Jacques Brel Movies

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, Rovi

In this documentary, director Frederic Rossif has mixed footage of the popular, late singer Jacques Brel in concert and stage performances, with his own interpretive shots and news clips to present a synopsis of Brel's career -- from its beginnings in the early 1960s to his death from cancer in 1978. Biographical and personal data have been excluded, which may disappoint some viewers who want to know more about the man himself. ~ Eleanor Mannikka, Rovi

Proof of the success of French filmmaker Edouard Molinaro is the fact that several of his home-grown hits have been remade as American films. The most recent example of this is 1996's The Birdcage, a highly profitable reworking of Molinaro's La Cage aux Folles (1978). The director's 1973 comedy A Pain in the A... also went the Cage aux Folles route of enjoying worldwide popularity, then undergoing an Americanization process. In the Molinaro original, Lino Ventura plays a friendless hit man who holes up in an Italian hotel room, awaiting the opportunity to knock off his target, a mob witness. No sooner has Ventura drawn a bead on his would-be victim than he is interrupted by the comically suicidal Jacques Brel, who wants to jump from the open window in the assassin's room. The banter and byplay between Ventura and Brel is priceless, especially when veering towards the "sick" humor that Molinaro handles so well. Based on a play by Francis Veber, Pain in the A... was remade by Billy Wilder as Buddy Buddy (1978), with Walter Matthau as the hit man and Jack Lemmon as his unexpected guest. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

In this French romantic tragedy, introverted soldier Leon and the lovely Leonie fall in love, but unfortunately, poor Leon has been emotionally damaged by his overbearing mother and the horrors he endured while at war and is unable to keep their love alive. ~ Sandra Brennan, Rovi

This French comic action/adventure film tells the rollicking story of Flemish Vincent Van Horst (Jacques Brel), a World War I veteran, who travels to the backwoods of Canada to search for a lost love. He teams up with a young man for an adventure which includes lovemaking and feuds, and a murder or two. ~ Clarke Fountain, Rovi

After singer, composer Jacques Brel gave up public performing, he appeared in a number of films in non-singing roles. This film is one of them. The story unfolds through flashbacks. When Mont-Dragon, a horse farm, needs a new manager, Georges (Jacques Brel), a dishonorably discharged army man, takes the post. Georges is out for revenge. The caretaker, who really runs the farm, was a military aide to the Colonel who caused Georges to lose his career and his reputation. Needless to say, the caretaker is not happy to see Georges become the new manager. The owner (Francoise Prevost) is the Colonel's widow, who was at one time Georges' lover. She now finds solace in the arms of her maid (Catherine Rouvel), whom Georges promptly takes to his own bed. As the story continues, he finds numerous ways to make everyone's lives miserable. These tensions carry the movie to its tragic conclusion. ~ Clarke Fountain, Rovi

Benjamin (Jacques Brel) is a country doctor who has a way with women with the exception of his fianceé. While other women yearn to play doctor with the handsome physician, his intended intends on saving herself for their wedding night. When the local Marquis feels he is snubbed by the wise cracking medico, he demands revenge. Benjamin is forced to place his puckered lips on the posterior of the pompous Marquis (Bernard Blier). He gets revenge by making love to the Marquis' wife. Benjamin even saves the choking nobleman, but not before he plants a kiss on the doctor's derriere. Swashbuckling swordplay and nudity appear throughout the film. ~ Dan Pavlides, Rovi

Doucet (Jacques Brel) is a dedicated and happily married schoolteacher in a small town. One day he is accused of making sexual advances toward a fourteen-year old girl. One of his young students has come home with a ripped dress and a story about the tutor's misconduct. The police and the mayor are called in to investigate the allegations, and another girl accuses him of seduction. Yet another girl comes forward to indicate the teacher also made advances towards her. A series of flashbacks tell why each of the girls has made these serious charges against the concerned scholar. He maintains his innocence while the investigation threatens to destroy his marriage, career and life. Director Andre Cayatte is a former attorney who draws upon his legal experiences to reveal social injustice. ~ Dan Pavlides, Rovi

Filmmaker Julien Duvivier returns to the multistoried format of his earlier omnibus films Tales of Manhattan and Flesh and Fantasy with the 1962 French production The Devil and the Ten Commandments. Actually, there are only seven separate episodes in the film, covering such commandments as "Thou Shalt Not Have Any Gods Before Me", "Thou Shalt Not Steal" and "Honor Thy Father and Thy Mother." Each of the vignettes seems to owe more to O. Henry or DeMaupassant than the Book of Exodus, with twist endings carrying the day. The all-star cast includes Michel Simon (Episode One), Dany Saval (Episode Two), Charles Aznavour and Lino Ventura (Episode Three), Micheline Presle, Mel Ferrer and Claude Dauphin (Episode Four); Fernandel (Episode Five); Alain Delon and Danielle Darrieux (Episode Six) and Jean-Claude Brialy (Episode Seven). Best of the batch is the fifth episode, wherein horse-faced Fernandel declares that he is God. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi