Daddy Nostalgia (1990)

The setting is the Riviera in autumn. A retired English businessman (Sir Dirk Bogarde) has just been through heart surgery, but it has, apparently, done little to relieve his constant pain ... See full summary »

Director:

Bertrand Tavernier

Writers:

Colo Tavernier (story) (as Colo Tavernier O'Hagan), Colo Tavernier (dialogue) (as Colo Tavernier O'Hagan)

Stars:

Dirk Bogarde, Jane Birkin, Odette Laure

1 win & 4 nominations.

Cast

Complete credited cast:
Dirk Bogarde	...	Daddy (Tony Russell)
Jane Birkin	...	Caroline
Odette Laure	...	Miche
Emmanuelle Bataille	...	Juliette
Charlotte Kady	...	Barbara
Michele Minns	...	Caroline, as a child
Sophie Dalezio	...	Nurse #1
Sylvie Segalas	...	Nurse #2
Hélène Lefumat	...	Dame Hopital
Andrée Duranson	...	Yvonne
Raymond Defendente	...	Jimmy
Fabrice Roux	...	Fisherman
Gilbert Guerrero	...	Garcon Restaurant
Louis Ducreux	...	Mr. Metro

Storyline

The setting is the Riviera in autumn. A retired English businessman (Sir Dirk Bogarde) has just been through heart surgery, but it has, apparently, done little to relieve his constant pain or improve his long-term survival prospects. During his recuperation, Caroline (Jane Birkin), his adult daughter, comes from Paris to be with him and her mother, Miche (Odette Laure), and she and her father begin to communicate as adults for the first time.

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Plot Keywords:

flashback sequence | reference to errol flynn | train station | reminiscing | english | 

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Genres:

Drama

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Certificate:

PG

Did You Know?

Trivia

This was Dirk Bogarde's final acting role before his death on May 8, 1999 at the age of 78.

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Crazy Credits

As the final song is "These Foolish Things" is heard, on the line "a cigarette that bears a lipstick's traces" the screen slowly fades to black and the words "À Michael Powell" scroll up the screen. 'Michael Powell' was a friend of and had worked with Tavernier and had recently died of cancer.

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Connections

Featured in At the Movies: The Marrying Man/Career Opportunities/The Five Heartbeats/The Object of Beauty/Daddy Nostalgia (1991)

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Soundtracks

These Foolish Things
Written by Harry Link, Eric Maschwitz, Jack Strachey, Holt Marvell
Performed by Jane Birkin and Jimmy Rowles

User Reviews

A melancholy kind of beauty

Daddy Nostalgie looked promising right from the outset. A film by Bertrand Tavernier (director of the gentle, beautiful 'Sunday in the Country') starring Jane Birkin (so superb in La Belle Noiseuse) and Dirk Bogarde (who stole the show from Gielgud and Burstyn in Providence... no mean feat at all) - it was hard to imagine this being anything other than a quality film.

And yet, even I was surprised by how good it was. So few films allow you to truly empathise with the characters, but this movie is an exception. You really feel for Birkin's character, as you see the hurt she still feels from being ignored as a child. The best scenes are those between her and her father - he, trying to make the most of his last days, and she, trying to make the most of her last days with him. Even the crabby mother is given a degree of character development as the film moves on, but in the end she takes a back seat to the performance of the two superb lead actors.

A sensitive, mature film with truly beautiful cinematography, this is one that will surely be appreciated by anyone who has had to deal with family relationships at any stage in their life.

Details

Country:

France

Language:

French English

Release Date:

May 1991 (USA)

Also Known As:

Daddy Nostalgia

Filming Locations:

France

Box Office

Opening Weekend USA:

$14,252, 14 April 1991

Gross USA:

$1,108,429

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$1,108,429

Company Credits

Production Co:

Cléa Productions, Eurisma, Little Bear

Technical Specs

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Color (Eastmancolor)

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1