The Diving Bell and the Butterfly (2007)

The true story of Elle editor Jean-Dominique Bauby who suffers a stroke and has to live with an almost totally paralyzed body; only his left eye isn't paralyzed.

Director:

Julian Schnabel

Writers:

Ronald Harwood (screenplay), Jean-Dominique Bauby (book)

Stars:

Mathieu Amalric, Emmanuelle Seigner, Marie-Josée Croze

Nominated for 4 Oscars. Another 66 wins & 92 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Mathieu Amalric	...	Jean-Do
Emmanuelle Seigner	...	Céline
Marie-Josée Croze	...	Henriette Roi
Anne Consigny	...	Claude
Patrick Chesnais	...	Le Docteur Lepage
Niels Arestrup	...	Roussin
Olatz López Garmendia	...	Marie Lopez
Jean-Pierre Cassel	...	Père Lucien et le Vendeur
Marina Hands	...	Joséphine
Max von Sydow	...	Papinou
Gérard Watkins	...	Le Docteur Cocheton
Théo Sampaio	...	Théophile
Fiorella Campanella	...	Céleste
Talina Boyaci	...	Hortense
Isaach De Bankolé	...	Laurent

Storyline

Forty-three year old Elle magazine editor Jean-Dominique Bauby - Jean-Do to his friends - awakens not knowing where he is. He is in a Berck-sur-Mer hospital, where he has been for the past several weeks in a coma after suffering a massive stroke. Although his cognitive facilities are in tact, he quickly learns that he has what is called locked-in syndrome which has resulted in him being almost completely paralyzed, including not being able to speak. One of his few functioning muscles is his left eye. His physical situation and hospitalization uncomfortably bring together the many people in his life, including: Céline Desmoulins, his ex-lover and mother of his children; Inès, his current lover; and his aged father who he calls Papinou. Among his compassionate recuperative team are his physical therapist Marie, and his speech therapist Henriette. Henriette eventually teaches him to communicate using a system where he spells out words: she reads out the letters of the alphabet in ...

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Plot Keywords:

male frontal nudity | elle magazine | coma | based on autobiography | arc de triomphe paris | 

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Taglines:

Let your imagination set you free

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Genres:

Biography | Drama

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated PG-13 for nudity, sexual content and some language

Details

Official Sites:

Official site Official site [Spain]

Country:

France USA

Language:

French

Release Date:

1 February 2008 (USA)

Also Known As:

The Diving Bell and the Butterfly

Filming Locations:

France

Box Office

Opening Weekend:

$75,721 (USA) (30 November 2007)

Gross:

$5,990,075 (USA) (4 April 2008)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Pathé Renn Productions, France 3 Cinéma, Kennedy/Marshall Company, The

Technical Specs

Runtime:

112 min

Sound Mix:

DTS Dolby Digital

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Julian Schnabel learned French to make the film.

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Goofs

When Jean-Dominique goes on a boat ride, a 'Speedferries' vessel can be seen in the background. Speedferries started business in 2004, years after the movie was set.

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Quotes

Jean-Dominique Bauby: I decided to stop pitying myself. Other than my eye, two things aren't paralyzed, my imagination and my memory.

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Connections

Featured in Siskel & Ebert: Episode dated 1 December 2007 (2007)

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Soundtracks

Quatre cents coups
Composed by Jean Constantin
from the film The 400 Blows (1959)
Written and directed by François Truffaut
¿ Les Films Du Carosse
With the kind authorization of MK2

User Reviews

What movies should be

The best film so far - that I've seen - in 2008. A totally artistic endeavour that succeeds on every level. Expecting a somewhat depressing movie, I found it to be the exact opposite. Uplifting, joyful, and inspirational while showing a man (played by Mathieu Amalric) completely paralyzed, apart from the ability to blink his left eye.

There is a seamless blend of cinematography with the music to enhance the inner life of the main character, the viewer is at one with his inner frustration, his soaring imagination, his follies, faults and lusts. At times it is humorous, at others there are indelible vignettes

• one of the long term partner (beautfully played by EmmanuelleSeigner)

assisting his lover to communicate with him by telephone. Another is the incredible Max Von Sydow in a riveting performance as the elderly heart-broken father.

The film is based on a true story and it must have been an enormous challenge to bring this story to the screen. Julian Schnabel directed the amazing cast and brought an artistry to the project that is extremely rare in film making. To capture the world as seen through the eye of a paralyzed man and make it so fascinating took enormous skill.

I was captivated and enchanted and would definitely see it again. 9 out of 10. Not to be missed.