Beau-père (1981)

User Rating:

7.5/10   

Director:

Bertrand Blier

Writer:

Bertrand Blier (writer)

Release Date:

11 October 1981 (USA)

Genre:

Drama

Plot:

After her mother dies, fourteen-year-old Marion falls in love with her stepfather, Remy.

Plot Keywords:

Musician | Lolita | May December Romance | Grief | Sex With Stepfather

Awards:

1 win & 2 nominations

Cast

Patrick Dewaere	...	Rémi
Ariel Besse	...	Marion
Maurice Ronet	...	Charly
Geneviève Mnich	...	Simone
Maurice Risch	...	Nicolas
Macha Méril	...	La maîtresse de maison (anniversaire) / Birthday Hostess
Rose Thiéry	...	Mme Doullens / Landlord's Wife
Pierre Le Rumeur	...	Le pédiatre / Pediatrician
Yves Gasc	...	M. Doullens / Landlord
Michel Berto	...	Le professeur / Professor
Catherine Alcover	...	Médecin S.O.S. / Emergency Doctor
Henri-Jacques Huet	...	Le gérant du restaurant international / Restaurant Manager
Jacques Rispal	...	Le chauffeur de taxi / Taxi Driver
Nathalie Baye	...	Charlotte
Nicole Garcia	...	Martine

Also Known As:

Beau Pere (USA)
Stepfather

Runtime:

123 min

Country:

France

Language:

French

Color:

Color (Eastmancolor)

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

France:-12

Company:

Films A2

Movie Connections:

Referenced in American Beauty (1999)

Who's Your (Step-)Daddy?

Yes, I am aware of the fact the rather vulgar and tasteless subject line entirely misfits the overall tone of this film, but when else am I going to have the chance to use this clichéd saying in a review? "Stepfather" is a provocative and mildly controversial "Lolita"-themed drama, but with a healthy sense of humor and extremely likable characters. Britney Spears provided the best one-line plot description imaginable for this film: Not a Girl, Not yet a Woman. After the sudden and accidental death of her mother, beautiful 14-year-old Marion insists on staying with her manic depressed stepfather instead of returning to her natural father. The girl soon openly confesses Rémi she has romantic feelings for him and doesn't really make it a secret that she wants to sleep with him. Rémi tries very hard (honestly, he does) to resist the temptation, but what's a lonely man to do when a scantily clad young gal keeps throwing herself at him and continues to sneak into his bed at night? Most of the – admittedly overlong - film focuses on Rémi fighting, accepting and regretting his own feelings towards Marion, but still the film never really feels boring and there are plenty of neat details to keep you pleased. The narrative, for example, is ingenious as several characters (including Rémi) explain the story whilst facing the camera. He works as unsuccessful pianist in a restaurant and the camera often pans around him as he's narrating his own life with people dining in the background. It's also quite remarkable how the script never reverts to being gratuitous exploitation, even though all the themes hint towards that direction. A truly ravishing and often barely dressed minor literally offers herself at this potent, thirty-something guy, and yet there are no explicit sex sequences or gratuitous insinuations being made. Ariel Besse (16 at the time and a terrific actress) strips fully naked a couple of times, but all the sex & nudity sequences are elegantly presented and not the least bit offensive. Patrick Dewaere is great as well and it was quite a shock to discover he committed suicide shortly after the release of this film. According to several sources, including the IMDb, the actors struggled with depressions and mental torture for years and years. The only consolation he had was that his own mental condition gave an even deeper dimension to his character in "Stepfather". Recommended.