|
Madame BovaryRating:
Release Date: 05 November, 2002 Retail Price: $14.95 OUR Price: $12.99 You SAVE: $1.96! Cast: |
Madame Bovary Reviews
The Madame of Bad Decisions
This film is a French adaptation of Gustave Flaubert's classic tale of human bondage, "Madame Bovary."
I expected this adaptation to be better than others I have seen simply because it was done by the French, but sadly the film does not hold up to Flaubert's original work. Isabelle Huppert does a so-so job as the lead character, the great sufferer, Madame Bovary. Huppert does not show enough passion and emotion for my taste though, the original character is consumed by suffering and desperately stabs at whatever form of relief comes her way, but Huppert doesn't quite get any depth out of this performance. She looks lovely in her period costumes however. Madame Bovary succumbed to adultery, debtful spending habits and even suicide while being married to Dr. Bovary and never feeling passionately satisfied with her life. The character is both the ultimate victim of her own circumstances and that of the stigma society held over women of her time. In the classic novel she screams for understanding and compassion but here Huppert only manages to stir a selfish and self-absorbed creature lacking any decent humanity.
Contrasting to the Madame is Dr. Bovary, played decently by Jean-Francois Balmer, who manages to bring a sorrow to the dutiful man who cowers at the Madame's feet. Malavoy is sweet and hardworking much as I imagine the original character to be and also sadly unsuspicious of his wicked wife's activities at his expense. The enigmatic and suave character of Rodolphe Boulanger is played by the handsome and convincing Christophe Malavoy. Malavoy is seductively charming and maliciously evil at the same time, the perfect match for Mrs. Bovary!
I enjoyed this film for the French aesthetic value but feel the need to dust off my old classic novel and re-read the story as written by the master, Flaubert. I enjoy the message contained in this story about the sin of excess and lack of reason behind decisions, interestingly enough this 1856 novel could use a few more readings in today's world. The film is good but the novel is GREAT, enjoy both for the experience.
Egad! - a French Merchant Ivory movie...only worse!
The French have made many magnificent historical films, for example Ridicule, Colonel Chabert & Queen Margot. But this one is really awful. The acting is stagy. The script is choppy. Huppert, although in her late 30s here, looks at least 50. She's supposed to be a naive young impulsive country doctor's wife. But Huppert is not young, she's not country & she is definitely not naive. She's just very boring.
More Customer Reviews (5 total)
You like Madame Bovary?
|
