10 November 2023.
By Neptune
L’ABBÉ PIERRE – UNE VIE DE COMBATS (A Century of Devotion) ***1/2 (vo French)
This man could be a modern-day St. Francis. Born to a wealthy bourgeois family in Lyon in 1912 as Henri Groués, he fought all his life for the poor and helpless people he saw around him. From his time as a Resistance fighter in WWII through his years as a deputy in the French Parliament and a priest in the Catholic Church, he saw much injustice and chose to devote his life and energy to those in need. Giving fully of himself like Mother Teresa, he started a movement called Emmaüs (now providing help and shelter in more than forty countries) to carry on the fight to protect the destitute.
This moving biopic by Frédéric Tellier (“Goliath”) takes one into the existence of this extraordinary man, with all his beliefs and doubts yet steadfast devotion to the homeless despite his frail health. He was an iconoclast in politics and within the Church, but always deeply spiritual.
Benjamin Lavernhe of the Comédie Française brings this saintly man to life through all his battles until the very end when he died as a beloved national hero at 95. His tireless secretary and comrade-in-arms, Lucie Coutaz is portrayed by the actress and film director Emmanuelle Bercot (“La Tête haute”, “Elle s’en va”).
In this world of so few exemplary leaders, why has this man not been anointed as a saint?
LA PASSION DE DODIN BOUFFANT (The Taste of Things) *** (vo French)
Don’t go to this film hungry because you’ll be drooling through much of the movie, for this is a celebration of fine eating in the best French tradition. In fact, the delectable cooking sequences were supervised by a starred chef.
The French/Vietnamese director, Tran Ahn Hung (“The Scent of Green Papaya”), won the Best Director award at the Cannes Film Festival and the film is representing France at the Oscars. This double honour could be partly due to the excellent acting of Juliette Binoche as the cook and Benoît Magimel as Dodin, the passionate chef.
It is the 19th century in the country home of Dodin – the two protagonists have been together for some twenty years and a love and deep complicity has grown between them. Their cooking (for a small circle of friends) is almost an act of lovemaking, though thankfully their sensual scenes are behind closed doors. Director Hung has that fine discretion, though he lets loose with the detailed preparation of the food, its ingredients and the ecstasy and appreciation of dining in glowing candlelight and fine china. The dialogue is spare (at times incoherent), the photography is sumptuous and the good times don’t always last. We are definitely in France.
THE MARVELS *
Hollywood just keeps churning them out – these formulaic superhero blockbusters which are getting tiresome with all the mayhem and destruction, in the guise of saving future worlds. This time there are three women (actually four) running the show, three kick-ass variations of Marvel – don’t even ask how or why… The galaxies won’t be any safer with these ‘heroines’ in charge!
You’ve got to be either a ten-year-old or an aeronautic engineer to figure out the futuristic plot and jargon. And you’ll come out with a rattled brain.
Superb **** Very Good *** Good ** Mediocre * Miserable – no stars
By Neptune
Neptune Ravar Ingwersen reviews film extensively for publications in Switzerland. She views 4 to 8 films a week and her aim is to sort the wheat from the chaff for readers.
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