Le secret (2000)

Director:

Virginie Wagon

Writers:

Virginie Wagon
Erick Zonca

Release Date:

February 2001 (USA)

Genre:

Drama | Romance

Plot Keywords:

Cuckold | Cunnilingus | Female Frontal Nudity | Paris France | Nudity

Awards:

2 wins

Cast

Anne Coesens	...	Marie
Michel Bompoil	...	François
Tony Todd	...	Bill
Quentin Rossi	...	Paul
Jacqueline Jehanneuf	...	Marie's mother
Aladin Reibel	...	Rémy
Valérie Vogt	...	Séverine
Frédéric Sauzay	...	Luc
Natalya Ermilova	...	Ana
Charlotte Pradon	...	Mélanie
Jeanne Cellard	...	Customer
Yanitz Grunhard	...	Trainer
Chantal Lambrechts	...	Marie's colleague
Christian Bobet	...	Boss
Paul Ielkin	...	Idiot boy
Nouka Maximoff	...	Idiot boy's mother
Kim Kimberly	...	Bill's mistress
Yannick Dixneuf	...	Brasserie waiter
Vanessa Lapierre	...	Ex-swimmer
Isabelle Tanakil	...	Stall representative
Judith Perron	...	Dancer
José Valls	...	Dancer
Jay Arlen Jones	...	Jerry Stanley
Ariane Pick	...	Lydia
Richard Malbequi	...	Michel
Estelle Vincent	...	Babysitter
Jean-Marc Chemouli	...	Stall customer
Michèle Hery	...	Mathilde

Directed by
Virginie Wagon

Writing credits (in alphabetical order)
Virginie Wagon
Erick Zonca

Produced by
François Marquis	....	delegate producer
Michel Saint-Jean	....	associate producer

Cinematography by
Jean-Marc Fabre

Film Editing by
Yannick Kergoat

Casting by
Jeanne Biras
Antoine Carrard
Aude Cathelin

Production Design by
Brigitte Brassart

Costume Design by
Brigitte Slama

Makeup Department
Anne Bergamaschi	....	makeup artist
Jean-Marie Cuvilo	....	hair stylist
Claude Gorophal	....	makeup artist
Laurence Grosjean	....	key makeup artist
Pascale Guégan	....	makeup artist

Production Management
Séverine Goulet	....	unit manager
Eric Grandjean	....	unit production manager
Richard Malbequi	....	production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Arno Caravel	....	assistant director
Ève Guillou	....	first assistant director
Mathieu Thouvenot	....	assistant director

Art Department
Pierre Sicre	....	property master
Erick Zonca	....	artistic collaboration

Sound Department
Pascal Chauvin	....	foley artist
Pascal Chauvin	....	sound effects
Pascal Dedeye	....	assistant foley artist
Gilles Fargout	....	sound editor
Carl Goetgheluck	....	sound assistant
Ludovic Hénault	....	sound
Jean-Luc Laborde	....	boom operator
Stéphane Thiébaut	....	sound mixer

Special Effects by
Olivier Bourqui	....	special effects

Camera and Electrical Department
Nathalie Blond	....	assistant camera
Guy-Auguste Boléat	....	grip
Laurent Hincelin	....	assistant camera
Nicolas Le Gal	....	electrician
Hervé Lode	....	assistant camera
Christian Magis	....	electrician
Pierre Milon	....	cinematographer: second unit

Casting Department
Noah Harlan	....	casting: New York

Editorial Department
Olivier Gourlay	....	assistant editor
Laure Meynet	....	assistant editor

Other crew
Max Belmessieri	....	location scout
Rodolphe Lanaro	....	location scout
Benjamin Lehmann	....	dialogue coach
Benjamin Lehmann	....	translator
Maureen Meyer	....	continuity
Fabien Pondevaux	....	location scout
Rémi Roy	....	administrator

Production Companies

• Les Productions Bagheera
• Diaphana Films (co-production)
• France 3 Cinéma (co-production)
• Canal+ (participation)
• Sofica Sofinergie 5 (participation)
• Centre National de la Cinématographie (CNC) (participation)
• Procirep (participation)

Distributors

• Diaphana Films (2000) (France) (theatrical)
• Agora Films S.A. (2000) (Switzerland) (theatrical)
• A-Film Distribution (2001) (Netherlands) (theatrical)
• Alta Classics S.L. Unipersonal (2001) (Spain) (theatrical)
• Arrow Releasing (2001) (USA) (theatrical)
• First Distributors (2005) (Hong Kong) (theatrical)
• Optimum Releasing (2001) (UK) (theatrical)
• X Verleih AG (2001) (Germany) (theatrical)
• A-Film Home Entertainment (200?) (Netherlands) (video)
• Central Partnership
• Warner Home Video (2002) (Switzerland) (DVD)
• Warner Home Video (2002) (Germany) (DVD)

Also Known As:

"The Secret" - USA (literal English title)

Runtime:

107 min

Country:

France

Language:

French | English

Color:

Color

Sound Mix:

Dolby SR

Certification:

South Korea:18 | Australia:R | Finland:K-15 | France:U | Germany:16 | Hong Kong:III | Peru:18 | Spain:18 | Sweden:15 | Switzerland:16 (canton of Geneva) | Switzerland:16 (canton of Vaud) | UK:18 | Netherlands:16

Company:

Les Productions Bagheera

Soundtrack:

Holes

Strong script, dynamically weak

'Le Secret' is a frustrating film. You know it must be doing something right because you walk away emotionally exhausted, and with the sense that you have seen something of the human condition expounded. At the same time it is wanting in enough ways to undermine its claim to greatness. It is wanting dynamically to such a large extent that, whilst it is a good script and a good story, it it is not a good film. And as a piece of narrative, it is inconclusive, and not in the sense that it terminates with a poignant and provocative question. Arguably this is a film which could be remade, utilising the same script and the same cast, but using different artistic and technical direction. The camerawork adds nothing to the film. It creates no tension, no atmosphere, does not enhance the mood or emulate the powerful experiences of the characters. It is flat, weak and pedestrian. The film lacks any geography and fails to resound the timing of events (essential in a film about this subject). In short, its elements are powerful, but its construction is poor. It lacks focus. The film treads a clumsy path between an intense emotional struggle that borders on the surreal, and an ambivalent realism. It achieves neither. The direction needs to be more decisive, it needs to choose one over the other; and it needs to employ the camera more effectively to realise it. There is no differentiation in the filming between the house of the lover and the family home. Additionally we get no sense of atmosphere of either one. There is none of the seduction in the former, or of tedium in the latter, that the protagonist might be feeling. Are we supposed to believe that Marie is having fantastic sex with Bill? If so, it is only through her inadequately exposed acting. What keeps Marie coming back? Only she knows. What is driving her to maintain this relationship? We can only speculate, because the film gives us little insight into the personalisation of her experience. Additionally, the conclusion is weak and vacillating. However, this film will undoubtedly touch a nerve with anyone who has been in a similar situation. It powerfully depicts the insidious destructiveness of infidelity on both the individual, the family, and to some extent society. To conclude, a wasted opportunity, with much unrealised potential.