Nathalie... (2003)

Director:

Anne Fontaine

Writers:

Philippe Blasband (original idea)
Jacques Fieschi (writer)

Release Date:

7 January 2004 (France)

Genre:

Drama

Tagline:

Can you ever control another person's sexuality?

Plot:

Nathalie is the name a Parisian prostitute assumes for a special mission or "private investigation."...

Plot Keywords:

Prostitute | Sex | Hotel Room | Unfaithful Husband | Mother Daughter Relationship

Awards:

2 nominations

Cast

Fanny Ardant	...	Catherine
Emmanuelle Béart	...	Nathalie / Marlène
Gérard Depardieu	...	Bernard
Wladimir Yordanoff	...	François
Judith Magre	...	La mère de Catherine
Rodolphe Pauly	...	Le fils
Évelyne Dandry	...	La patronne du bar
Christian Aaron Boulogne	...	L'homme d'un soir (as Ari Päffgen)
Aurore Auteuil	...	La patiente de Catherine
Idit Cebula	...	Ghislaine
Sasha Rucavina	...	Marianne (as Sacha Rukavina)
Macha Polikarpova	...	Ingrid
Marie Adam	...	La secrétaire médicale
Sophie Séfériadès	...	Une autre patiente
Serge Boutleroff	...	L'agent immobilier (as Serge Onteniente-Boutleroff)

Runtime:

Canada:100 min (Toronto International Film Festival) | USA:100 min | Switzerland:105 min | Germany:106 min | Argentina:105 min | Russia:105 min

Country:

France | Spain

Language:

French

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

DTS | Dolby Digital

Certification:

Argentina:16 | Australia:MA | Brazil:16 | Chile:18 | Finland:K-15 | Germany:16 | Ireland:18 | Japan:R-15 | Netherlands:12 | New Zealand:R16 | Norway:15 | Sweden:11 | Switzerland:14 (canton of Geneva) | Switzerland:14 (canton of Vaud) | UK:15 | Portugal:M/16

Filming Locations:

Paris, France

Company:

France 2 Cinéma

Quotes:

Un client de Marlène: [Sitting with Nathalie/Marlene, at the bar where she works] Can I ask you a question? Are you shaved?

Movie Connections:

Remade as Chloe (2009)

Soundtrack:

Trois petites notes de musique

Great Movie for Mature Audiences

In Paris, the executive Bernard (Gérard Depardieu) and his wife, the gynecologist Catherine (Fanny Ardant), form a bored upper class middle aged bourgeois couple. They have been married for many years and their life does not have sexual desire anymore. One day, Catherine listens to the message box of his cell phone and she believes Bernard is unfaithful to her. Catherine hires the beautiful prostitute Marlene (Emmanuelle Béart) to pretend to be a young woman called Nathalie, seduce and investigate the sex life of Bernard and report to her his secrets and performance between walls. Catherine discloses a surprising revelation in the end.

I saw the used DVD of "Nathalie…" on sale in a rental, and based on the names of Emmanuelle Béart, Gérard Depardieu and Fanny Ardant, I decided to risky and buy and watch this movie without any previous reference. I found a great movie, with a very credible story, but for mature audiences only. I believe that only the public of a certain age, who have experienced marriage, will fully understand the characters of Bernard and Catherine, their motives and how true the story is. I was also impressed with the elegance of the great French actress Fanny Ardant and with the eternal beauty of the sexy and also great actress Emmanuelle Béart. The direction of Anne Fontaine is very sensitive, delicate and classy, keeping the story in a very high level, without using any type of subterfuge, such as spicy scene or sexual exposition of the cast. The soundtrack is also excellent. My vote is eight.

Title (Brazil): "Nathalie X"