Emmanuelle Béart in "Les Égarés" [2003 France]

For all its originality and haunting imagery, the wartime drama "Les Égarés" [Eng. Title: Strayed] from André Téchiné remains one of his most underrated films. Much like a summer storm - it is idyllic one moment and nasty another, we won't know how the film is going to end until the last few frames. From a Louis Malle style pace, it swings to the other extreme where events are rushed through, but they will nevertheless linger in your mind long after - there is a clear intention in the seeming chaos.

Storyline:
Set in 1940 when France is invaded by Germany, we watch newly widowed Odile and her two young children Philippe and Cathy in a slow-moving convoy of refugees heading south. They are in their own motorcar, and hoping they're on the road to safety - until they get strafed by a German plane (this is a very well shot scene). Out of nowhere a youth with sheared-off hair appears and ushers them to safety in the woods just as their car is blown apart. After a night's sleep in the open "like animals", the youth, Yvan discovers an abandoned villa and takes the family to live there. He also forages from a nearby abandoned village and hunts rabbits to provide food for the family, in the process becoming the de facto man of the house. Odile and the children cope remarkably well, considering their grief, loss and displacement, and a strange tranquil descends upon the house when the world outside is in utter chaos. During this time Yvan also clumsily proposes to Odile. But there's a feeling of unease that this tranquillity couldn't last for ever, and it doesn't. Their first 'threat' comes in the form of two French soldiers returning from the war, who decide to stay in the villa for the night. Yvan, fearing that they've come to capture him, refuses to return home. We are now provided a hint about the mysterious Yvan, is he escaping from law? But Odile handles the soldiers deftly on her own, and just when they'd seen them off, another threat arrives, after France had fallen to Germany...

I cannot quite praise this accomplished film enough - right from the direction and cinematography to the performances by the main cast - Emmanuelle Béart is particularly magnificent as the complex and charming Odile, and a young Gaspard Ulliel impresses as the impetuous yet resourceful and well-intentioned Yvan. This film is without doubt a classic, and Highly Recommended Viewing..!

Amazon DVD Link




Compilation: Emmanuel Béart and Gaspard Ulliel



Scene Guide:

• Odile is in the bath after they've turned squatters in an abandoned villa. Odile is played by the talented and beautiful Emmanuelle Béart.
• This is a remarkable sex scene where a lot is revealed implicitly. When Odile and Yvan have sex for the first time, it is in the open - their sexual tension had been building up over a period, which is all let loose when the unwelcome guests - a couple of retreating French soldiers, decide to leave. Not only will we learn Yvan has never seen a woman naked before, but also this is not his first sexual intercourse either - after he asks Odile permission for taking her from behind, the way he's used to! :)

Off-topic: After one more Ms. Béart film review, it will be time for the blog's very own Emmanuelle Béart tribute compilation. ;)

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Juliette Binoche in "Rendez-vous" [1985 France]

It's about time I started the filmography in this blog of one of France's most beautiful and talented actresses - Juliette Binoche. I'll begin with André Téchiné's romantic drama, "Rendez-vous", which is Mlle Binoche's earliest starring role and also features her first nude appearance. And what a grand debut it turned out to be..!

Storyline:
Eighteen year old Nina arrives in Paris with stars in her eyes - she wants to make a name for herself in theatre, and she takes up whatever minor roles she could get to keep her going. Free-spirited, she moves out of her theatre usher boyfriend's flat and meets letting agent Paulot, who instantly falls in love with her. But she prefers they remain platonic friends and falls for his flatmate Quentin instead. But Quentin has issues - he couldn't forgive himself for a past tragedy, and transmits his hatred to everyone close to him, to the extent that he wouldn't leave Nina alone even after he dies. His death unexpectedly acquaints Nina with a director Scrutzler, the father of Quentin's late girlfriend, who decides to cast her as the main character in his stage play, "Romeo and Juliet". Nina, who struggles at the beginning to understand the character she's playing, gradually learns what it is to fall in love, get hurt, and relate to the character she initially found so uninteresting.

This is a beautifully written film by Téchiné. We see glimpses of his brilliance in the manner in which he spins a elegant (and earthy) love story around the film's main theme, which is about the maturing of a raw actress from the provinces. Just as Nina samples, savours, and absorbs experiences from the people she meets, she begins to understand the character she plays - she begins to also understand and fall, in love. The sights and sounds of Paris, the screenplay, the uncompromising performances by all main actors, and the great ending is what makes this a true French film classic. Add to this, the amazing maturity shown by Juliette Binoche who plays Nina - she was only twenty one at the time - the film gives us a preview of what was to come from this gifted actress. Needless to say, Highly Recommended Viewing..!

Amazon DVD Link




Compilation: Juliette Binoche and Caroline Faro



Scene Guide:

• Paulot, having watched Nina's average performance in a play, goes up to the dressing room to congratulate, only to catch her being fondled by the boyfriend.
• Quentin, Paulot's flatmate invites Nina to a show where he performs in a different version of Romeo and Juliet in this outrageous scene - the not-too-pleased Nina leaves. 'Juliet' is performed by Caroline Faro.
• Paulot, unable to express how he feels properly, tries to grope Nina during a property viewing, and an angry Nina humiliates him by stripping and laying down, asking him how he'd like to take her.
• Quentin gets beaten up trying to protect Nina from a guy who wants her way with her. She rewards the bruised Quentin back at her flat.
• Paulot visits Nina's flat the following morning to drop off some groceries she might need, only to see his flatmate had been there first.To add insult to injury Quentin takes him inside and urges him to feel the sleeping Nina's crotch. She wakes up shocked, only to be further humiliated by Quentin - he sees them both as ignorant fools who can't realise they are in love.
• After some water under the bridge, Nina returns to see Paulot - she misses his attentions, and tries to win him back, but a hurt and angry Paulot takes his turn at humiliating her - dirty love, indeed..!

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Emmanuelle Béart in "Les Témoins" [2007 France]

Director of repute André Téchiné's "Les Témoins" [Eng. Title: The Witnesses] may not be his finest film, but it still oozes his customary class. The film is intelligently written and meticulously crafted, be it the direction, photography, sound, editing, acting, or the casting - it is an inspired choice indeed to have chosen Emmanuelle Béart to play the part of Sarah, a children's book author who isn't particularly fond of children - she's an ambivalent mother herself.

Set in the early 80's when the world woke up to a new reality called AIDS, the film's narrative is given by Sarah as she writes the story of Manu, a young gay lad recently arrived in Paris, one who acquaints himself with her family through her best friend - a doctor who's gay himself. The narrative follows Manu's life as he becomes ones of the early casualties of the dreaded disease. The characterisations are quite unconventional, but Téchiné handles them delicately enough to ensure it doesn't look like a gimmick. He stays honest to his intentions which is to explore happiness and love from different perspectives, and allows the viewer to draw his own conclusions. Needless to say, Highly Recommended Viewing..!




Compilation: Emmanuelle Béart and Julie Depardieu
The scenes here are mostly of Sarah, played by Emmanuelle Béart, except for one of Manu's sister Julie, played by the fine actress Julie Depardieu.



Scene Guide:

• Sarah admits to police officer-husband Medi her desire to have some time away from the baby. He tells her off, but they make up soon after.
• Brief scene of Julie with brother Manu - he's staying in her flat until he could find his feet in Paris. Julie tells Manu that his nakedness doesn't bother her, but is concerned of him ogling at her every morning. He admits he's only curious as he's not had the opportunity to see women in the nude.
• Medi watches Sarah in the shower, and asks her out of the blue if she's had any affairs since they got married. She matter-of-factly admits that she sees her editor now and again. She also tells him that she knew he might also be having the odd fling, but is nevertheless confident of his love for her.
• Medi finds it hard to perform with a condom - when Sarah asks him why he's using them all of a sudden, he tells his shocked wife that he's waiting for some test results, until which it is best to be on the safe.side. He makes his apologies and leaves.
• After the tests turn out negative, a relieved Medi returns home and asks Sarah whether she'd still like to have him around. The scene is actually beautifully written and executed.

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