Une vieille maîtresse (2007)

Director:

Catherine Breillat

Writers:

Jules-Amédée Barbey d'Aurevilly (novel)
Catherine Breillat (adaptation)

Release Date:

30 May 2007 (France)

Genre:

Drama | Romance

Plot:

Secrets, rumors and betrayals surround the upcoming marriage between a young dissolute man and virtuous woman of the French aristocracy. |

Plot Keywords:

Marriage | 1830s | Marquis | Abortion | Topless Female Nudity

Awards:

1 nomination

Cast

Asia Argento	...	Vellini
Fu'ad Ait Aattou	...	Ryno de Marigny
Roxane Mesquida	...	Hermangarde
Claude Sarraute	...	La marquise de Flers
Yolande Moreau	...	La comtesse d'Artelles
Michael Lonsdale	...	Le vicomte de Prony
Anne Parillaud	...	Mme de Solcy
Jean-Philippe Tesse	...	Le vicomte de Mareuil
Sarah Pratt	...	La comtesse de Mendoze
Amira Casar	...	Mademoiselle Divine des Airelles
Lio	...	La chanteuse
Isabelle Renauld	...	L'arrogante
Léa Seydoux	...	Oliva
Nicholas Hawtrey	...	Sir Reginald
Caroline Ducey	...	La dame de Pique

Also Known As:

The Last Mistress (Canada: English title) (USA) (new title)
An Old Mistress (Australia) (new title)

Runtime:

104 min | South Korea:113 min | Canada:114 min (Toronto International Film Festival)

Country:

France | Italy

Language:

French

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Certification:

Australia:R | Taiwan:R-18 | Argentina:18 | UK:15 | Singapore:R21 | South Korea:18 | USA:Unrated | Canada:13+ (Quebec) | Canada:18A (British Columbia)

Company:

Flach Film

Trivia:

Catherine Breillat discovered Fu'ad Ait Aattou in a Paris café.

Goofs:

Revealing mistakes: In one shot, Asia Argento's tailbone tattoo is visible. Although tattoos were known to early 19th century Europeans (in fact, they date back before civilization), it seems improbable that Argento's character, a Spanish lady in France, was meant to have a tattoo in a design like the actress's tattoo.

Movie Connections:

Featured in "Metropolis: Cannes 2007 - Special" (2007)

Several Fathoms Up From 'Romance'

For years,I pretty much avoided the "face of new Euro porn" films of French director Catherine Breillart (infamous for 'Romance',or 'Romance X',as it was known in Europe). When I heard she had taken on a film adaptation of the 19th century erotic masterpiece, 'The Last Mistress', I though to myself "grand...more boring Euro porn" (I walked out on 'Romance X' out of sheer boredom,and not of shock). Well, I was pleasantly surprised by 'Mistress'. Mind you, Breillart still has some growing up as a writer/director to do (there are things that transpire that are never explained),and her characters are still for the most part, unlikable. Apart from that, she has made some improvements. The cast includes Asia Argento,who doesn't seem to have any issues with tossing off her duds and parading around nude in any film she appears in,as well as several others,including veteran British actor Michael Lonsdale. The plot concerns a penniless,good for nothing young lad who is engaged to be married to a French woman of wealth & name, but has been an off again,on again lover of a half Spanish/half French woman of no certain valor. All I could think at times was 'Dangerous Liasions' meets 'Fatal Attraction',filtered thru a European perspective. This film obviously will not be everybody's cup of tea,but is still worth a look. No rating here,but probably only pull down a hard "R",due to nudity & some fairly restrained sexuality.