Ridicule (1996)

To get royal backing on a needed drainage project, a poor French lord must learn to play the delicate games of wit at court at Versailles.

Director:

Patrice Leconte

Writers:

Rémi Waterhouse (scenario), Michel Fessler (screenplay),

Stars:

Charles Berling, Jean Rochefort, Fanny Ardant

Nominated for 1 Oscar. Another 19 wins & 12 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Charles Berling	...	Le Marquis Grégoire Ponceludon de Malavoy
Jean Rochefort	...	Le Marquis de Bellegarde
Fanny Ardant	...	Madame de Blayac
Judith Godrèche	...	Mathilde de Bellegarde
Bernard Giraudeau	...	L'Abbée de Vilecourt
Bernard Dhéran	...	Monsieur de Montalieri
Carlo Brandt	...	Le Chevalier de Milletail
Jacques Mathou	...	Abbé de l'Epée
Urbain Cancelier	...	Le Roi Louis XVI
Albert Delpy	...	Baron de Guéret
Bruno Zanardi	...	Paul
Marie Pillet	...	Charlotte
Jacques Roman	...	Chevernoy
Philippe Magnan	...	Baron de Malenval
Maurice Chevit	...	Le Notaire

Storyline

In the periwigged and opulent France of Louis XVI, an unwitting nobleman soon discovers that survival at court demands both a razor wit and an acid tongue.

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Plot Keywords:

court | versailles | drainage project | 1780s | wordplay | 

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Taglines:

Il n'epargne personne.

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Genres:

Comedy | Drama | Romance

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated R for graphic nudity, some sexuality and brief violence

Details

Official Sites:

Miramax [us]

Country:

France

Language:

French

Release Date:

22 November 1996 (USA)

Also Known As:

Baronul

Filming Locations:

Château de Maisons-Laffitte, Maisons-Laffitte, Yvelines, France

Box Office

Budget:

FRF 50,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend:

$48,539 (USA) (22 November 1996)

Gross:

ITL 503,641,000 (Italy) (11 April 1997)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Epithète Films, Cinéa, France 3 Cinéma

Technical Specs

Runtime:

102 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby Dolby SR

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Opening film at the 1996 Cannes Film Festival.

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Quotes

Gregoire Ponceludon de Malavoy: Le roi n'est pas un sujet.

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Connections

Referenced in Baghead (2008)

User Reviews

Gem of subtlety

I have seen this film recently on video after having missed it at the cinema and on TV. I knew it would be all about cruelty of words and superficiality of elites. Indeed, this film is a true gem, very well played, sharp and quick. It tells the story of a young provincial nobleman discovering the Versailles Court as he tries to get funding for his project. What he finds will lead the nobility to its brutal end 6 years later: futility, self-conceit, disinterest to the people's problems, superficiality of relationships (all of which still pervade it modern French elite, to some respects as was evident from revelations of Mitterrand's shameful reign). Of course the political message is important. But equally if not more important -or pleasurable- are the dialogues. French can be so brutal, insidious, cruel, tortured, witty when used a propos that I'm not sure the non-French speakers could get the most of the dialogues. Certainly the absolutely brilliant rhymes contest would be somehow lost in English subtitles. A very good 9/10 for this movie, and a bit less if you don't get the dialogues.