Aug 02, 2007 06:33 PM
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(Updated Aug 03, 2007 06:45 PM)
Jean-baptiste poquelin pseudonym moliere is the best playwright france has ever produced, he was born in 1622 and died in 1673 while performing in one of his plays .he was born rich, studied to be a lawyer and then gave up everything to become a writer-actor .
He is the french equivalent of shakespeare though he wrote satires and farces instead of tragedies some in prose some in verse but they are all as effective as tragedy if not more so .
His work mainly cocsists of 12 long plays ang six short ballet -plays and pastorals, since he is not widely known director LAURENT TIRADE decided to make a movie about him to acquaint modern audiences with this french genius and what inspired him to write his comic farces .
The french actor roman duris is cast perfectly as moliere who is thown into prison as he is unable to pay his debts as his earlier efforts as a playwright fail in1944, he is rescued by monsieurjordain [ fabrici], a wealthy businessman but there is a snag, he will help him win over the charms of a beautiful widowed noblewoman climene [ludovic seigner]who is being courted by m.jourdain, but his beautiful wife [lora dorante ]is unaware of his husbands affair, but moliere has to do this while he is disguised as a priest living in jourdains country villa and while he coaches m.jourdain he falls genuinely in love with his charming and beautiful wife played by an actress of great charm lora dorante, who I bet is going to be in hollywood within 6 months .
this sets the premises for a delightful and very touching love story between moliere and madam jourdain which has everything from humour to emotion and also provides ample background as to what inspired moliere to write his great works later in his life.
The movie is visually stunning shot in versailles and the old palaces full of sumptuous antiques, coiffeuers and magnificent clothes, every detail is exquisite, its beautifully shot in magnificent colours, as well as the stupendous musical backgroung score by tolgman which is a masterpiece on its own .I believe the producers went to acquire special antiques from as far as italy and it shows on the screen.
But its the emotions that tug at your heart and make this movie triumph in the end , as moliere decides 13 years later whether to entertain the sun king louis fourteenth and his court with a comedy or tragedy, the events of his early life come to help him write a masterpiece and he establishes himself as the french courts official playwright .
his dilemma also answers the othe riddle whether its more difficult to make people laugh then cry, incidentally moliere was the actor, writer, director and producer all in one, after his death in 1680 his troupe was made intola comedie francaise or the french theatre which till today is a very prestigious institute.
From 1658 to 1673 he staged 18 plays including some of these
the jealous husband
school for wives
*tartuff
*schhol for husbands
*pleausure things ridiculed
*the physical invalid
*flying doctor
These and other play won him the patronage of the FRENCH masses, court and the king, he was very innovative in presenting his plays with the help of italian techniques with the help of modern machines, as his plays like shakespeare were mostly influenced by the italian artistes like scaramouche, but the stamp of his first love affair with madame jourdain is indelible on all his creations, just remarking as to how strong love can be in directing and shaping artistic creativity .The movie shows snippets of his various plays bein performed and being enjoyed by the public .
It is rather amusing to see how he entertains the french court and how naive they are, yet it all has a big humourous heart with a lot of laughs on the way .
The movie works at all levels and is a must see not only as a very light hearted comic love story but also as a historic lesson about the history of france and the evolution of theatre itself, but above all comedy, satire and and moliere, and molieres work is easily comparable to **aristophanes and later to hugo and dumas .
CONCLUSION:
The movie is a triumph for **tirade and duris and dorante and can be seen a few times for its entertaining and emotional value .
It goes without saying its historically meticulous and offers scenery, sets and other details only france and its perfectly preserved culture can offer to this venture .
Despite being very non -trendy the movie has been a hit in europe, usa and u.k, which is a triumph for the french cinema .
thanks for reading
