Élisa (1995)

Marie has had a tough childhood ever since her mother Elisa committed suicide. She has spent most of her life in an orphanage and now makes a living as a small time criminal in Paris. Now ... See full summary »

Director:

Jean Becker

Writers:

Jean Becker, Fabrice Carazo

Stars:

Vanessa Paradis, Gérard Depardieu, Clotilde Courau

1 win & 2 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Vanessa Paradis	...	Marie Desmoulin
Gérard Depardieu	...	Jacques 'Lébovitch' Desmoulin
Clotilde Courau	...	Solange
Sekkou Sall	...	Ahmed
Florence Thomassin	...	Élisa Desmoulin
Werner Schreyer	...	Conductor
Michel Bouquet	...	Samuel
Philippe Léotard	...	Gitane Smoker
Catherine Rouvel	...	Manina
Melvil Poupaud	...	Pharmacist's Son
Olivier Saladin	...	Kevin
Bernard Verley	...	Entrepreneur
Reine Bartève	...	Grandmother
André Julien	...	Grandfather
Gérard Chaillou	...	Claude Chapelier

Storyline

Marie has had a tough childhood ever since her mother Elisa committed suicide. She has spent most of her life in an orphanage and now makes a living as a small time criminal in Paris. Now she wants to unravel her past and find her father whom she blames for her mother's death.

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Plot Keywords:

young woman | thief | bare breasts | loss of mother | brittany | 

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Genres:

Drama

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Details

Country:

France

Language:

French

Release Date:

1 February 1995 (France)

Also Known As:

Elisa

Filming Locations:

Douarnenez, Finistère, France

Box Office

Gross:

$112,968 (USA)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Banque Nationale de Paris, Canal+, Images 2

Technical Specs

Runtime:

115 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby SR

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

The film is dedicated to Serge Gainsbourg.

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Soundtracks

"Elisa"
Music by Serge Gainsbourg
Lyrics by Serge Gainsbourg and Michel Colombier
Performed by Serge Gainsbourg
From Mercury album "Jane Birkin-Serge Gainsboug
(1969)

User Reviews

She's so bad

I don't think Jean Becker is a very interesting director; the two films I have seen--L'Été meurtrier and this one--don't show any great stylistic ability. You remember L'Été for Adjani's performance as an avenging angel, and Vanessa Paradis does the same thing here: she's a one-woman wrecking crew taking on greedy grandparents, the lesbian director of her orphanage, men looking for sex, in fact anybody who gets in her way.

The film stands or falls on the power and charisma of its star, and Vanessa Paradis doesn't disappoint. She is amazingly at ease in front of the camera, as befits a Lancôme model who also started singing at 14. No matter how tawdry the script gets--and that's plenty at times--she sails right through it. She even holds her own with Depardieu, the icon of French film.