A Very Long Engagement (2004)

Tells the story of a young woman's relentless search for her fiancé, who has disappeared from the trenches of the Somme during World War One.

Director:

Jean-Pierre Jeunet

Writers:

Sébastien Japrisot (novel), Jean-Pierre Jeunet (story and adaptation)

Stars:

Audrey Tautou, Gaspard Ulliel, Jodie Foster

Nominated for 2 Oscars. Another 17 wins & 33 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Audrey Tautou	...	Mathilde
Gaspard Ulliel	...	Manech
Dominique Pinon	...	Sylvain
Chantal Neuwirth	...	Bénédicte
André Dussollier	...	Pierre-Marie Rouvières
Ticky Holgado	...	Germain Pire
Marion Cotillard	...	Tina Lombardi
Dominique Bettenfeld	...	Ange Bassignano
Jodie Foster	...	Elodie Gordes
Jean-Pierre Darroussin	...	Benjamin Gordes (as Jean Pierre Darroussin)
Clovis Cornillac	...	Benoît Notre-Dame
Jean-Pierre Becker	...	Esperanza (as Jean Pierre Becker)
Denis Lavant	...	Six-Soux
Jérôme Kircher	...	Bastoche
Albert Dupontel	...	Célestin Poux

Storyline

Five desperate French soldiers during The Battle of the Somme shoot themselves, either by accident or with purpose, in order to be invalided back home. Having been "caught" a court-martial convenes and determines punishment to be banishment to No Man's Land with the objective of having the Germans finish them off. In the process of telling this tale each man's life is briefly explored along with their next of kin as Methilde, fiancée to one of the men, tries to determine the circumstances of her lover's death. This task is not made any easier for her due to a bout with polio as a child. Along the way she discovers the heights and depths of the human soul.

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Plot Keywords:

cracking a nut | bedridden | boot | mouse | dead animal | 

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Taglines:

Never let go

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Genres:

Drama | Mystery | Romance | War

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated R for violence and sexuality

Details

Official Sites:

Official site [Denmark] Warner Bros. [France]

Country:

France USA

Language:

French German Corsican

Release Date:

14 January 2005 (USA)

Also Known As:

A Very Long Engagement

Filming Locations:

Auberge Ravoux, 52 rue du Général de Gaulle, Auvers-sur-Oise, Val d'Oise, France

Box Office

Budget:

$47,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend:

$7,969,526 (France), 29 October 2004

Opening Weekend USA:

$101,749, 28 November 2004, Limited Release

Gross USA:

$6,167,817, 27 February 2005

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$70,115,868, 28 April 2005

Company Credits

Production Co:

2003 Productions, Warner Bros., Tapioca Films

Technical Specs

Runtime:

133 min

Sound Mix:

DTS Dolby Digital SDDS

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

A Paris court ruling prevented the movie from receiving State financial aid reserved to French movie production companies because it was produced by a company owned by Warner Bros., hence not a French company.

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Goofs

In the story of Manech's self inflicted wound, a tank can be seen taking part in the French attack. This type of tank, the Renault FT, did not see combat until March 1918.

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Quotes

Mathilde: [after climbing out of her wheelchair] Miracles don't just happen in Lourdes, you know.

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Connections

Referenced in The Exes: A Very Wrong Engagement (2012)

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Soundtracks

Peer Gynt: Suite Number 1, Opus 46
Composed by Edvard Grieg

User Reviews

Pleasant, visually satisfying.

Dazzling, never before have I seen such a visually pleasing picture. Jeunet has mastered the film medium giving 'A Very Long Engagement' a unique and fairy tale like visual style. Though rushed, the fantasy romance that Jeunet paints through flashbacks is inspiring. The graphic World War I trenches, provide an excellent contrast to the simple but charming mystery that Mathilde embarks on through the film.

Although Jeunet relies heavily on Audrey Tautou's performance, it is ultimately his one of a kind visual style that emotionally ties the viewer. This said, the latter portion of 'Long Engagement' feels very rushed and isn't treated to the same elegance that so well defines the first half. There are moments in the film where the visuals far overshadow the emotional intensity intended for the scene. This is perhaps 'Long Engagements' only fault, as it becomes unbalanced. The stylized and even cartoonish artistic direction that Jeunet leans to, although brilliant seems I'll fit for this wartime drama. Even so, 'A Very Long Engagement' comes off genuine and it's mix of fantasy romance and war will let you leave the theater fulfilled.