The Divorce (2003)

French vs. American social customs and behaviors are observed in a story about an American visiting her Frenchman-wed sister in Paris.

Director:

James Ivory

Writers:

Diane Johnson (novel), Ruth Prawer Jhabvala (screenplay)

Stars:

Kate Hudson, Naomi Watts, Stockard Channing

2 wins.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Kate Hudson	...	Isabel Walker
Jean-Marie Lhomme	...	Immigration Officer
Naomi Watts	...	Roxeanne de Persand
Esmée Buchet-Deàk	...	Gennie de Persand
Jean-Jacques Pivert	...	Talkative Shopkeeper
Melvil Poupaud	...	Charles-Henri de Persand
Catherine Samie	...	Madame Florian
Samuel Labarthe	...	Antoine de Persand
Leslie Caron	...	Suzanne de Persand
Thierry Lhermitte	...	Edgar Cosset
Nathalie Richard	...	Charlotte de Persand
Samuel Gruen	...	de Persand Child
Peter Wyckoff	...	de Persand Child
Sandrel Lonnoy	...	Maid
Glenn Close	...	Olivia Pace

Storyline

The differences in legalities and cultural mores of French and Americans regarding sex, love, marriage, religion and family bonds are presented through the interactions of two families related by marriage. American Isabel Walker heads to Paris to visit her half-sister, poet Roxeanne de Persand, who is early in the pregnancy of her second child. Isabel arrives to find that Roxy's French husband, Charles-Henri de Persand, has just left Roxy, the sisters both eventually further learning that it is because he has fallen in love with another woman, who is herself married. Roxy and Charles-Henri deal with their break-up, which Roxy does not want but must face the legal consequences of, including determining the ownership of what may be a valuable French painting that has been casually in the Walker family for years, but which Roxy has had in her possession since she got married. Meanwhile, Isabel begins to explore all that France has to offer, which includes concurrently embarking on sexual...

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Plot Keywords:

american | french | love | sex | france | 

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Taglines:

A comedy of manners...both good and bad.

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Genres:

Drama | Romance | Comedy

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated PG-13 for mature thematic elements and sexual content

Details

Official Sites:

Fox Searchlight Pictures Merchant Ivory Productions [United States]

Country:

USA

Language:

English French

Release Date:

29 August 2003 (USA)

Also Known As:

Divorcio a la francesa

Filming Locations:

Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport, Roissy-en-France, Val-d'Oise, France

Box Office

Opening Weekend USA:

$516,834, 10 August 2003

Gross USA:

$9,081,057

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$12,991,996

Company Credits

Production Co:

Merchant Ivory Productions, Radar Pictures

Technical Specs

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.39 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

The painting sold before Roxy's LaTour is Claude-Joseph Vernet's "La Nuit, au Port au Clair de Lune", which is in the Louvre's permanent collection.

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Goofs

When Isabel gets out of the taxi the driver closes the back, but when Charles-Henri hands the driver his bag the back is open again.

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Quotes

[after seeing Isabel's new look at the airport]
Roger Walker: She looks like something out of "Tie Me Up! Tie Me Down!".

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Connections

Features The Red Shoes (1948)

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Soundtracks

Pamela Peacemaker
(Extract from "Pamela Peacemaker")
Written by Pascaline Herveet
Performed by Les Elles
(p) and (c) 2000 Inca Production

User Reviews

I'm In the Minority...

...because I LOVED this movie. I read the other reviews and I'm astounded. I think this is a great movie. I received the DVD for free, and was so pleasantly surprised by the acting, the scenery, the humor, the exaggerated French snobbishness. I thought Kate Hudson glowed, carrying most of the movie. I loved the lingerie store scene, where the French women giggled over Isabel being "le petite" when she showed them her chest. I loved how Naomi Watt's character was perpetually scowling until she met the handsome divorce lawyer, and visibly fell in love at first sight. Glenn Close was wonderful as the graceful, well-aged American writer, clearly bitter about her being dumped by Edgar, but over-compensating with sarcasm. I loved the scene in the police car, where they were going to investigate a murder, and got side-tracked by the police women's perfume. There are so many wonderful nuances that make this movie great, I don't even care that the plot was muddled and non-existent. It's visually wonderful to watch, and the acting is superb. It's the kind of movie girls like to watch on a weekend, doing their nails, just relaxing. It moves slow, but it's additive and I've watched it more than I'll admit...