Moliere
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Movie Reviews of Moliere
Movie Review: Moliere
Summary: 5 Stars
Readers: Please be aware that I intended to rate "Moliere" as four stars. It is difficult to change the rating on a review here on Amazon once it is posted. Otherwise, the review stands as written. Robin Friedman
The 2007 summer of movies featured two historical romances in which two famous writers become who they are. The first movie, "Becoming Jane" is based upon the life of Jane Austen and shows her discovering her themes as a novelist as a result of a failed romance. The other movie, "Moliere" was released 2006 in France but was only recently released with English subtitles in the United States in 2007. It was released as a DVD in 2008.
The story takes place at two times in Moliere's life: when he is on the verge of his artistic sucess upon being called to the court and thirteen years earlier when, as the leader of a wandering group of comedians, he is thrown into a debtor's prision. The plot becomes elegantly tangled. Moliere is rescued from prison by a nameless French nobleman who wants his assistance in producing a play to seduce a beautiful, fickle young coquette. He is brought into the house in the guise of a priest named "Tartuffe" and immediately arouses the suspicion of the nobleman's wife. The wife becomes attracted to the much younger Moliere when she chances upon some writing he has done for her husband, and, yes, the two begin an affair. Meanwhile Moliere rescuses his rescuer from a conniving neighbor who takes his money, has designs upon his son as a wife for his daughter, and tries to foist his own attentions on the lovely coquette. Moliere's cleverness thwarts these attempts, while Moliere also seeks forgiveness for cuckolding his benefactor. The benefactor shows a great deal of character development from an fop and a seducer to one who realizes the error of his ways.
But the highlight of the plot is they way the experience, and his relationship with the Countess, influences Moliere. Throughout the movie, Moliere is portrayed as a frustrated tragedian who longs to do great things but fears they cannot be accomplished through comedy. The Countess twice forcefully tells him to persevere through all vicissitudes in his calling as a playright -- and to stick with his genius for comedy. When Moliere says that comedy cannot be meaningful, she tells him to invent comedy that can. The point is brought home convincingly.
The manners, set, and acting in this film are beautiful and the subtitles are easy to read. I thought this movie an excellent period piece about the great French writer of comic drama with an inspiring moral for the viewer.
Robin Friedman
Movie Review: An absolutely exquisite film about a literary giant
Summary: 5 Stars
Moliére is the cinematic equivalent of a banquet of rich French delicacies. Every aspect of this film is exquisite - from the writing and directing to the sets and costumes. The cast is amazing.
This is a fanciful biography of Jean-Baptiste Poquelin, a.k.a. Moliére, the 17th century French playwright. History tells us that a very young Moliére was tossed into debtor's prison when his theater troupe went bankrupt. After his release from prison Moliére disappeared for a period of time. After he reappeared he spent 13 years touring, practicing his craft and making his name throughout the provinces of France before he conquered Paris. The film deals with the period of Moliére's disappearance. It takes the stance that the people he met and the adventures he had during this time were the inspiration for some of the most famous comedic plays in Western literature. Much of the action presented in the film combines characters, situations and devices taken directly from Moliére's works, notably `Le Bourgeois Gentilhomme' and `Tartuffe.'
On the farcical side, our Moliére has been freed from debtor's prison by Monsieur Jourdain who wants Moliére to teach him to act in order that he may romantically impress a certain young widowed Marquise with a one act play he has written in her honor. Jourdain needs Moliére in his home, but he can't reveal the true reason to his wife. So Moliére is disguised as Tartuffe, a priest who will serve as tutor to the youngest Jourdain daughter. Jourdain's plans for seduction also depend on the assistance of his confidante, the impoverished nobleman, Dorante. Meanwhile, Moliére/Tartuffe is developing a romantic interest in Jourdain's wife, Elmire. A pair of young lovers, Jourdain's daughter and her music teacher further complicate the action.
The story is modern, stylish and sexy, with comic and tragic elements that will charm you and hold your interest. You don't have to be a fan of 17th century French theater to appreciate it. However, if you're familiar with the plays, this movie will have more meaning as the dialog is packed with quotes from Moliére's work.
The DVD comes with a highly informative and entertaining commentary (in English) by director, Laurent Tirard. A "Making of...." feature is included, but doesn't add much to the package.
The film was mastered in HD. It's visually perfect.
In French with English or Spanish subtitles. Highly recommended!
Movie Review: To France! To....HOLY COW! MOLIERE!!
Summary: 5 Stars
This is hands-down one of the best movies I've seen in the past 10 years. It casts the great Jean-Baptiste Moliere in a movie that the master would have found to his liking: exceptionally funny and yet deeply moving both at the same time. Not the easiest combination to get right, I might add!
Romain Duris is absolutely brilliant as the French playwright; even aside from the myriad allusions in the story, his acting style brought back memories of reading Tartuffe and The Misanthrope and Other Plays (Signet Classics).
Fabrice Luchini is wonderful as the clueless Monsieur Jordain (the buffoon of the play who will remind many modern-day viewers of a French Enlightenment era George W. Bush!). The splendid baroque soundtrack takes you back to the 1600s and makes you feel like you were there at the artist's side.
If you enjoy movies in the spirit of Shakespeare in Love (Miramax Collector's Series), then this movie is certainly for you. Folks, as artisan biographical movies go, this one is right up there with Amadeus, Immortal Beloved and Copying Beethoven. After watching this movie, this is one comic playwright whom you'll take VERY seriously!
Movie Review: "A Tragedy to Make Me Laugh?" Bien Sūr! Tout de Suite!
Summary: 5 Stars
Easier said than done, of course. The beautiful Madame Elmire Jourdain provides a tragic curtain call, foreshadowed in the first scenes of "Molière", but most of the film is pure Comedie Franēaise farce, and at times a farce within a farce, on the model of both Shakespeare and "Shakespeare in Love." And the farce is funny, consistently funny; the script is clever, the actors are generously skilled at physical comedy, and the director knows a great deal about comic timing. Add the attraction of gorgeous visuals and crafty camera-work, and you have a 'balmy night's entertainment.' Don't be fool enough to ask for more than that.
This is not a filmed rendition of a stage play by Jean-Baptiste Poquelin (1622-1673), known as Molière. There are elements of Tartuffe and of The Bourgeois Gentleman in the script, but the narrative is a fictional account of the young playwright discovering his true vocation of comedy amid a ludicrous double seduction. French theater of the 17th C was still solidly built on the Italian models of the commedia dell'arte -- Punch and Judy, if you will -- and this modern comedy revives the spirit of Baroque theater without becoming any sort of museum piece. The only flaw in the production, to my mind, is the goopy 'Hollywood' musical score. With such luscious sets and costumes of the highest authenticity, a score of equally luscious music by Lully would have given me raptures.
It's in French, of course, with well-done subtitles in English and Spanish. A lot more enjoyable, I'd say, than "Die Hard XIX" or "Harry Potter and the Scrofulous Columbarium".
Movie Review: Point Well Made
Summary: 5 Stars
To the discerning mind it should not be too difficult to apprehend the deep tragedy and anguish lurking behind all the frivolity in the plays of Molière. The female protagonist in this excellent movie puts this important point across in the most touching manner conceivable. To a Molière overwhelmed by the gravity of the circumstances, she points out that even unhappiness has its comic aspects which should not be underestimated. The dialogue in this movie is refined yet natural, with some memorable exchanges between Molière and the dashingly intelligent Madame Jourdain. The ability to integrate such literary sophistication into a movie - and that without falling prey to Hollywoodesque logorrhoea - is no small feat. Only the French would show such extraordinary sensitivity to words. As far as this reviewer is concerned, this movie deserves to be ranked among the classics.