Battle of the Brave (2004)

In the mid-18th Century, as England and France battle over control of Canada, an epic romance between a peasant woman and a trapper unfurls.

Director:

Jean Beaudin

Writer:

Pierre Billon

Stars:

Noémie Godin-Vigneau, David La Haye, Juliette Gosselin

2 wins & 10 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Noémie Godin-Vigneau	...	Marie-Loup Carignan
David La Haye	...	François le Gardeur
Juliette Gosselin	...	Young France Carignan
Sébastien Huberdeau	...	Xavier Maillard
Gérard Depardieu	...	Father Thomas Blondeau
Bianca Gervais	...	Acoona
Irène Jacob	...	Angélique de Roquebrune
Pierre Lebeau	...	Joseph Carignan
Vincent Perez	...	Intendant Le Bigot
Isabel Richer	...	France Carignan
Johanne-Marie Tremblay	...	Madeleine Carignan (as Johanne Marie Tremblay)
Tim Roth	...	William Pitt
Jason Isaacs	...	Général James Wolfe
Colm Meaney	...	Benjamin Franklin
Billy Merasty	...	Owashak (as William Merasty)

Storyline

Prejudice, perfidy, love, and bravery in Québec. In 1779, a priest on his deathbed receives a young woman. Flash back 20 years: Marie-Loup, an herb-dispensing peasant, falls for François, a man of property. The priest's perfidy and the treachery of a soldier separate the lovers and set in motion a chain of events leading to a death, a trial, and an execution. The action unfolds against a backdrop of England's take-over of French-Canada, the Church's manipulations to maintain spiritual hegemony, and the limited rights of woman and indigenous peoples. Watching it all is Marie-Loup's daughter, named France, who, when grown, is the dying priest's visitor in prelude and coda.

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Plot Keywords:

1700s | seven years' war | priest | peasant | france | 

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Taglines:

Rise. Unite. Fight.

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Genres:

Drama | History | Romance | War

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated PG-13 for violence and sexual content

Details

Official Sites:

Melenny Productions Inc [Canada] (French, English)

Country:

Canada UK France

Language:

English North American Indian French

Release Date:

20 July 2005 (France)

Also Known As:

Battle of the Brave

Filming Locations:

Canada

Box Office

Budget:

CAD27,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend USA:

$468,625, 21 November 2004

Gross USA:

$1,599,716

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$2,058,007

Company Credits

Production Co:

Lions Gate Entertainment, Melenny Productions, UKFS

Technical Specs

Runtime:

143 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Two versions of the film were shot simultaneously, an English language version titled 'Battle of the Brave' and a French language version titled 'Nouvelle-France'.

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Alternate Versions

Two versions of the film were shot simultaneously, an English language version titled 'Battle of the Brave' and a French language version titled 'Nouvelle-France'.

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Connections

Featured in Céline Dion: Ma Nouvelle-France (2004)

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Soundtracks

Ma Nouvelle-France
music by Patrick Doyle
lyrics by Luc Plamondon
sung by Céline Dion

User Reviews

Interesting period piece

While the overall production lacks the feel of a first-rate movie, I found this film highly engaging in that the female lead and some supporting performances were just excellent. The relationship between the mother and daughter was as strong as I have ever seen portrayed, with excellent performances by both. Unfortunately, the cast of usual suspects, reprising roles from other similar movies, detracted immensely from the film. They should have just found new faces. I'm a history buff, and rarely enjoy romance driven films.. but this one actually caught my attention and I liked it. With better performances from the "famous" actors, and a little less sap in the music score, this could have been a far more enjoyable film. But overall the two lead characters gave outstanding performances, and I really enjoyed the story and cinematography.