La Vie de Bohème (1992)

Three struggling artists try to make passable livings in Paris despite knock backs and tragedies.

Director:

Aki Kaurismäki

Writers:

Henri Murger (based on the novel by: "Scènes de la vie de bohème"), Aki Kaurismäki

Stars:

Matti Pellonpää, Evelyne Didi, André Wilms

5 wins & 2 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Matti Pellonpää	...	Rodolfo
Evelyne Didi	...	Mimi
André Wilms	...	Marcel Marx
Kari Väänänen	...	Schaunard
Christine Murillo	...	Musette
Jean-Pierre Léaud	...	Blancheron
Laika	...	Baudelaire
Carlos Salgado	...	Garcon de café
Alexis Nitzer	...	Henri Bernard
Sylvie Van den Elsen	...	Mme. Bernard
Gilles Charmant	...	Groupe rock
Dominique Marcas	...	Brocanteuse
Samuel Fuller	...	Gassot
Jean-Paul Wenzel	...	Francis
Louis Malle	...	Gentleman

Storyline

Three penniless artists become friends in modern-day Paris: Rodolfo, an Albanian painter with no visa, Marcel, a playwright and magazine editor with no publisher, and Schaunard, a post-modernist composer of execrable noise. Rodolfo falls in love with Mimi, a barmaid. The day he asks her to move in with him, he is deported. Six months later, he sneaks back to Paris, and Mimi leaves her new boyfriend to be with him. Conflicts arise, especially around their poverty, and soon Mimi and Rodolfo separate, as do Marcel and his Musette. The three men scrape together a meal to celebrate All Saints' Day, and Mimi arrives, ill. Can her friends bring her back to health? Can love rekindle?

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Plot Keywords:

painting | based on novel | exile | friend | artist | 

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Genres:

Comedy | Drama | Romance

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Certificate:

Not Rated

Details

Country:

Finland France Sweden Germany

Language:

French

Release Date:

29 July 1993 (USA)

Also Known As:

La Vie de Bohème

Filming Locations:

Paris, France

Company Credits

Production Co:

Sputnik, Pyramide Productions, Films A2

Technical Specs

Runtime:

103 min

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Aki Kaurismäki spend years trying to write an adaptation of Henri Murgen's novel with Helsinki in mind as a shooting-location. But finally he came to a conclusion that Paris is the only place where the film could be made.

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Connections

Version of La Bohème (1974)

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Soundtracks

Bird Dance Beat
Composed by G. Garrett
Performed by The Fake Trashmen (playback)

User Reviews

Magnificent!

Aki Kaurismaki is one of the most important modern directors. He manages to make a movie out of nothing just like, say, Mike Leigh. And his characters are simply every-day people, whom he manages to transform into convincible movie heroes or, most likely, antiheroes.

This movie is not different: it is very sad and also joyous at the same time. It treats a very serious subjects (pourness, loneliness, desperation) without being pathetic or overblown and it makes, in the most beautiful way, a strong connection between the characters and the viewer.

Marvellous acting and genious direction makes this movie another Kaurismaki's little/big masterpiece.