Madame Bovary (1991)

In nineteenth-century France, the romantic daughter of a country squire marries a dull country doctor. To escape boredom, she throws herself into love affairs with a suave local landowner and a law student, and runs up ruinous debts.

Director:

Claude Chabrol

Writers:

Gustave Flaubert (based on the novel by), Claude Chabrol (adaptation)

Stars:

Isabelle Huppert, Jean-François Balmer, Christophe Malavoy

Nominated for 1 Oscar. Another 1 win & 3 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Isabelle Huppert	...	Emma Bovary
Jean-François Balmer	...	Le docteur Charles Bovary
Christophe Malavoy	...	Rodolphe Boulanger
Jean Yanne	...	M. Homais - le pharmacien
Lucas Belvaux	...	Léon Dupuis
Christiane Minazzoli	...	La veuve Lefançois
Jean-Louis Maury	...	Merchant Lheureux
Florent Gibassier	...	Hippolyte
Jean-Claude Bouillaud	...	Le père Rouault - un paysan - le père d'Emma
Sabeline Campo	...	Felicité
Yves Verhoeven	...	Justin
Marie Mergey	...	La mère Bovary - la mère de Charles
François Maistre	...	Lieuvain - le conseiller de la préfecture
Thomas Chabrol	...	Le vicomte
Phillippe Abitol

Storyline

In nineteenth-century France, the romantic daughter of a country squire (Emma Rouault) marries a dull country doctor (Charles Bovary). To escape boredom, she throws herself into love affairs with a suave local landowner (Rodolphe Boulanger) and a law student (Leon Dupuis), and runs up ruinous debts. This film version closely follows Flaubert's novel and includes most of the famous scenes, such as the wedding, the ball, the agricultural fair, the operation on the clubfoot, and the opera in Rouen.

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Plot Keywords:

character name as title | emma bovary character | period drama | doctor | wedding | 

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Genres:

Drama | Romance

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Certificate:

PG-13

Did You Know?

Trivia

In its original French version, one of the masculine voices overheard by Emma during the great Bail sequence is director Claude Chabrol's voice saying: "Mais qu'il en soit fait selon votre desir, ma chere... Lucien!".

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Goofs

During the ball, the music is "The Blue Danube" by Johan Strauss, composed in 1866. However, the action is taking place in 1837.

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Quotes

Le docteur Charles Bovary: [after his wife's death] Fate's the one to blame!

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Crazy Credits

In the opening credits, "à ma mère" appears onscreen below Isabelle Huppert's name.

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Connections

Version of Madame Bovary (1975)

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Soundtracks

Lucie de Lammermoor
Music by Gaetano Donizetti (as Donizetti)
Performed by M.J. Coignard-Helison

User Reviews

Chabrol lays an egg

I am usually the most avid of Chabrol fans, but with Madame Bovary he finally made a real turkey. This film is dull dull dull. I probably could have abided the tediousness and the fastidious faithfulness to the book if the film had a lead actress who was even remotely credible in the lead. But Huppert is woefully miscast as Emma. Emma Bovary is supposed to be a passionate woman who recklessly throws herself into adulterous affairs. Huppert plays Emma as an ice princess, about as passionate as a bowl of oatmeal! Huppert achieves the astonishing feat of maintaining the same facial expression throughout the film; at times I wondered if her facial muscles were paralyzed. This would have been a perfect role for Isabel Adjani...too bad. Read the book instead.

6/10

Details

Official Sites:

Official site [English language] Official site [France]

Country:

France

Language:

French

Release Date:

25 December 1991 (USA)

Also Known As:

Мадам Бовари

Filming Locations:

Lyons-la-Forêt, Eure, France

Box Office

Opening Weekend USA:

$236,113, 29 December 1991

Gross USA:

$1,942,423

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$1,942,423

Company Credits

Production Co:

MK2 Productions, CED Productions, FR3 Films Production

Technical Specs

Runtime:

143 min

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.66 : 1