Le promeneur du champ de Mars (2005)

A young journalist (Lespert) helps the French President compile his memoirs.

Director:

Robert Guédiguian

Writers:

Georges-Marc Benamou (book), Georges-Marc Benamou (scenario),

Stars:

Michel Bouquet, Jalil Lespert, Philippe Fretun

1 win & 2 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Michel Bouquet	...	Le Président
Jalil Lespert	...	Antoine Moreau
Philippe Fretun	...	Docteur Jeantot
Anne Cantineau	...	Jeanne
Sarah Grappin	...	Judith
Catherine Salviat	...	Mado
Jean-Claude Frissung	...	René
Philippe Le Mercier	...	Fleury, le garde du corps (as Philippe Lemercier)
Serge Kribus	...	Riou, le chauffeur
Jean-Claude Bourbault	...	Le libraire
Grégoire Oestermann	...	Garland
Béatrice Bruno	...	Thérèse Manicourt
Philippe Lehembre	...	Chazelles
Istvan Van Heuverzwyn	...	Deletraz
Rémy Darcy	...	Ladrière

Storyline

A young journalist (Lespert) helps the French President compile his memoirs.

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Plot Keywords:

journalist | president | memoirs | quest | statesman | 

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Genres:

Biography | Drama

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Details

Official Sites:

Pathé [fr]

Country:

France

Language:

French

Release Date:

16 February 2005 (France)

Also Known As:

The Last Mitterrand

Filming Locations:

Bords de l'Allier, Vichy, Allier, France

Box Office

Opening Weekend:

$1,112,694 (France) (18 February 2005)

Gross:

$1,112,694 (France) (18 February 2005)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Film Oblige, Agat Films & Cie, arte France Cinéma

Technical Specs

Runtime:

116 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Color:

Color

Did You Know?

Goofs

The cars seen in the movie were not around at the time Mitterand was President.

User Reviews

A political movie ? A viewer reaction

I saw this movie yesterday, with somebody who have neither live in this country during Mitterand's presidency, nor had an interest with our narrow views on our own politics. And I was surprised,thinking I would show her part of the history of one of the most important guy in our recent history (the French one), to see that, actually, it's not about this president at all. Of course, there's some names mentioned, some events, but the main character is called "Mr President" and nothing else, and the movie focuses on "off times" of the president, moments of privacy shared with a journalist who is supposed to write a book about him. This is the story of an old man who, facing his death, tries to find peace and struggle to do what he have to face. The last two month of his presidency, when, literally eaten by his disease, he slowly becomes an impotent. The wish of being in the memory of his country ("Tell them than I'm not the Evil", he says to Antoine, the young idealistic journalist). His childish behavior (when he forces his bodyguards to stays on the beach and talk about poetry while the rain starts to fall, or when he confesses that he'd like to drive a Renault down the fifth avenue with Julia Roberts on his side...). And, most of all, his fight against his own past. About this, the best moment in this movie is when he says that some Jewish group wants "France to bow and begs for pardon like Willy Brandt. But that was not France !" After all, this is a story of a man who has such a past, such a (hi)story, that he becomes his own country, with all its contradictions, dark sides, denial, but also hopes, and definitely a sharp sense of humor... Although we could say that it's about time that this country turns the page and faces its history (what Mitterand never did), we can't say, here in France, that he will be forgotten. Never a president has be his country such as he did.