"La demoiselle d'Avignon" (1972) TV series

User Rating:

7.1/10   

Director:

Michel Wyn

Writers:

Frédérique Hébrard (writer)
Louis Velle (writer)

Release Date:

8 January 1972 (France)

Genre:

Drama

Cast

Marthe Keller	...	Koba Lye-Lye
Louis Velle	...	François Fonsalette
Edmond Ardisson	...	Napoléon
Janine Crispin	...	Christine
Michelle Rossignol	...	Caroline
Jean-Pierre Moutier	...	Dupont-Bridaine
Nicole Maurey	...	Nicole
Marco Perrin	...	Bastien
Friedrich von Ledebur	...	Le roi de Kurlande
Francis Claude	...	Le duc
Bram van der Vlugt	...	Rollon
Jean-Luc Bringuier	...	Kilperic
Jean-Paul Tribout	...	Fronval
Madeleine Delavaivre	...	Mme Cruchon
Pascal Anciaux	...	Le premier jumeau

Runtime:

26 min (13 episodes)

Country:

France

Language:

French

Color:

Color

Sound Mix:

Mono

Company:

Koba Films

Pure Magic - Not to Be Missed At Any Cost !!

This series is a piece of pure magic ! Starring Louis Velle and Marthe Keller in the principal rôles, it came out in 1972 and captivated the whole of France (99.4 percent of satisfied viewers at the time ! ). Although the picture quality is pretty bad, the story itself and the sets are absolutely magnificent. It's all about a love affair between a Frenchman ( archeologoist / diplomat ) whose mother owns a chateau near Avignon ( Vaucluse ) and a princess from the imaginary country of `Kurland' who was visiting Avignon for historical reasons. The story is so well done and so convincing that you actually end up believing that Kurland is a real country with its traditions, language and music. It is supposed to be a Baltic country, an island about the size of Sicily. The climate is cold and similar to that of Norway. Fish is the staple diet. There is a connection between the city of Avignon in France and Kurland going back hundreds of years and there is indeed even a town in Kurland called Avignonburg. One of the local dishes is the `snoep' which is considered a great delicacy. Whilst our Frenchman, to be near to his heart-throb manages to get himself appointed Ambassador of France in Kurland, our princess goes off to France incognito to try to find her loved one. So they both miss each other. The series relates the various trials and tribulations of each one in the country of the other until they both manage to meet up at the end.

A real `feel-good' series, such as they don't seem able to be able to make any more nowadays. There is a feeling of sweet, innocent and pure love which seems totally out of phase with today's corrupted world. There is no ill-feeling and no violence. There's plenty of humour, love and affection.

The series has recently been issued on a double dvd in France together with interviews from the main protagonists. Unfortunately there are no subtitles in any language and no other language tracks, so if you don't speak French it's a no go. The picture quality does not seem to have been improved compared with before but the series is so good that this defect can be accepted nevertheless. There is also a tourist's guide to Kurland !

All in all, an original and wholly loveable tv series which stands a cut above the others - - pure nostalgia for those who were young children in France in 1972 – but also for adults ! I would wholly recommend it to any French-speaking person !