The Old Man Who Read Love Stories (2001)

A man is forced to confront a dangerous female jaguar and his own past through the sacrificial killing of the beast he has grown to love.

Director:

Rolf de Heer

Writers:

Claude Cohen (French dialogue), Luis Sepúlveda (novel)

Stars:

Richard Dreyfuss, Timothy Spall, Hugo Weaving

2 wins & 15 nominations.

Cast

Credited cast:
Richard Dreyfuss	...	Antonio Bolivar
Timothy Spall	...	Luis Agalla (Mayor)
Hugo Weaving	...	Rubicondo (Dentist)
Cathy Tyson	...	Josefina
Victor Bottenbley	...	Nushino
Fede Celada	...	Juan
Luis Hostalot	...	Manuel
Guillermo Toledo	...	Onecen
Rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Nor-eddin Abboud	...	The Priest
Lionel Barsacq	...	Gold Prospector
Patrick Crepat	...	Gold Prospector
Josse De Pauw	...	The Man Who Bets
Alain Dery	...	Gold Prospector
Behi Djanati Atai	...	Dolores
Alberto Dominguez	...	Salinas

Storyline

A man is forced to confront a dangerous female jaguar and his own past through the sacrificial killing of the beast he has grown to love.

---

Plot Keywords:

killed by an animal | hunt | native american culture | elderly man | snakebite | 

---

Taglines:

In the jungle, the one who survives is the one that moves

---

Genres:

Adventure | Drama

---

Certificate:

Not Rated

Details

Official Sites:

Cyan Films Vertigo Productions

Country:

Netherlands France Spain Australia

Language:

English

Release Date:

7 March 2001 (France)

Also Known As:

Den gamle mand der læste kærlighedshistorier

Filming Locations:

Degrad Edmond, Guyane, Départements d'Outre-Mer, France

Box Office

Budget:

$9,500,000 (estimated)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Fildebroc, France 2 Cinéma, Magnetic Hall

Technical Specs

Runtime:

115 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

One of numerous collaborations of composer Graham Tardif and writer-director Rolf de Heer.

---

Quotes

Antonio Bolivar: It was a kiss of impassioned intensity, a kiss to remember their lives by.

---

Connections

Referenced in Rolf De Heer (2008)

User Reviews

A wonderfully constructed hidden gem

An under-seen and under-rated gem of a movie, I had the great pleasure of seeing The Old Man Who Read Love Stories when I was but a young boy and it's a film that stuck with me for many years thanks to subtle power, striking imagery and a performance from Richard Dreyfuss that surely must be the most fully formed of his career. I had an even greater pleasure recently where I was able to attend a screening of The Old Man and a Q and A with its legendary Australian director Rolf de Heer that reaffirmed to me what a classic film this is.

The making and release of The Old Man was one fraught with many different challenges both in a crew sense and also a release sense. Sitting on the shelf unjustly for more than 3 years The Old Man once available to the public was a film that divided the critics and audiences alike but for those willing to be swept up in the tale of journeyman Antonio Bolivar it was an absolute joy to be a part of. The Old Man is in no way a typical point A to point B movie and the structure of the films flashbacks (going hand in hand with our lead's fractured life and memories) are in no way done in the usual movie-making fashion. These elements of originality and decision making by director De Heer are just some of the reasons though that make the film just a diamond in the rough.

The Old Man Who Read Love Stories - post As mentioned in the opening paragraph Richard Dreyfuss has never been better than he is here. In a role that was originally intended for Sir Ian McKellan and down the line Morgan Freeman and Sir Ben Kingsley, Dreyfuss is captivating and heartbreaking as our wounded soul. It's a character that is filled to the brim with hidden mysteries that slowly begin to unravel as the movie progresses and although the town folk he deals with (including the "slimy toad" mayor played by the ever creepy Timothy Spall and the roguish dentist played by Hugo Weaving) treat him perhaps as a man that knows little, he is in fact a man that has loved, lost and lived like the best of them. The journey Antonio takes to track a vengeful jaguar is a journey that is not only a physical trek but an emotional trek and one where the film's softly spoken power comes from as Antonio internally deals with his past triumphs and past losses.

Filmed beautifully, scored thoughtfully and acted wonderfully by its cast, The Old Man is a film that is worthy to be tracked down and to be taken away by. With the right marketing and proper treatment one gets the feeling that the film would have been a major player at awards seasons the world over but sometimes a film is more than physical awards and plaudits and the Old Man's true gift is the one it gives to us the watchers and admirers.

5 dentist related bets out of 5

For more movie reviews and opinions check out -

www.jordanandeddie.wordpress.com