Indochine (1992)

Elaine adopts Camille, whose Vietnamese parents were friends. In 1930, a French navy officer is interested in Elaine (owns 60km2 plantation) and later in Camille. There's an uprising in Vietnam against French colonial power.

Director:

Régis Wargnier

Writers:

Erik Orsenna (original scenario & adaptation and dialogue), Louis Gardel (original scenario & adaptation and dialogue)

Stars:

Catherine Deneuve, Vincent Perez, Linh Dan Pham

Won 1 Oscar. Another 11 wins & 13 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Catherine Deneuve	...	Éliane
Vincent Perez	...	Jean-Baptiste
Linh Dan Pham	...	Camille
Jean Yanne	...	Guy
Dominique Blanc	...	Yvette
Henri Marteau	...	Émile
Carlo Brandt	...	Castellani
Gérard Lartigau	...	L'Admiral
Hubert Saint-Macary	...	Raymond (as Hubert Saint Macary)
Andrzej Seweryn	...	Hebrard
Mai Chau	...	Shen
Alain Fromager	...	Dominique
Chu Hung	...	Mari de Sao
Jean-Baptiste Huynh	...	Étienne, adulte
Thibault de Montalembert	...	Charles-Henri (as Thibault De Montalembert)

Storyline

This story is set in 1930, at the time when French colonial rule in Indochina is ending. A widowed French woman who works in the rubber fields, raises a Vietnamese princess as if she was her own daughter. She, and her daughter both fall in love with a young French navy officer, which will change both their lives significantly.

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Plot Keywords:

f rated | french naval officer | french navy | year 1930 | vietnam | 

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Genres:

Drama | Romance | War

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated PG-13 for some violence, sensuality and drug related scenes

Details

Country:

France

Language:

French Vietnamese

Release Date:

23 December 1992 (USA)

Also Known As:

Indochine

Filming Locations:

Halong Bay, Vietnam

Box Office

Gross USA:

$5,734,232

Company Credits

Production Co:

Paradis Films, La Générale d'Images, Paradis Films

Technical Specs

Runtime:

148 min (cut) 153 min (cut)

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.66 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Some scenes were shot in The Cheong Fatt Tze Mansion (also know as the Blue Mansion) in George Town, Malaysia.

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Goofs

When Eliane and Camille embrace at the prison, Camille's hands change position between shots.

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Quotes

Mme. Minh Tam: You have to forget this man, Lili. I'll never understand French love stories. They're all about madness, fury, suffering... they're similar to our war stories. You know the secret. I've told you already.
Eliane: Yes, I know. Indifference.

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Connections

Featured in At the Movies: Falling Down/The Temp/Army of Darkness (1993)

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Soundtracks

La Baya
Lyrics by Marcel Heurtebise (as M. Heurtebise)
Music by Henri Christiné
Performed by Dominique Blanc
Editions SALABERT

User Reviews

Superb drama, beautiful scenery and beautiful Deneuve

A beautiful film about the latter years of the French colonial era in Vietnam. I notice some comments that seem confused about Deneuve's characters attitude toward the Vietnamese on her rubber plantation. They find her "maternalism" offensive and therefore? what, they don't like the film? What do they expect from a colonialist? Compare this to Mel Gibson's character in The Patriot, a slave owner who has released all his slaves (1700s) and re-hired them. Is this more believable? More comfortable?

The French exploited the natural resources and the population of Vietnam; that's what colonialism was all about, and I don't see that this film is even faintly supportive of colonialism. On the contrary, Indochine offers some clarity about what the Vietnamese were rebelling against, and background for the conflict that would later pull in the US.

And a gorgeous, gorgeous movie.