The Children of the Century
(1999)
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The Children of the Century
(1999)
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| Cast overview, first billed only: | |||
| Juliette Binoche | ... | ||
| Benoît Magimel | ... | ||
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Stefano Dionisi | ... | |
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Robin Renucci | ... |
François Buloz
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| Karin Viard | ... |
Marie Dorval
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| Isabelle Carré | ... |
Aimée d'Alton
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Patrick Chesnais | ... |
Gustave Planche
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Arnaud Giovaninetti | ... |
Alfred Tattet
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Denis Podalydès | ... | |
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Olivier Foubert | ... |
Paul de Musset
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Marie-France Mignal | ... |
Mme. de Musset
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| Michel Robin | ... |
Larive
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| Ludivine Sagnier | ... |
Hermine de Musset
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Victoire Thivisol | ... |
Solange
(as Victoire)
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Julien Léal | ... |
Maurice
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The only thing more outrageous than French novelist George Sand's torrid love affair with the decadent author Alfred de Musset and her affinity for wearing men's clothing, was the content of her writing. Though Sand (otherwise known as the Baroness Dudevant) smoked cigars and cross-dressed, it was the boldness of her writing on issues such as the abstinence of marriage and women's frigidity that most contributed to the scandalous reputation she earned in French literary circles. When she met Alfred de Musset, the most gifted poet of his generation, the two quickly became a public cause celebrity while their work would go on to become some of the finest examples of 19th century romanticism. Written by Sujit R. Varma
Diane Kury's oppulent film is a mixed bag. In it's favour it features
real life lovers Juliette Binoche and Benoît Magimel on excellent
form. As Alfred de Musset Magimel gives us a young man
completely out of his mind on a cocktail of opium and absinthe. A
man deeply creative and talented, but unable to function as a
human being. Binoche's George Sand is a strong a determined
woman. The scene where she finds that Musset may die after
overdosing is wonderfully performed with passion and grandeur.
The film comes alive in her eyes. As filmed by Vilko Filac and
dressed by Christian La Croix, Binoche has never looked more
beautiful or sensual.
However Kurys' direction and her screenplay, co-written by
Francois Olivier Rousseau and Murray Head, lacks direction and
understanding of her period. The brothel scenes are particularly
over the top. Yet her direction of her actor is magnificent.
What is missing from Kurys' film most of all however is Sand and
Musset as writers, as creative masters. There is no sense of their
value in the film beyond their doomed love affair.
Les Enfants du Siecle is a mixed bag, but certainly worth a look.