The Flower of Evil (2003) La fleur du mal (original title)

Director:

Claude Chabrol

Writers:

Caroline Eliacheff (original scenario) &
Louise L. Lambrichs (original scenario) ...
(more)

Release Date:

14 February 2003 (Italy)

Genre:

Drama | Thriller

Plot:

Three generations of a wealthy Bordeaux family are caught in the crossfire when Anne decides to run for mayor, thanks to a political pamphlet that revives an old murder scandal.

Plot Keywords:

Election | Bordeaux | Mayor | Footsie Under The Table | Family Secret

Awards:

2 nominations

Cast

Nathalie Baye	...	Anne Charpin-Vasseur
Benoît Magimel	...	François Vasseur
Suzanne Flon	...	Aunt Line
Bernard Le Coq	...	Gérard Vasseur
Mélanie Doutey	...	Michèle Charpin-Vasseur
Thomas Chabrol	...	Matthieu Lartigue
Henri Attal	...	Fanny's Father-in-law
Kevin Ahyi	...	First Kid
Françoise Bertin	...	Thérèse
Jérôme Bertin	...	Volunteer
Caroline Baehr	...	Fanny
Didier Bénureau	...	Brissot
Yvon Crenn	...	Yves Pouët
Michèle Dascain	...	Marthe
Jean-Marc Druet	...	Lab Assistant
Michel Herbault	...	Le maire
Edmond Kastelnik	...	First Election Official
Marius de Laage	...	Second Kid
Isabelle Mamère	...	Journaliste
Juliette Meyniac	...	Hélène
François Maistre	...	Jules
Jean-Pierre Marin	...	Second Election Official
Yves Pignot	...	Pierre Vasseur
Dominique Pivain	...	Dominique
Léa Pellepaut	...	Drugstore Saleswoman
Valérie Rojan	...	Gérard's Secretary
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Nicolas Girard Deltruc	...	Laboratory Assistant (uncredited)

Directed by
Claude Chabrol

Writing credits
Caroline Eliacheff		(original scenario) &
Louise L. Lambrichs		(original scenario)
Claude Chabrol		(adaptation and dialogue)

Produced by
Yvon Crenn	....	executive producer
Marin Karmitz	....	producer

Original Music by
Matthieu Chabrol

Cinematography by
Eduardo Serra		(director of photography)

Film Editing by
Monique Fardoulis

Production Design by
Françoise Benoît-Fresco

Set Decoration by
Fabien Belinguier
Michel Mourgues
Catherine Pierrat

Costume Design by
Mic Cheminal

Makeup Department
Françoise Andrejka	....	key makeup artist
Jean-Charles Bachelier	....	key hair stylist
Valérie Cancalon	....	makeup artist
Franck Mendoche	....	hair stylist

Production Management
David Crenn	....	unit manager
Nicolas Girard Deltruc	....	assistant production manager
Sacha Horvat	....	trainee unit manager
Nathalie Kreuther	....	production manager
Patrice Lhuillier	....	unit production manager
Samantha Mialet	....	trainee unit manager
Matthieu Vogel	....	trainee unit manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Dominique Frizat	....	second assistant director
Vincent Guillerminet	....	trainee assistant director
Cécile Maistre	....	first assistant director

Art Department
Pierre Coudeneau	....	construction manager
Véronique Coudert	....	assistant tapestry maker
Pierrot Galliard	....	property master
Julien Grisot	....	props
Thierry Lautout	....	tapestry
Clémentine Léger	....	painter
Catherine Pierrat	....	set dresser

Sound Department
Denis Carquin	....	sound assistant
Stéphane De Rocquigny	....	assistant sound mixer
Michel Filippi	....	post-synchronization
Lionel Le Bras	....	boom operator
Thierry Lebon	....	sound
Pierre Lenoir	....	sound
André Naudin	....	foley artist
Julien Naudin	....	foley artist

Camera and Electrical Department
Claude Atanassian	....	gaffer
Jean Atanassian	....	electrician
Michel Atanassian	....	electrician
Florent Bazin	....	first assistant camera
Eric Bonnaire	....	grip (as Erik Bonnaire)
Mathieu Caudroy	....	Steadicam operator
Jean-Marie Delorme	....	assistant camera
Claire Duguet	....	camera trainee
Muriel Mayret	....	second assistant camera (as Muriel Mairet)
Jérémie Nassif	....	still photographer
Dominique Robert	....	key grip
Michel Thiriet	....	camera operator

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Laurence Glentzin	....	costumer
Sandrine Kerner	....	costumer

Editorial Department
Patrick Delamotte	....	color timer
Pauline Flamand	....	trainee assistant editor
Stanislas Moreau	....	assistant editor
Georges-Henri Picaud	....	trainee assistant editor
Olivier Rossignol	....	assistant editor
Patrick Thauvin	....	negative cutter
Nicolas G. Thiriet	....	trainee assistant editor
Nicolas Willmann	....	trainee assistant editor

Music Department
L' Orchestre Symphonique Français	....	performed by
Laurent Petitgirard	....	conductor

Other crew
Marie-Odile Arnoux	....	production secretary
Aurore Chabrol	....	script supervisor
Monica Donati	....	press attache
Nicolas Girard Deltruc	....	production assistant
Joseph Lasserre	....	group man
Gisèle Vuillaume	....	production administrator

Production Companies

• MK2 Productions (co-production) (as MK2 s.a)
• France 3 Cinéma (co-production)
• Canal+ (participation)
• Conseil Régional d'Aquitaine (participation)
• Procirep (supported by) (as La Procirep)

Distributors

• MK2 Diffusion (2003) (France) (theatrical)
• MK2 Éditions (2008) (France) (DVD)
• A-Film Distribution (2003) (Netherlands) (theatrical)
• Concorde Filmverleih (2003) (Germany) (theatrical)
• Japan Community Cinema Center (2011) (Japan) (theatrical) (in association with)
• Kinokuniya (2011) (Japan) (theatrical)
• Mermaid Film (2011) (Japan) (theatrical)
• Mikado (2003) (Italy) (theatrical) (dubbed)
• Monopole-Pathé (2003) (Switzerland) (theatrical)
• A-Film Home Entertainment (200?) (Netherlands) (video)
• Alfa Films (Argentina)
• Concorde Video (2004) (Germany) (DVD)
• EuroVideo (2004) (Germany) (DVD)
• EuroVideo (2004) (Germany) (VHS)
• Palm Pictures (USA) (subtitled)
• Süddeutsche Zeitung (2007) (Germany) (DVD)

Other Companies

• MK2  music edition
• T&C Film AG  copyright: Extrait du film 'Vollmond' de Fredi M. Murer
• Aquitaine Image Cinéma  thanks
• Assurances Continentales, Les  insurances (as Assurances Continentales Audiovisuel)
• Bonne Maman (I)  thanks
• CICAR  grip equipment
• Cinéma Utopia  thanks (as Cinema l'Utopia)
• Conseil Régional d'Aquitaine  thanks
• Copra Films  sound equipment
• Cristaline  thanks
• De'Longhi  thanks
• Eclair  film lab
• Les Audis de Boulogne  sound studio
• Mairie de Bordeaux  thanks
• Mairie de Floirac  thanks
• Mairie de la Teste de Buch  thanks
• Orangina  thanks
• Panavision Alga  camera equipment
• Renault  thanks
• Société Domo  thanks (as Société Domo France)
• TEST  titles and opticals
• Tag Heuer  thanks
• Volvo  thanks

Also Known As:

"La fleur du mal" - France (original title)

MPAA:

Rated R for brief language

Runtime:

104 min

Country:

France

Language:

French

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.66 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Certification:

Argentina:13 | France:U | Germany:12 (f) | Spain:13 | Switzerland:14 (canton of Geneva) | Switzerland:14 (canton of Vaud) | USA:R | Hong Kong:IIB | Singapore:PG | Australia:M

Company:

MK2 Productions

Quotes:

Anne Charpin-Vasseur:You look upset.
Matthieu Lartigue:I imagine I do. Something awkward has cropped up. We should talk in private.

Movie Connections:

References Casablanca (1942)

Soundtrack:

Un souvenir

Chabrol Wields His Cinematic Scalpel To Corruption and Decadent Relationships

Director Chabrol takes on the French bourgeois so insidiously, so quietly, so subtly, that you don't realize his cinematic scalpel has just removed several layers of sensitive skin; this family-based thriller shows a woman running for office, examines her philandering husband, and zeroes in on two slightly incestuous slightly related children, all under the care of a quietly smiling, deadly caretaker, who smiles while encouraging the tots to misbehave.

The plot, such as it is, could be frustrating if the viewer is looking for any kind of forward action--this is an expose of empty morality, and hardly qualifies as a suspense film (you might even ask--when will this end?), but in considering the gorgeously cinematic interiors (and beach setting) in contrast to the vapid emptiness each character ultimately reveals, this could be a film you like very much; it's typically French in that it tends to look inside rather than outside, examine character development in lieu of action perpetrated by a hero.