Inspector Bellamy (2009)
"Bellamy" (original title)

A well known Parisian inspector becomes involved in an investigation while on holiday.

Director:

Claude Chabrol

Writers:

Odile Barski (scenario, adaptation and dialogue), Claude Chabrol (scenario, adaptation and dialogue)

Stars:

Gérard Depardieu, Clovis Cornillac, Jacques Gamblin

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Gérard Depardieu	...	Paul Bellamy
Clovis Cornillac	...	Jacques Lebas
Jacques Gamblin	...	Noël Gentil / Emile Leullet / Denis Leprince
Marie Bunel	...	Françoise Bellamy
Vahina Giocante	...	Nadia Sancho
Marie Matheron	...	Madame Leullet
Adrienne Pauly	...	Claire Bonheur
Yves Verhoeven	...	Alain
Bruno Abraham-Kremer	...	Bernard
Rodolphe Pauly	...	L'avocat
Maxence Aubenas	...	Gilles
Anne Maureau	...	La journaliste TV
Henri Cohen	...	Le Président du tribunal
Thierry Calas	...	Le médecin-légiste
Dominique Ratonnat	...	Le médecin

Storyline

As every year, chief inspector Paul Bellamy spends a few days with his wife Françoise in the family house in Nîmes. Jacques, Paul's stepbrother, turns up unawares, which is bad news since the fellow is an alcoholic good for nothing. Also annoying is this stranger at bay who asks Bellamy for protection. Farewell peaceful holiday!

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Plot Keywords:

court trial | tango dancing | prison cell | cliff | south of france | 

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Taglines:

The Final Film of Claude Chabrol, France's Master of Suspense

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Genres:

Crime | Drama

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Details

Official Sites:

IFC Films [us] TFM Distribution [fr]

Country:

France

Language:

French

Release Date:

25 February 2009 (France)

Also Known As:

Inspector Bellamy

Filming Locations:

Montpellier, Hérault, France

Box Office

Opening Weekend:

$20,635 (USA) (29 October 2010)

Gross:

$105,893 (USA) (17 December 2010)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Alicéléo, France 2 Cinéma, DD Productions

Technical Specs

Runtime:

110 min 110 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby Dolby Digital

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Quotes

Paul Bellamy: People kill to get rid of something, but with most killers, they kill because they want to get rid of themselves.

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Connections

Featured in Ebert Presents: At the Movies: Episode #1.5 (2011)

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Soundtracks

"Les Copains d'abord"
(George Brassens)

User Reviews

Pleasant interlude with Chabrol, Depardieu, and Bunel

I suppose when I rate this movie more highly than many other people it's because I haven't had enough exposure to Claude Chabrol. For me this falls under the category "French movie," not "Chabrol movie." So those who are less discriminating may like the movie as much as my wife and I did.

European movies are better than American to the extent that they show ordinary people's lives lived at any ordinary pace. They're worse when they indulge in incomprehensible or surrealistic profundities. "Bellamy" teeters on the edge of the latter now and then, but gives us many pleasures of the first kind. It's a murder mystery, sort of, but more of the "what happened?" than the "who did it?" variety. In addition, it's a view into the life of Inspector Bellamy and the people in his life. His relationship with his wife is simple but enviable (perhaps improbably so). Marie Bunel is perfect as the wife.

The film does have some irritating attempts at profundity, but they are not too distracting. It's more distracting wondering how Gerard Depardieu, the Inspector, can have a brother played by an actor 20 years younger that he supposedly grew up with.