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    The Divorce

    Original title: Le divorce
    • 20032003
    • PG-13PG-13
    • 1h 57min
    IMDb RATING
    4.9/10
    11K
    YOUR RATING
    • Cast & crew
    • User reviews
    • Trivia
    • IMDbPro
    Kate Hudson and Naomi Watts in Le divorce (2003)
    Pre
    Play trailer0:34
    1 Video
    50 Photos
    ComedyDramaRomance

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

    IMDb RATING
    4.9/10
    11K
    YOUR RATING
    • Director
      • James Ivory
    • Writers
      • Diane Johnson(novel)
      • Ruth Prawer Jhabvala(screenplay)
      • James Ivory(screenplay)
    • Stars
      • Kate Hudson
      • Naomi Watts
      • Stockard Channing
    Top credits
    • Director
      • James Ivory
    • Writers
      • Diane Johnson(novel)
      • Ruth Prawer Jhabvala(screenplay)
      • James Ivory(screenplay)
    • Stars
      • Kate Hudson
      • Naomi Watts
      • Stockard Channing
  • See production, box office & company info
    • 158User reviews
    • 89Critic reviews
    • 51Metascore
  • See production, box office & company info
    • Awards
      • 2 wins

    Videos1

    Le Divorce
    Trailer 0:34
    Le Divorce

    Photos50

    Leslie Caron in Le divorce (2003)
    Naomi Watts in Le divorce (2003)
    Kate Hudson and Romain Duris in Le divorce (2003)
    Kate Hudson in Le divorce (2003)
    Kate Hudson and Naomi Watts in Le divorce (2003)
    Kate Hudson and Naomi Watts in Le divorce (2003)
    Sam Waterston, Kate Hudson, Thomas Lennon, and Naomi Watts in Le divorce (2003)
    Thierry Lhermitte in Le divorce (2003)
    Kate Hudson in Le divorce (2003)
    Chris Robinson at an event for Le divorce (2003)
    Ismail Merchant at an event for Le divorce (2003)
    James Ivory and Ismail Merchant at an event for Le divorce (2003)

    Top cast

    Edit
    Kate Hudson
    Kate Hudson
    • Isabel Walkeras Isabel Walker
    Naomi Watts
    Naomi Watts
    • Roxeanne de Persandas Roxeanne de Persand
    Stockard Channing
    Stockard Channing
    • Margeeve Walkeras Margeeve Walker
    Jean-Marie Lhomme
    • Immigration Officeras Immigration Officer
    Esmée Buchet-Deàk
    • Gennie de Persandas Gennie de Persand
    Jean-Jacques Pivert
    • Talkative Shopkeeperas Talkative Shopkeeper
    Melvil Poupaud
    Melvil Poupaud
    • Charles-Henri de Persandas Charles-Henri de Persand
    Catherine Samie
    Catherine Samie
    • Madame Florianas Madame Florian
    Samuel Labarthe
    Samuel Labarthe
    • Antoine de Persandas Antoine de Persand
    Leslie Caron
    Leslie Caron
    • Suzanne de Persandas Suzanne de Persand
    Thierry Lhermitte
    Thierry Lhermitte
    • Edgar Cossetas Edgar Cosset
    Nathalie Richard
    Nathalie Richard
    • Charlotte de Persandas Charlotte de Persand
    Samuel Gruen
    • de Persand Childas de Persand Child
    Peter Wyckoff
    • de Persand Childas de Persand Child
    Sandrel Lonnoy
    • Maidas Maid
    Glenn Close
    Glenn Close
    • Olivia Paceas Olivia Pace
    Marianne Borgo
    • Ballet Mistressas Ballet Mistress
    Sam Waterston
    Sam Waterston
    • Chester Walkeras Chester Walker
    • Director
      • James Ivory
    • Writers
      • Diane Johnson(novel)
      • Ruth Prawer Jhabvala(screenplay)
      • James Ivory(screenplay)
    • All cast & crew
    See production, box office, & company info

    Storyline

    Edit
    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 (Kate Hudson) heads to Paris to visit her half-sister, poet Roxeanne de Persand (Naomi Watts), who is early in the pregnancy of her second child. Isabel arrives to find that Roxy's French husband, Charles-Henri de Persand (Melvil Poupaud), has just left Roxy, the sisters both eventually further learning that it is because he has fallen in love with another woman, who is 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 relationships with two men, including one with Charles-Henri's older maternal uncle, the wealthy and well-appointed Edgar Cosset (Thierry Lhermitte), who is already married and who is using the same playbook on her that he has on countless women before her. As groups and individuals within the two families disagree and argue about certain issues they are facing, it does not necessarily affect other issues and relationships between the two families based on their priorities and those cultural and legal standards. —Huggo
    americanfrenchlovesexfrance174 more
    • Plot summary
    • Plot synopsis
    • Taglines
      • Everything sounds sexier in French.
    • Genres
      • Comedy
      • Drama
      • Romance
    • Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)
      • Rated PG-13 for mature thematic elements and sexual content
    • Parents guide

    Did you know

    Edit
    • 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.
    • Goofs
      When Isabel and Edgar have their last outing together, Isabel is clearly wearing red nail lacquer in the restaurant. When they say goodbye outside, her nails are no longer red.
    • Quotes

      Roxy: You shouldn't accept expensive gifts from a man.

      Isabel: Why?

      Roxy: Because it puts you in a position of having to do what he wants.

      Isabel: I'd do it anyway.

    • Connections
      Featured in At the Movies: Le Divorce/The Housekeeper/American Splendor/Open Range (2003)
    • Soundtracks
      Qu'est-ce qu'on Attend pour Être Heureux ?
      Music by Paul Misraki

      Lyrics by André Hornez

      Performed by Patrick Bruel and Johnny Hallyday

    User reviews158

    Review
    Top review
    4/10
    It Could Have Been Good
    "Le Divorce" fails. Despite the beauty of the locales and the talent of the lead actors, the director couldn't decide if this is a Parisian comedy or an adult tale of marital discord gone horrifically askew.

    The interaction between the two female leads is good-half-sisters and true soulmates. But their romantic and marital complications come too fast with too little depth and the film is on a train wreck in the making.

    And suave, affluent, cheating Frenchmen are a stale staple of these movies. Nothing new or interesting here.

    Too bad.

    4/10.
    helpful•27
    22
    • lawprof
    • Feb 13, 2004

    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • August 29, 2003 (United States)
    • Country of origin
      • United States
    • Official sites
      • Fox Searchlight Pictures
      • Merchant Ivory Productions (United States)
    • Languages
      • English
      • French
    • Also known as
      • Le divorce
    • Filming locations
      • Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport, Roissy-en-France, Val-d'Oise, France
    • Production companies
      • Merchant Ivory Productions
      • Radar Pictures
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Box office

    Edit
    • Gross US & Canada
      • $9,081,057
    • Opening weekend US & Canada
      • $516,834
      • Aug 10, 2003
    • Gross worldwide
      • $12,991,996
    See detailed box office info on IMDbPro

    Technical specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      • 1h 57min
    • Color
      • Color
    • Sound mix
      • Dolby Digital
    • Aspect ratio
      • 2.39 : 1

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    Aug 21IF.com.au

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    Kate Hudson and Naomi Watts in Le divorce (2003)
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