'Etait Conte (If Versailles Were Told to Me) is best known by its American title Royal Affairs in Versailles. In addtion to writing and directed the film, Guitry reserves for himself the plum role of Louis XIV. Concentrating on the palace of Versailles over a period of 300 years, the storyline concentrates on the various amorous and political intrigues of three French kings. The plot manages to wend its way through the French revolution, coming to a halt in "the present". The star-studded supporting cast includes Jean Marais as Louis XV, Claudette Colbert as Mme. Montespan, Micheline Presle as Mme. Pompadour, and, best of all, Orson Welles as a gouty Ben Franklin. Most currently available prints of Si Versailles M'Etait Conte are severely edited, and fail to do justice to the rich Eastmancolor hues of the original version. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

Barbara Laage essays the title role in Zoe. Our heroine's adventures begin when she catches the eye of a big-city playboy named Arthur (Michel Auclair), who is attracted not only to Zoe's beauty, but by her insistence upon telling nothing but the whole truth. This trait causes no end of comic complications when Zoe moves into the palatial home of Arthur's family. The limit comes when Zoe botches a big business deal formulated by Arthur's not-altogether-honest father (Louis Seigner). Zoe is based on a stage farce by Jean Marsan. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi