Monday, November 19, 2012
REIGN OF TERROR
Today's Daniel Auteuil film was Benoit Jacquet's
Auteuil is Sade. The movie was built expressly for him.
There are many Sades. This book or film will depict him as a madman, a play will show him writing a play (in the same asylum depicted in this film), another will show him as a cruel bastard. We have none of these here.
I suspect that this Sade is seen as whatever we bring to see him with. A product of our times.
We see him during a short period in the Reign of Terror. Robespierre. A real nut. A religious nut. Familiar.
Sade is given favors by people who may despise him but still have an interest in his welfare. We see his daily routines and activities while he awaits an inevitable death on the guillotine. But we know that did not really happen. God knows there is enough going on to keep us busy.
Sade takes an interest in an innocent girl who wants to live life before she dies. He helps that happen. It is quite beautiful actually. It is as though he is producing a small play.
The film is gorgeous and takes us in almost immediately. It does not seem strange or exotic that they are wearing these clothes or that there is a guillotine being put together in the front yard. Life in the "asylum", all refugees from royalty, goes on.
I was amazed to find myself IN it all. Maybe wearing the same dated clothes.
There are a lot of familiar actors in this as there are all French films. A small rep company. Gregoire Colon is a sexy favorite. He is Sade's reluctant benefactor. We saw him in Beau Travail.
I would not mind seeing this again. I liked it very much. A 4 out of Netflix5.
Labels: films
