La nuit de Varennes (1982)

User Rating:

7.3/10   

Director:

Ettore Scola

Writers:

Catherine Rihoit (novel)
Sergio Amidei (writer) ...

Release Date:

16 February 1983 (USA)

Genre:

Drama | History

Plot:

In June of 1791, a group of passengers in a stagecoach find themselves caught up in the events of the French Revolution...

Plot Keywords:

France | Revolution | French Revolution | Escape | Royalty

Awards:

3 wins & 1 nomination

Cast

Jean-Louis Barrault	...	Nicolas Edmé Restif de la Bretonne
Marcello Mastroianni	...	Casanova, Chevalier de Seingalt
Hanna Schygulla	...	Countess Sophie de la Borde
Harvey Keitel	...	Thomas Paine
Jean-Claude Brialy	...	Monsieur Jacob
Andréa Ferréol	...	Madame Adélaïde Gagnon
Michel Vitold	...	De Florange
Laura Betti	...	Virginia Capacelli
Enzo Jannacci	...	Italian clown
Pierre Malet	...	Emile Delage, student revolutionary
Daniel Gélin	...	De Wendel
Hugues Quester	...	Jean-Louis Romeuf
Dora Doll	...	Nanette Precy
Caterina Boratto	...	Madame Faustine
Didi Perego	...	Madame Sauce

Also Known As:

Il mondo nuovo (Italy)
That Night in Varennes (UK)
The Night of Varennes (Europe: English title)

Runtime:

Argentina:131 min | France:150 min | Italy:122 min (dubbed version) (short version) | Sweden:128 min | USA:135 min (cut version) | UK:128 min | Spain:120 min

Country:

France | Italy

Language:

French | Italian

Color:

Color (Eastmancolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.66 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Finland:K-11 (2006) | Finland:K-12/9 (1987) | Australia:M | Argentina:13 | Sweden:7 | USA:R

Filming Locations:

Senlis, Oise, France

Company:

Gaumont

Quotes:

Casanova: Place au Chevalier de Seingalt et à Monsieur de la Bretonne! Place au génie!

Movie Connections:

Featured in Marcello Mastroianni: mi ricordo, sì, io mi ricordo (1997)

Has gotten better in cold storage: now let it out!

After having been annoyed by the candy cane music video of Coppola's "Marie Antoinette," I went in search of this film again. I had remembered liking "La Nuit de Varennes" when it came out, but 25 years later it looks much, much better.

A hostile person once defined French film as people saying wounding things to each other for an hour and a half, then somebody dies of cancer or a gunshot. This film redeems the stereotype, as people say wounding things to each other for over two hours and nobody dies (on camera, anyway).

Imagine "Stagecoach" with politics instead of Catholic redemption, then add a solid, witty script and great acting. Veterans Barrault and Mastroianni give canny, memorable performances and everybody else is just fine.

If your model for the movies is the roller-coaster or the video game, you will scream in agony. If you would prefer not to be insulted, this film will be balm for the soul.

Since the powers that be have decreed that this film shall fall between the cracks, it's worth a little research to find it on DVD. Google "That Night in Varennes" and check the first dozen results. It's the best we can do until the delinquent owners of the film come to their senses.