Marquise

Founded in 2002 as one of the first-ever subscription film services with its DVD-of-the-Month Film Club, Film Movement is now a North American distributor of award-winning independent and foreign films based in New York City. In 2015, Film Movement launched the reissue label Film Movement Classics featuring new restorations released theatrically as well as on home video, with an emphasis on films by auteur directors such as Eric Rohmer, Peter Greenaway and Takeshi Kitano.

Born into poverty, Marquise (Sophie Marceau) is a promiscuous young woman who uses her exquisite beauty and seductive dancing to earn a living. When the distinguished Molière (Bernard Giraudeau) and his theatre troupe come to town, Marquise mesmerises the men, especially the lead actor, nicknamed Gros René, (Patrick Timsit), who falls in love with her and asks for her hand in marriage. She agrees on condition that she joins the group to become an actress. Gros René is deeply in love with his wife, and even accepts her on-going infidelities, until she meets Jean Racine (Lambert Wilson), while they are performing for King Louis XIV and his court. Although flirtatious in manner, Marquise carries honour and integrity in her heart. Following Racine’s coaching, Marquise’s acting talents improve dramatically, and she is at last able to perform the leading dramatic role in his play Andromaque.

directed by: Véra Belmont
starring: Sophie Marceau, Lambert Wilson, Bernard Giraudeau, Patrick Timsit
1997 / 116 min / 1.85:1 / French Mono

Additional info:

• Region Free Blu-ray
• Interview with director Véra Belmont
• Essay by Laurence Marie-Sacks
• English subtitles