LE BOSSU (On Guard!)
Directed by Philippe de Broca
Daniel Auteuil ("Jean deFlorette", "Manon des Sources", "Un Coeur en Hiver", "La Reine Margot")
Marie Gillain
Vincent Perez
THE MAN IN THE IRON MASK
Directed by Randall Wallace (Screenwriter - "Braveheart")
Leonardo DiCaprio, Jeremy Irons, John Malkovich, Gerard Depardieu, Gabriel Byrne |
For a change, we go mainstream this week. But first a touch of class.
The 1998 French Film Festival was officially opened in Melbourne on Thursday 26th. A selection of the best of recent French cinema was screened over 4 nights in both Melbourne and Sydney. The opening night film was "Le Bossu", a wonderful melodrama about love and loyalty, treachery and betrayal in 18th century France. It starred Daniel Auteuil (seen in Australia recently in "Lucie Aubrac") as Lagardere, a former street urchin who becomes the best friend of the Duke of Nevers. After the Duke's assassination, Lagardere adopts Nevers' infant daughter and seeks to regain her her birthright.
There was a strong sense that both actors and audiences were enjoying themselves immensely and not taking things too seriously. In typical French fashion. Love wins out in the end.
Staying in France, and in the 18th century, the latest full-on production from Hollywood is "The Man in the Iron Mask". Filmed in France with a multi-national cast and based on the classic novel by the French writer Alexandre Dumas. In this film the ageing Musketeers - one for all, all for one - come out of retirement to save France from the tyrannies of her King, Louis XIV. This too is a tale of love and loyalty, treachery and deception.
Whilst both f1lms were enormously enjoyable, I spent the weekend trying to tie down the differences between the two. What exactly was it that made "Le Bossu" so much fun? Why did I find myself cringing at Leonardo DiCaprio's accent as King Louis/Phillipe?
It boasts a stellar cast with Jeremy Irons, John Malkovich, Gerard Depardieu, Gabriel Byrne, and, of course, Leonardo DiCaprio, the current darling of the screen in the lead as King Louis/Phillipe.
The production design and costume design is luscious. The performances are impressive, especially the Musketeers. DiCaprio has a wonderful role playing both the evil king and his good twin brother, but I did feel his performance was a little uneven and his American accent rather distracted me. Nevertheless there were moments when he reviewed real depth and emotion.
I guess the reality is that the 4 seasoned actors he was up against couldn't help but overshadow him - they were wonderful!
This is a film full of all the essentials, with the goodies winning out in the end that all unreconstructed romantics will enjoy immensely.
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