While a guillotine and an executioner are sent from France, a convict sentenced to death on the isolated island of St-Pierre strives to better himself in the eyes of the police chief's beautiful wife.
This dark drama explores a true tale set in 1850 on the isolated French-Canadian island of St. Pierre. Yugoslav director Emir Kustirica makes a fabulous acting debut as Neele August, an illiterate fisherman who brutally murders his ex-fishing captain in a night of drunken revelry. Sentenced to death, August cannot be killed until the remote island Governor imports a used guillotine from the French government. While awaiting the arrival of the "widow," August is placed under the care of the reticent, iconoclastic Captain Jean (Daniel Auteuil) and his freethinking wife Pauline (Juliette Binoche). Under Pauline's direction, August becomes a devoted social servant whose heroic deeds place the island's female population solidly against his death sentence.
The film's costuming and art direction are accomplished, setting the stage for Eduardo Serra's gorgeous landscape cinematography, at its best amongst the dreary seasonal changes of the remote island. Low angles, hand-held camerawork, and consistently foggy skies create a seasick feeling as director Patrice Leconte's pained attention to Jean's horse and the society surrounding the main characters elevates the film from a tidy chamber drama into a visually engaging philosophical discourse.
Theatrical Release: FEBRUARY 23, 2000 (LIMITED)
THE WIDOW OF ST. PIERRE was nominated for a Golden Globe for Best Foreign Language Film.
Director Patrice Leconte chose Emir Kusturica to star in his film when he saw his photo, not realizing at first that Kusturica was a successful director who had never acted before. Kusturica said that his performance in THE WIDOW OF ST. PIERRE will be his one and only acting job, but he soon changed his mind and decided to appear in HERMANO.
Widow Of St. Pierre Reviews:
"...A striking historical drama....It is gorgeously photographed by Eduardo Serra and well-acted by the always dependable Juliette Binoche....[Kusturica] gives a mesmerizing performance..."
-- Stephen Farber, Movieline's Hollywood Life
"...The subtle selectivity of Leconte's eye, how he moves with great control from gesture to gesture, is matched by the disciplined performances..."
-- Lisa Schwarzbaum, Entertainment Weekly
"...Daniel Auteuil is forceful..."-- Mike Clark, USA Today
"...Patrice Leconte is a filmmaker with talent to burn....[The film] has the bold, earnest emotion of a classic 1940's melodrama....Deeply entertaining..."
-- A. O. Scott, New York Times
"...Hypnotic and haunting....That rare period piece that resonates with provocative life..."
-- Peter Travers, Rolling Stone
"...A dark-haired beauty of infinite self-possession, Binoche radiates the strength and intelligence of a woman capable of risking all -- with her eyes wide open..."
-- Kevin Thomas, Los Angeles Times
"...THE WIDOW OF ST. PIERRE is a beautiful and haunting film..."
-- Roger Ebert, Chicago Sun-Times
This is the only Marc Beland video. Stars also making their debut in this video: Christian Charmetant, Ghyslain Tremblay.
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