Chocolat (2000)

A woman and her daughter open a chocolate shop in a small French village that shakes up the rigid morality of the community.

Director:

Lasse Hallström

Writers:

Joanne Harris (novel), Robert Nelson Jacobs (screenplay)

Stars:

Alfred Molina, Carrie-Anne Moss, Juliette Binoche

Nominated for 5 Oscars. Another 8 wins & 29 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Alfred Molina	...	Comte de Reynaud
Carrie-Anne Moss	...	Caroline Clairmont
Aurelien Parent Koenig	...	Luc Clairmont (as Aurèlien Parent Koenig)
Antonio Gil	...	Jean-Marc Drou (as Antonio Gil-Martinez)
Hélène Cardona	...	Francoise 'Fuffi' Drou
Harrison Pratt	...	Dedou Drou
Gaelan Connell	...	Didi Drou
Elisabeth Commelin	...	Yvette Marceau
Ron Cook	...	Alphonse Marceau
Guillaume Tardieu	...	Baptiste Marceau
Hugh O'Conor	...	Father Henri
John Wood	...	Guillaume Blérot
Lena Olin	...	Josephine Muscat
Peter Stormare	...	Serge Muscat
Leslie Caron	...	Madame Audel

Storyline

When a single mother and her six-year-old daughter move to rural France and open a chocolate shop - with Sunday hours - across the street from the local church, they are met with some skepticism. But as soon as they coax the townspeople into enjoying their delicious products, they are warmly welcomed.

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Plot Keywords:

chocolate | chocolate shop | mayor | drifter | france | 

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Taglines:

One Taste Is All It Takes

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Genres:

Drama | Romance

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated PG-13 for a scene of sensuality and some violence

Details

Official Sites:

Bac Films [fr] Official site

Country:

UK USA

Language:

English French

Release Date:

19 January 2001 (USA)

Also Known As:

Chocolate

Filming Locations:

Noyers-sur-Serein, Yonne, France

Box Office

Budget:

$25,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend:

£938,266 (UK) (2 March 2001)

Gross:

ESP 1,206,710,487 (Spain) (29 June 2001)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Miramax Films, David Brown Productions, Fat Free

Technical Specs

Runtime:

121 min

Sound Mix:

DTS Dolby Digital SDDS

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

In several of the kitchen scenes, you see a woman's hands stirring chocolate. These are not Juliette Binoche's hands, but an extra's. Vianne's bracelet was added to make it look like her.

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Goofs

When Vianne takes the newspaper down from the shop window on the day it opens, the shots from the inside show the window covered in dust and cobwebs, while from the outside the window is clean and shining.

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Quotes

[first lines]
Storyteller: Once upon a time, there was a quiet little village in the French countryside, whose people believed in Tranquilité - Tranquility. If you lived in this village, you understood what was expected of you. You knew your place in the scheme of things. And if you happened to forget, someone would help remind you. In this village, if you saw something you weren't supposed to see, you learned to look the other way. If perchance your hopes had been disappointed, you learned never to ask for ...

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Connections

Featured in The Rotten Tomatoes Show: Harry Potter & the Half-Blood Prince/(500) Days of Summer/Homecoming (2009)

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Soundtracks

"Caravan"
Written by Duke Ellington and Juan Tizol
Published by EMI Harmonies Ltd.

User Reviews

Thought provoking story

I have only seen this movie for the first time today. I have to admit that I hesitated somewhat as I did not believe I would like it because it was described to me as a 'chick flick', a genre I do not subscribe to even though I am a girl. How wrong was that description. I loved the film, the story, the scenery. Such genuine & diverse characters. The actors chosen were perfect for their roles, I cannot imagine anyone else playing the parts. The DVD I had was borrowed, but I intend to buy a copy for myself as it would fit into my small library of movies. I have to see it again & this time I will share the experience with my partner as I know he will appreciate the story. Lida