Tag Archives: historical films

the last great swashbuckler? (film: Le bossu – Philippe de Broca, 1997

French literature of the middle and second half of the 19th century offered its readers a treasure trove of mystery and adventure novels with themes inspired by the history of France from the Middle Ages to the period of the … Continue reading

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Napoleon’s failure (film: Napoleon – Ridley Scott, 2023)

A few films ago I shared some thoughts about that category of directors who have reached the age, maturity, celebrity and financial independence where they have nothing left to prove or conquer, and who can afford to make almost any … Continue reading

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Citoyen Stavisky (film: Stavisky – Alain Resnais, 1974)

‘Stavisky‘ (1974) is Alain Resnais‘ most successful film with the public, which may be partly due to the fact that it’s one of his most accessible films, but mostly to the exceptional cast led including Jean-Paul Belmondo. For him, the … Continue reading

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theater and bedrooms on screen (film: Mary Queen of Scots – Josie Rourke, 2018)

‘Mary Queen of Scots‘ (2018) is the latest of the historical films that go back to the roots of the connection between England and Scotland and the conflict between the queens of the two kingdoms in the second half of … Continue reading

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historical entertainment (film: Madame Sans Gêne – Christian-Jaque, 1961)

Those who wish to watch a good early 60s historical entertainment can look for ‘Madame Sans Gêne‘, the 1961 film by Christian-Jaque. The historical character of the laundress in revolutionary Paris who married one of Captain Bonaparte’s sergeants and became … Continue reading

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a feminine interpretation of a feminine legend told many times

Film lovers and connoisseurs looking for a significant example of an auteur film from the first decade of the 3rd millennium can choose ‘The Countess‘ without hesitation. Made in 2009 as a Franco-German co-production with international distribution, the film is … Continue reading

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a serial killer story in the time of Dreyfuss (film: Le juge et l’assassin – Bertrand Tavernier, 1976)

Director Bertrand Tavernier and actor Philippe Noiret collaborated in 9 films. The 1976 ‘Le juge et l’assassin’ is the third film they made together and is a remarkable film in many ways. The story takes place in the last decade … Continue reading

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Chabrol and Huppert at their best (film: Une affaire de femmes – Claude Chabrol, 1988)

‘Une affaire de femmes‘ (the English distribution title was ‘Story of Women‘), Claude Chabrol‘s 1988 film gives Isabelle Huppert the opportunity to create one of the most memorable roles of a formidable career. Chabrol, the director about whom Huppert would … Continue reading

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we all live on islands (film: The Banshees of Inisherin – Martin McDonagh, 2022)

‘The Banshees of Inisherin‘ is Martin McDonagh‘s fourth feature film and the first to be set in Ireland. In fact, it could be an adaptation of the third play in the ‘Aran Islands trilogy’, of which the first two plays … Continue reading

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a well-polished nun (film: La religieuse – Guillaume Nicloux, 2013)

Guillaume Nicloux, the director of this 2013 version of the film ‘La religieuse‘ was born in 1966, that is exactly the year that the film of the same name made by Jacques Rivette, starring Anna Karina, premiered at the Cannes … Continue reading

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