Le scaphandre et le papillon (2007)

Director:

Julian Schnabel

Writers (WGA):

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

Release Date:

23 May 2007 (Belgium)

Genre:

Biography | Drama

Tagline:

Let your imagination set you free

Plot:

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.

Plot Keywords:

Eye | Stroke | Editor | France | Blink

Awards:

Nominated for 4 Oscars. Another 40 wins & 33 nominations

Cast

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

Also Known As:

The Diving Bell and the Butterfly (International: English title) (UK) (USA)
Le scaphandre et le papillon (France)

MPAA:

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

Runtime:

France:112 min | USA:112 min

Country:

France | USA

Language:

French

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

DTS | Dolby Digital

Certification:

Switzerland:12 (canton of Geneva) | Switzerland:12 (canton of Vaud) | Ireland:12A | Canada:PG | Netherlands:6 | Taiwan:PG-12 | Sweden:7 | Singapore:NC-16 | Finland:K-7 | South Korea:12 | USA:PG-13 (certificate #43714) | Hong Kong:IIB | Greece:K-13 | Argentina:13 | Australia:M | UK:12 | Peru:14

Filming Locations:

Berck, Pas-de-Calais, France

Company:

Pathé Renn Productions

Trivia:

Julian Schnabel went as far as to learn French to make the film.

Goofs:

Continuity: In the scene where Jean-Do shaves his father, he shaves the moustache area and the shaving cream is removed, but in the next shot this area is covered with shaving cream again. In the following shot the father's upper lift is clean of shaving cream again.

Quotes:

Jean-Dominique Bauby: We're all children, we all need approval.

Movie Connections:

References Singin' in the Rain (1952)

Soundtrack:

Pauvre petit fille riche

Do yourself a favor

The inadequacies of the descriptions of this movie emphasize the gulf between the written (or spoken) word and the work of art itself. I could write all the spoilers and it wouldn't make a difference, because the riveting quality here doesn't depend on plot surprises. It is the improbable story, a story that will touch you and then executed by actors who seem like their lives depend on being true to the story.

This is an anti-Hollywood, anti-formula movie. Those have their place, but this is a great antidote to the silly decisions made by inappropriately powerful studio execs.

See it. You'll be thankful you did.