Priceless (2006)

Through a set of wacky circumstances, a young gold digger mistakenly woos a mild-mannered bartender thinking he's a wealthy suitor.

Director:

Pierre Salvadori

Writers:

Pierre Salvadori (scenario), Benoît Graffin (scenario)

Stars:

Audrey Tautou, Gad Elmaleh, Marie-Christine Adam

1 win & 1 nomination.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Audrey Tautou	...	Irène
Gad Elmaleh	...	Jean
Marie-Christine Adam	...	Madeleine
Vernon Dobtcheff	...	Jacques
Jacques Spiesser	...	Gilles
Annelise Hesme	...	Agnès
Charlotte Vermeil	...	Dame au chihuahua
Claudine Baschet	...	Dame au dogue
Laurent Claret	...	Responsable bar Biarritz
Jean de Coninck	...	L'homme au cigare
Blandine Pélissier	...	La femme de chambre
Philippe Vendan-Borin	...	Serveur restaurant Biarritz
Bernard Bourdeau	...	Collègue Jean Biarritz
Didier Brice	...	François
Laurent Mouton	...	Serveur café François

Storyline

In Biarritz with her elderly provider to celebrate her birthday, Irene slips down to the hotel bar when he falls asleep on her. She mistakes barman Jean for a well-healed guest and he encourages the deceit by taking her up to the Royal Suite for the night. A year later the same thing happens but this time her lover finds out and disowns her. Now knowing Jean is indeed a barman of little means doesn't stop her from continuing to live in style until his money is gone. He soon finds himself in Irene's business with older and worldly-wise Madeleine, and though Irene also takes up with a new paramour the two of them keep in increasingly close touch.

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Plot Keywords:

money | birthday | gold digger | bartender | knickers | 

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Taglines:

She only dated men with money...until she met a man with a heart

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Genres:

Comedy | Romance

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated PG-13 for sexual content including nudity

Details

Official Sites:

Official site TFM Distribution [France]

Country:

France

Language:

French English

Release Date:

11 April 2008 (USA)

Also Known As:

Priceless

Filming Locations:

Hôtel du Palais, 1 Avenue de l'Impératrice, Biarritz, Pyrénées-Atlantiques, France

Box Office

Budget:

€11,700,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend USA:

$116,308, 28 March 2008, Limited Release

Gross USA:

$1,499,127, 16 December 2016

Company Credits

Production Co:

Les Films Pelléas,France 2 Cinéma,Tovo Films

Technical Specs

Runtime:

106 min

Sound Mix:

DTS Dolby Digital

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

During a French TV show, the actress and singer Marie Laforêt announced her participation in the film, but in the end, she did not appear in it.

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Quotes

Jean: Referring to the expensive watch Madeleine has bought for him: "That's not a watch. It's a treasure chest." In French "C'est pas un montre. C'est un coffre."

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Connections

References Breakfast at Tiffany's (1961)

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Soundtracks

Can't Take My Mind Off of You
(Bob Gaudio - Bob Crewe)
Feat Lennie Hibbert
(P) 1971 Jamaica Recording and Publishing Studio Limited
Known as Studio One
Used by courtesy of Studio One

User Reviews

Breakfast at Tiffany's for the 21st century

Audrey Tatou is stunning, giving a complex performance as the sexy, conniving, vulnerable and ready to love Irène. The character is a gold-digger reminiscent of that other Audrey, Hepburn, in Breakfast at Tiffany's, and Priceless manages to achieve the same tension of elegance and decadence, playful banter and fraught undertones. There is something very dark about the scene where Irène, dumped by her latest rich beau, and left literally with only the bikini she has on, sits shivering at poolside while the sun sets and the place chances from bathers to dinner jackets. In an instant she goes from queen of her arena to a spectator. It is a complex tone shift few Hollywood (or British) rom-coms manage to attempt, never mind pull off.

Gad Elmaleh as Jean is perfectly love-struck and versatile. Strong support comes from Marie-Christine Adam as the hard but equally self-deluding Madeleine, and Vernon Dobtcheff as Irène's first victim, Jacques. There is something quite grown-up and yet naively innocent about this film, with characters who can do the most awful things but never enough to stop you caring about them. Vivid colour palette, and slickly shot, the music works well, too. Well worth seeing.