Jacques Spiesser Movies

Inspired by director Vittorio De Sica's 1952 neorealist classic Umberto D., Francis Huster's sentimental drama stars Jean-Paul Belmondo as an aged retiree who is forced out onto the street with his dog after his relationship with a wealthy widow falls apart. A cinematic comeback for Belmondo, who previously retired from acting after suffering a major stroke, un homme et son chien tells the story of Charles, an older man who was invited by his lover to stay in the maid's room in her sprawling home. When the woman decides to marry again, however, Charles and his faithful four-legged companion are promptly shown the door. With no place to call home and no means of earning a living, Charles wanders the streets of Paris with his dog as their pair drift towards an uncertain fate. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide

A woman who has never had much trouble choosing between love or money tries to teach a man the tricks of the trade in this sly romantic comedy. Irène (Audrey Tautou) is an attractive thirtysomething woman who lives a comfortable life by taking up with older and very wealthy men. Irène is serving as arm candy for Jacques (Vernon Dobtcheff), who is twice her age and quite rich; Jacques takes Irène on a vacation to a resort in the French Riviera for her birthday, where she meets Jean (Gad Elmaleh), a handsome bartender at the hotel who works a variety of odd jobs to keep himself afloat. While Jacques spends Irène's birthday sound asleep, she ends up enjoying a romantic evening with Jean, until she discovers he's broke. A year later, Jacques and Irène return to the resort, and Jean discovers he still carries a torch for her. Irène is not so interested until Jacques decides he's had enough of her and breaks off their relationship; suddenly forced to fend for herself, Irène turns to Jean for help. Jean, meanwhile, has learned that Madeleine (Marie-Christine Adam), a handsome and very well-to-do widow in her sixties, has her eye on him and wishes to make Jean her kept man. Jean asks Irène to give him a crash course in the fine art of being a gigolo, while Irène tries to get back in the game by taking up with Gilles (Jacques Spiesser). Slowly but surely, Irène and Jean realize how much they care for one another, but can they get learn to live the good life without money? ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide

This French-language feature, starring and directed by the acclaimed blues maestro Richard Bohringer, was loosely adapted from the musician's roman-a-clef, and almost completely omits a central narrative. In it, a young writer pursues an idolized artist through the various experiences and exotic locales of his continual wanderings, from Paris to Mareille to Africa. Bohringer thus attempts to capture various moods and feelings, with a heavy emphasis on nocturnal events. ~ Nathan Southern, All Movie Guide

Director David Oelhoeffen's French-language picture Nos retrouvailles - a resolutely disturbing psychological drama with an added element of crime - explores the damage wrought by an über-dysfunctional father on his straight-laced son. Jacques Gamblin stars as Gabriel, a thuggish character harboring an irrepressible grudge over money that someone allegedly swiped from him. With bitterness in his heart, this thoughtless and slimy brute cajoles his innocent son, the dishwasher Marco (Nicolas Giraud) into first tailing a night watchman (Jacques Spiesser) and then breaking into a warehouse to reclaim the "funds" - despite the inherent dangers posed by this scheme. Oelhoeffen co-authored the script with Antoine Lacomblez. ~ Nathan Southern, All Movie Guide

Christine Blanc (Sasha Andres) is a single woman working as a temp. She lies to co-workers, and her parents, telling them she lives with her boyfriend. She's socially awkward, and spends hours wandering the misty outskirts of town or sitting at the mall alone, observing people. She tries to talk to people, but she tries too hard, and they are put off. Uncertain of what to say to people, she uses snatches from conversations she's overheard. She's drawn to her boss at the employment agency, Patricia (Catherine Mouchet), and when Patricia has a fight with her boyfriend, Christine seizes the opportunity and invites her to dinner. Despite a few awkward moments, mostly caused by Christine's desperation to please, the dinner goes reasonably well. A surprising turn of events soon changes the course of Christine's life. Before long, she's gotten her driver's license, co-workers are inviting her out for drinks, she starts dating Eric (Eric Caravaca), and she is offered a permanent position at her job. But life isn't perfect. There are a couple of co-workers who pester her, and the police are soon questioning her about the death of an acquaintance. Degas (Carlo Brandt), an inspector, seems particularly interested in the case. Or is he interested in her? Elle Est des Nôtres marks the feature debut of director Siegrid Alnoy, who co-wrote the script with Jérôme Beaujour (A Single Girl) and François Favrat (Seaside). The film won a FIPRESCI Prize at the 2003 Stockholm Film Festival and a Special Mention at the 2003 Thessaloniki Film Festival. It was also shown at the Walter Reade Theater in New York as part of the Film Society of Lincoln Center's Rendez-Vous With French Cinema in 2004. ~ Josh Ralske, All Movie Guide

Four people discuss love and life, learning (and revealing) more about each other than they ever imagined in this intimate drama from director Anne-Marie Mieville. A middle-aged woman (Mieville) and her younger, attractive friend Cathos (Claude Perron) return home from an evening out with elderly Robert (Jean-Luc Godard). After Cathos makes a vain attempt to seduce Robert, the older woman steps out to buy cigarettes. She soon returns, and has brought an attractive young man named Arthur (Jacques Spiesser) along with her. Soon the four are discussing philosophy, literature, and their own intertwined relationships, as Robert and the older woman open up about the failings of their own romance. Some of the realism of Apres La Reconciliation can be attributed to the fact that Mieville and Godard are a long-time couple in real life; this also marks the fourth time they've acted together, though the first time was in a film directed solely by Mieville (Godard was a collaborator on the other three films in which they both appeared). ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide

Klaus Maria Brandauer stars in this gorgeously photographed French-German-Dutch biopic on the life of 17th century Dutch master Rembrandt van Rijn. Told in flashbacks from the point-of-view of the aged artist, the film opens as the young van Rijn arrives in Amsterdam. Soon after establishing his career as a painter, he marries the radiant Saskia (Johanna ter Steege). As he makes a name for himself, he can soon afford to buy a large house by teaching wealthy aristocrats how to paint. However, the couple's happiness is short-lived; Saskia dies soon after bearing their son, Titus. Crushed, van Rijn seeks comfort first in the arms of his maid Geertje (Caroline van Houten) and then with his second wife, Hendrickje (Romane Bohringer), who gives birth to a daughter. In spite of his genius, van Rijn's determinedly eccentric behavior alienates the very members of the elite who were paying his bills. At one point, the artist's home and belongings, including many of his paintings, are seized and sold for humiliatingly low prices in a rigged auction. Rembrandt was directed by painter-turned-director Charles Matton. ~ Jonathan Crow, All Movie Guide

The French-filmed Baxter is based on the American novel Hell Hound. The title character is a bull terrier, who in the course of the film has many masters--and for good reason. Baxter has been instrumental in the deaths or serious injuries of most of the human beings who've come in contact with him. The dog's latest owner is a young neo-Nazi. nd Baxter makes it quite clear (to the audience at least) what he has in store for this fellow. Don't be misled by the title or the fact that the leading character is a dog with a full range of human emotions; Baxter is not a family film. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Gerard Darmon and Anais Jeanneret star in this low-budget thriller from director Miguel Courtois. A journalist wrongly accused of murder enlists the help of a femme fatale to track down the real killer. The late Michel Auclair plays a shady film producer in his last screen role, and the feature is dedicated to him. ~ Dan Pavlides, All Movie Guide

This French sex farce is translated in English as The Trout. Joseph Losey directed and co-wrote the film, which stars Isabelle Huppert as Frederique, a young woman living on her family's rural trout farm. Frederique is trapped in a dull marriage to a rube. She decides to leave him and the trout farm for the city; she wants to make her living in the financial sector. She ends up in a cutthroat corporate world and meets up with the sophisticated Lou (the legendary Jeanne Moreau). Frederique finds herself trading sexual favors for corporate advancement and becoming more deeply involved in a complicated series of business dealings. Eventually, she longs for a return to her simpler life on the trout farm. ~ Michael Betzold, All Movie Guide

Actress Jeanne Moreau made her directorial debut with this tale about a gathering of actresses who, over the course of an all-night conversation, come to reassess their careers and romantic lives. ~ Jason Ankeny, All Movie Guide