Beaumarchais the Scoundrel (1996)

The life story of the titular Beaumarchais (Fabrice Luchini), playwright and adventurer, who gets himself into numerous different scrapes and romantic encounters in 18th Century France.

Director:

Édouard Molinaro

Writers:

Sacha Guitry (inspired: Librement inspiré de l'oeuvre inédite de), Édouard Molinaro (scenario, adaptation and dialogue)

Stars:

Fabrice Luchini, Manuel Blanc, Sandrine Kiberlain

1 win & 5 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Fabrice Luchini	...	Pierre-Augustin Caron de Beaumarchais
Sandrine Kiberlain	...	Marie-Thérèse
Manuel Blanc	...	Gudin
Michel Aumont	...	Baron de Breteuil
Jean-François Balmer	...	Sartine
Jean-Claude Brialy	...	Abbot
Patrick Bouchitey	...	Monsieur Lejay
Evelyne Bouix	...	Madame Vigee Lebrun
Isabelle Carré	...	Rosine
José Garcia	...	Figaro
Alain Chabat	...	Le courtisan à Versailles
Pierre Gérard	...	Comte de Provence
Judith Godrèche	...	Marie-Antoinette (as Judith Godreche)
Murray Head	...	Lord Rochford
Axelle Laffont	...	Mariette Lejay

Storyline

The life story of the titular Beaumarchais (Fabrice Luchini), playwright and adventurer, who gets himself into numerous different scrapes and romantic encounters in 18th Century France.

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Plot Keywords:

american | playwright | 18th century | 1780s | prince | 

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Taglines:

A most remarkable true story of love affairs, scandals and espionage.

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Genres:

Adventure | Comedy | History | Romance

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Details

Country:

France

Language:

French

Release Date:

17 October 1997 (USA)

Also Known As:

Beaumarchais the Scoundrel

Filming Locations:

Château de Plassac, Plassac, Charente-Maritime, France

Box Office

Budget:

FRF 95,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend USA:

$27,216, 26 October 1997, Limited Release

Gross USA:

$630,269, 14 December 1997

Company Credits

Production Co:

Téléma,StudioCanal,France 2 Cinéma

Technical Specs

Runtime:

100 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Color:

Color (Eastmancolor)

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Daniel Auteuil was first considered for the title role.

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Quotes

Pierre-Augustin Caron de Beaumarchais: By "we", I mean France.

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Connections

Featured in Bouillon de culture: L'incroyable histoire de Beaumarchais (1996)

User Reviews

Magnifique

This is a must-see film. It is a sumptuous period piece on any terms, with consistently splendid visuals of both interiors and exteriors.

But forget all that. It is everything a movie should be: inspiring, clever, funny, real .... what else do you want?

Beaumarchais is the watchmaker's son turned playwright who is most familiar to Western culture as the creator of Figaro, the central character is the famous Mozart and Rossini operas.

That he was, but he was also at times a court conspirator, a champion of liberty, a defender of the weak, a lazy sybarite, a pretend aristocrat, a humorist, a shallow womanizer, and a revolutionary. That a movie and a performer can capture all the facets of such a complex man is a wonderful achievement.

The actor, Fabrice Luchini, creates something memorable ... a revolutionary who fights not with fiery speeches or rabble armies, but with a half-smile and by out-playing the corrupted at their own games. He is brave without bravado. His unobtrusive looks and his whispery lisp disguise a will of steel.

The movie takes a fair look at the man as man ... flawed in many ways ... average in many other ways .... failing as often as he succeeds ... yet ultimately one of the architects of the spirit that empowered the new world to overturn the old aristocracies and asserts the rights of man.

Entwined as his spirit may be with the spirit of France, and his presence with the details of its revolution, you don't need to know one word of French or one fact of French history to love the movie. It's charming as hell on several levels, and it's just plain good.