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?

---

Plot Keywords:

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

---

Taglines:

Un monument!

---

Genres:

Drama | War

---

Certificate:

PG

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

Did You Know?

Trivia

The film takes place in January 1920.

---

Quotes

Major Dellaplane: All antelopes are beautiful. You know why? Because they're scared. Their eyes are black and they're scared. They're right to be. The world is full of jaws.

User Reviews

Impressive visually, but, grim, slow, and unsatisfying.

This is a powerful film with a genuinely epic feel. The backdrop of a post-war battle field is movingly sombre, with sets scattered with the last remains of soldiers, some hastily dug graves, and hoards of women mourning the loss of husbands and sons. There is no sense of victory or joy after the war, and its central character, Delaplane - brilliantly played by Philippe Noiret - portrays the mood of grim realism of what the war has done to his country and to his life.

Unfortunately, the film is let down by a somewhat feeble love story involving Delaplane which has an unsatisfactory and unconvincing resolution.

At way over two hours in length, the lack of a substantial central plot is more than noticeable. Towards the end, the film becomes slow and almost boring, despite some impressive visual images. It is almost as if the grimness of the subject matter has completely overwhelmed the film. However, considering how grim the subject matter is, that is hardly surprising.