Life and Nothing But (1989)

Intense character study of men and women driven by an overpowering obsession with the past.

Director:

Bertrand Tavernier

Writers:

Jean Cosmos (scenario & adaptation), Bertrand Tavernier (scenario & adaptation)

Stars:

Philippe Noiret, Sabine Azéma, Pascale Vignal

Won 1 BAFTA Film Award. Another 8 wins & 14 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Philippe Noiret	...	Major Delaplane
Sabine Azéma	...	Irène de Courtil
Pascale Vignal	...	Alice
Maurice Barrier	...	Mercadot
François Perrot	...	Perrin
Jean-Pol Dubois	...	André
Daniel Russo	...	Lieutenant Trévise
Michel Duchaussoy	...	Général Villerieux
Arlette Gilbert	...	Valentine
Louis Lyonnet	...	Valentin
Charlotte Maury-Sentier	...	Cora Mabel (as Charlotte Maury)
François Caron	...	Julien
Thierry Gimenez	...	L'adjudant du génie
Frédérique Meininger	...	Madame Lebègue
Pierre Trabaud	...	Eugene Dilatoire

Storyline

November, 1920. 350,000 French soldiers remain missing in action. Major Delaplane tirelessly matches the dead and the wounded with families' descriptions. Honor and ethics drive him; he hates the idea of "the unknown soldier." Into his sector, looking for her husband, comes a haughty, politically connected Parisian, Madame Irène de Courtil. Brusquely, Delaplane offers her 1/350,000th of his time, but as their paths cross and she sees his courage and resolve, feelings change. After he finds a surprising connection between her missing husband and a local teacher, Irène makes Delaplane an offer. This man of action hesitates: has he missed his only chance?

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Plot Keywords:

missing in action | french soldier | presumed dead | research | post world war one | 

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Taglines:

Un monument!

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Genres:

Drama | War

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Certificate:

PG

Did You Know?

Trivia

The film takes place in January 1920.

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Quotes

[Irene de Courtil is complaining that Major Dellaplane is not doing enough to locate her missing husband]
Irène de Courtil: So you've decided to be an obstacle.
Major Dellaplane: No, madame. I don't have time to explain, but no, I'm not an obstacle. Except that there are 350,000 missing soldiers--349,771, to be exact. So tell the patriarch of Shukert and De Courtil that a 350-thousandth of my "staggering incompetence" is devoted to his personal case. A 350-thousandth of my time, but that's all.

User Reviews

Very good but probably not a film that most younger people would appreciate

I was fascinated by this film--probably because I am a history teacher and teach about WWI (among other topics). But I wonder if most other people would really care about the plot. You see, it's about the aftermath of WWI and the setting concerns soldiers sifting through the French countryside trying to find and identify all the bodies. The officer in charge is a bit fixated on all this and into his obsessive little world come two ladies who are looking for a husband and a fiancé who have been missing since 1917. The attention to details in the film is interesting and there are many little touches that make it a must see for history lovers. However, I must also point out that for me, the relationships that develop and unfold during the movie don't always work all that well. Plus, another recent French film dealing with the same topic (A VERY LONG ENGAGEMENT) is a vastly superior film. It would be great if you could see them both, but if you only want to see one film, see A VERY LONG ENGAGEMENT--it's better in most every way.

Details

Country:

France

Language:

French

Release Date:

6 September 1989 (France)

Also Known As:

Life and Nothing But

Filming Locations:

Dugny-sur-Meuse, Meuse, France

Box Office

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$1,600

Company Credits

Production Co:

Hachette Première, AB Films, Little Bear

Technical Specs

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1