Comédie-Française!
In the June of 1940 the Maginot Line has been crashed.
All Parisians are running to Bordeaux: the government ministers, the
scientists, the criminals, the aristocracy, the artists and the German spies.
In a span of a few days, the destiny of France will be decided and, meanwhile,
the people are trying to figure their way out…
One of the screenwriters – Patrick Modiano – has
already written in 1974 the screenplay for Louis Malle «Lacomb Lucien». Back in
1974, this film exploded because it showed the true face of a French society
during World War II. Patrick Modiano, in collaboration with four screenwriters,
returned to this theme in 2003 and had chosen the most unbelievable genre – a
comedy.
If «Lacomb Lucien» was a portart of the French society
as the whole, «Bon Voyage!» ridicules the French ruling class. Practically all of
the French higher society shown as a bunch of indifferent people, who cares
only how to get to Hotel «Splendid». The aristocrats, the government ministers,
the business people are even secretly happy about an armistice. It would allow
them to come back to Paris and «with Germans we will learn to cooperate».
Under such circumstances, the most unlikely kind of
people could become heroes: the criminals, who ran away from a jail and who
prevent Germans from obtaining the nuclear bomb. One of the main heroes – an aspiring
writer, who was imprisoned because of his love – who got to Bordeaux to sort
some thing out with his love. Nevertheless, circumstances forces him to take a
direct part into the future of France.
The film got a superb acting for the main and
supporting cast alike.
To the most of the heroines, created by Isabelle
Adjani, you feel compassion, sympathy; they could touch even the most cynical
hearts. The Actress had brilliantly portrayed the greatest women in history: Adelie
Hugo, Emily Bronte, Antonieta Rivas Mercado, Camille Claudel, Margarite de
Valois. This time Isabelle Adjani uses her splendid talent and magic to create
the quintessence of the talentless actress and a truly despicable character.
You could even say that Viviane Denvers is anti-Isabelle Adani, If Isabelle
Adjani is a great actress and beautiful woman, Viviane Denvers is the
third-rate actress with a cute face.
Viviane Denvers is ready to go to bed with anyone who
would provide a boost for career, pay for her and protect her. As Hendrik
Hoefgen from «Mephisto», Viviane has sold her soul for the cheap glory. In the
world of Viviane Denvers there is no place for such words as dignity, loyalty
and love. She is ready to set up the person, who truly loves her, and abandon
him, like any other useless lover. All her charm is the combination of a third-rate
acting: the theatrical crying, the rolling eyes and the constant talking about
her sad life. During the course of this film, Viviane loses the last remains of
her dignity and she realizes too late that there is no way back. Isabelle
Adjani has brilliantly portrayed Viviane’s nullity. You don’t feel any
compassion towards her and the final scene clearly shows her future.
Other actors were also brilliant. Gérard Depardieu as
the corrupt minister. Peter Coyote as a German spy with the mephistophelean
charm to whom Viviane «sells her soul». Virginie Ledoyen as an idealistic young
girl, loyal to France and science. Grégori Derangère as an aspiring writer, who
becomes a hero. In addition, the legends of French cinema Aurore Clément and Edith
Scob has created episodic memorable characters.
Enclosing, let me say that in the June of 1940 comedy,
spy flick, melodrama, drama and war movie has met in Bordeaux and the meeting
was splendid!
9/10